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You are here: Home1 / Reynier Leyva Novo

Reynier Leyva Novo

Newsletter Text, 2017-2018 – Newsletter Text, 2014-2015

Reynier Leyva Novo is one of Cuba’s leading conceptual artists. He belongs to a generation too young to have witnessed the Revolution but exposed as children to the privations following the 1991 end of economic support from the Soviet Union. His multidisciplinary practice is grounded in his scrutiny of historical data and official documents in order to unearth content that he transforms into formally minimalist and conceptually charged work.

His 2012 series The desire to die for others cast in blocks of clear resin weapons used by various Cuban leaders in the country’s long struggles for independence. This new translucent materiality robbed these objects of any sense of historical sanctification by neutralizing the ideological construction around them. Collages from his more recent The Extension of Words series uses mundane details of grammar and language from the official newspaper of the Cuban government as the nexus of geometric compositions that challenge platitudes and hint at alternative interpretations. In this way, Novo’s work delineates an uneasy dialogue between official history and lived experience.

Trained in Cuba under Tania Brugera’s acclaimed performance art program, Arte de Conducta, Novo’s work has been shown internationally in the Liverpool Biennial (2010), the Venice Biennale (2011 and 2017), the Sorocaba Triennial of Arts in Brazil (2017) and the Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA exhibition Deconstructing Liberty, A Destiny Manifested (2017). It is collected by the Bronx Museum of the Arts, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Walker Art Center, Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation, Perez Art Museum, Art Gallery of Ontario, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, and Museum of Fine Arts Houston. In 2022, Novo was awarded the Pommery Prize for “What it is, what it has been” at The Armory Show.

Reynier Leyva Novo - 1959, 2017, newspaper clipping, gold graphite, acid free paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - 1959
Reynier Leyva Novo - Alma / Soul (SOLD), 2017, newspaper clipping, gold graphite, acid free paper, 17 by14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Alma / Soul (SOLD)
Reynier Leyva Novo - Comunista / Communist, 2017, newspaper clipping, gold graphite, acid free paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Comunista / Communist
Reynier Leyva Novo - Diamante / Diamond (SOLD), 2017, newspaper clipping, gold graphite, acid free paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Diamante / Diamond (SOLD)
Reynier Leyva Novo - Guerra / War, 2017, newspaper clipping, gold graphite, acid free paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Guerra / War
Reynier Leyva Novo - Hombre / Man, 2017, newspaper clipping, gold graphite, acid free paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Hombre / Man
Reynier Leyva Novo - Hoy / Today, 2017, newspaper clipping, gold graphite, acid free paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Hoy / Today
Reynier Leyva Novo - Ley / Law, 2017, newspaper clipping, gold graphite, acid free paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Ley / Law
Reynier Leyva Novo - Luz / Light, 2017, newspaper clipping, gold graphite, acid free paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Luz / Light
Reynier Leyva Novo - Mundo / World, 2017, newspaper clipping, gold graphite, acid free paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Mundo / World
Reynier Leyva Novo - Norte / North, 2017, newspaper clipping, gold graphite, acid free paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Norte / North
Reynier Leyva Novo - Paz / Peace, 2017, newspaper clipping, gold graphite, acid free paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Paz / Peace
Reynier Leyva Novo - Perro / Dog, 2017, newspaper clipping, gold graphite, acid free paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Perro / Dog
Reynier Leyva Novo - Pueblo / Town, 2017, newspaper clipping, gold graphite, acid free paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Pueblo / Town
Reynier Leyva Novo - Real, 2017, newspaper clipping, gold graphite, acid free paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Real
Reynier Leyva Novo - Si / Yes, 2017, newspaper clipping, gold graphite, acid free paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Si / Yes
Reynier Leyva Novo - Sol / Sun, 2017, newspaper clipping, gold graphite, acid free paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Sol / Sun
Reynier Leyva Novo - Terrorista / Terrorist, 2017, newspaper clipping, gold graphite, acid free paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Terrorista / Terrorist
Reynier Leyva Novo - The Glass Kiss II, 2015, 2 etched glasses, size variable
Reynier Leyva Novo - The Glass Kiss II
Reynier Leyva Novo - The Glass Kiss II (detail), 2015, 2 etched glasses, size variable
Reynier Leyva Novo - The Glass Kiss II (detail)
Reynier Leyva Novo - The Glass Kiss, 2015, 70 etched glasses, size variable
Reynier Leyva Novo - The Glass Kiss
Reynier Leyva Novo - The Glass Kiss (detail), 2015, 70 etched glasses, size variable
Reynier Leyva Novo - The Glass Kiss (detail)
Reynier Leyva Novo - Los olores de la guerra (The Scents of War) Installation view, 2009, scents, glass bottles, vinyl lettering
Reynier Leyva Novo - LoLos olores de la guerra (The Scents of War) Installation view
Reynier Leyva Novo - Los olores de la guerra (The Scents of War), 2009, 3 bottles, size variable
Reynier Leyva Novo - Los olores de la guerra (The Scents of War)
Reynier Leyva Novo - Revolucion: Una y Mil Veces (detail), 2011, book, 11 by 8 by 3 inches closed, 9.5 by 15 by 2.5 inches open, edition of 5
Reynier Leyva Novo - Revolucion: Una y Mil Veces (detail)
Reynier Leyva Novo - Revolucion: Una y Mil Veces, 2011, book, 11 by 8 by 3 inches closed, 9.5 by 15 by 2.5 inches open, edition of 5
Reynier Leyva Novo - Revolucion: Una y Mil Veces
Reynier Leyva Novo - Revolucion: Una y Mil Veces (detail), 2011, book, 11 by 8 by 3 inches closed, 9.5 by 15 by 2.5 inches open, edition of 5
Reynier Leyva Novo - Revolucion: Una y Mil Veces (detail)
Reynier Leyva Novo - The Desire to Die for Others, 2012, cast in polyester resin from the original objects, sizes vary
Reynier Leyva Novo - The Desire to Die for Others
Reynier Leyva Novo - The Desire to Die for Others series (installation view), 2012, cast in polyester resin from the original objects
Reynier Leyva Novo - The Desire to Die for Others series (installation view)
Reynier Leyva Novo - Machete: Manuel Sanguily (detail), 2012, cast in polyester resin from original object, 30.25 by 2 by 1 inches Belonged to Colonel Manuel Sanguily
Reynier Leyva Novo - Machete: Manuel Sanguily (detail)
Reynier Leyva Novo - Machete: Antonio Maceo (detail), 2012, cast in polyester resin from original object, 32.5 by 2 by 1 inches Belonged to Major General Antonio Maceo y Grajales. On the hilt is inscribed “Invasion of Maceo 1895”
Reynier Leyva Novo - Machete: Antonio Maceo (detail)
Reynier Leyva Novo - Machete: Quintin Bandera (detail), 2012, cast in polyester resin from original object, 32 by 4.5 by x 1 inches Belonged to Division General José Quintino Bandera Betancourt (Quintín Bandera)
Reynier Leyva Novo - Machete: Quintin Bandera (detail)
Reynier Leyva Novo - Machete: Maximo Gomez (detail), 2012, cast in polyester resin from original object, 27 by 4 by 1.5 inches Was a gift from José Martí to Major General Máximo Gómez, and used by the latter during the War of 1895–1898
Reynier Leyva Novo - Machete: Maximo Gomez (detail)
Reynier Leyva Novo - Revolver: Carlos Manuel de Cespedes (detail), 2012, cast in polyester resin from original object, 10 by 5 by 1.5 inches, Belonged to President of the Republic of Cuba in Arms Carlos Manuel de Céspedes. With this revolver he fired three shots on encountering the Spanish troops in Yara, the following day to begin the Ten Years War in 1868
Reynier Leyva Novo - Revolver: Carlos Manuel de Cespedes (detail)
Reynier Leyva Novo - Bullet: Francisco (Panchito) Gomez Toro (detail), 2012, cast in polyester resin from original objects, 1 by 0.5 inch, This bullet wounded Panchito Gómez Toro in the chest and was found during the exhumation of his body
Reynier Leyva Novo - Bullet: Francisco (Panchito) Gomez Toro (detail)
Reynier Leyva Novo - Revolver: Jose Marti (detail), 2012, cast in polyester resin from original object, 12.25 by 4 by 1.75 inches, Was a gift from Panchito Gómez Toro to José Martí in the United States. It is known as Colt Frontier or “Peacemaker”
Reynier Leyva Novo - Revolver: Jose Marti (detail)
Reynier Leyva Novo - Revolver: Calixto Garcia Iniguez (detail), 2012, cast in polyester resin from original object, 11.5 by 6 by 2 inches, Belonged to Major General Calixto García Iñiguez
Reynier Leyva Novo - Revolver: Calixto Garcia Iniguez (detail)
Reynier Leyva Novo - Bullet: Francisco (Panchito) Gomez Toro (detail), 2012, cast in polyester resin from original objects, 1 by 0.5 inches, This bullet wounded Panchito Gómez Toro in the chest and was found during the exhumation of his body
Reynier Leyva Novo - Bullet: Francisco (Panchito) Gomez Toro (detail)
Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes, 2015, newspaper clippings collage on paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes No. 32 (Monoculture)
Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes, 2015, newspaper clippings collage on paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes
Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes, 2015, newspaper clippings collage on paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes
Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes, 2015, newspaper clippings collage on paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes
Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes, 2015, newspaper clippings collage on paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes
Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes, 2015, newspaper clippings collage on paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes
Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes, 2015, newspaper clippings collage on paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes
Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes, 2015, newspaper clippings collage on paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes
Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes, 2015, newspaper clippings collage on paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes
Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes, 2015, newspaper clippings collage on paper, 17 by 14 inches
Reynier Leyva Novo - Margin Notes

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