Artura.org : Diverse Contemporary Art : Individual : Julio Eloy Mesa [A-000057PC-CSSP]

Julio Eloy Mesa is a Cuban artist born in 1943 in Placetas, Villa Clara, Cuba, who works in the mediums of graphic design, scenic design, and painting. Mesa had extensive formal education in Cuba, first studying at the Garcés Academy, Havana, in commercial and architectural painting in the 1950s. He received training at the National Art School, Havana, between 1960 to 1962, and at San Alejandro Academy of Fine Arts from 1963 to 1966. He was also involved with the Havana School of Design and the University of Havana in the 1970s.<br /><br /> Mesa began his career at the Cuban Institute of the Arts and Cinematography. During the 1970s, while the Cuban Revolution was at its peak, Mesa and other graphic artists came into prominence as societal communicators. “Poster Art,” with its use of color, collages, photographs of high contrast, text, phrases, and urgent slogans, became an indispensable medium. Mesa's work has been exhibited internationally, and his posters are used as examples for art students in various universities throughout Latin America.<br /><br /> In 1993, Mesa went into exile from Cuba and moved to Austin, TX, where he has worked as a designer since.<br />_{<em>—Adapted in part from https://serieproject.org/product/julio-eloy-mesa-2/, accessed 8-5-2022, and </em>} <em>_{research conducted by University of Notre Dame students, supervised by Dr. Tatiana Reinoza, 2021}</em>