Cuban artist
Francis Acea (né Abel Santiago Francis Acea; born 1967) is an artist, publisher, designer, and serial entrepreneur known for his inspiration by what The Language of Objects in the Art of the Americas describes as “the often anonymous creations of provisional art.”[1] Along with other artists, also inspired by the provisional art movement in Cuba, made the collective Ordo Amoris Cabinet.[1] Acea studied design at the Instituto Superior de Diseño de la Habana (Graduate Institute of Design of Havana).[2] As of 2024, Acea lives between Miami and New York City. Acea has exhibited internationally, solo and group, and currently performs as President of One Sun Media, publishing online and in print.
Acea has presented solo exhibitions in Cuba, the United States, and Europe. In New York, he exhibited “Black Diamonds: New Works by Francis Acea” at the Merton D. Simpson Gallery (2015)[3] and “D.B.A Francis Acea” at Magnan Emrich Contemporary (2007). In London, he was the subject of “No Money, No Glory” at Holster Projects (2010).[4]
In Miami, he organized several solo projects including “D.B.A Joe” at Pan American Art Projects (2008), “D.B.A Nobody” at Kunsthaus Miami (2007). Earlier shows in Havana included Sweet Home at Espacio Aglutinador (2002), This Is a Provisional Fence. Keep Out at the Center for the Development of the Visual Arts (1999), and Reinforced Concrete at the same institution (1997). He also presented Sugar-Water and the Provisional Show at the Center for the Development of the Visual Arts in Havana and at the Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo in San José, Costa Rica (1996).
Acea’s work was featured at major international institutions as well. He presented Mousepads and Screensavers at “ArtPace” in San Antonio, Texas (2001),[5] following his residency there, and showed Summer Days at Frehrking Wiesehöfer Gallery in Cologne, Germany (2001). Earlier, he exhibited Antennas: Network Transmission/Taxi Limosina at the “Ludwig Forum für Internationale Kunst” in Aachen and Kunsthaus Berlin (1998), and Hiking Raffle during a residency at the “Banff Centre for the Arts” in Alberta, Canada (1997).
Acea’s work has also been presented in group exhibitions at major institutions in Europe, the Americas, and Cuba. In Germany, his work appeared in Prophets of Boom at the “Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden” (2002) and in Entropy at Home at the “Suermondt-Ludwig Museum”, Aachen (1998). In Switzerland, he was included in AURUM: Gold in Contemporary Art at the “Centre PasquArt, Biel/Bienne” (2008).[6] In the United Kingdom, his work was part of Cuba Presente! at the “Barbican Centre” in London (1999), Thinking Aloud organized by the “Hayward Gallery” and shown at venues including Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge and Cornerhouse in Manchester (1998–1999), and the “Royal College of Art” in London (1998).
In Canada, he participated in Stretch at the “Power Plant Gallery” in Toronto (2003) and in the Troisième Manifestation Internationale Vidéo et Art Électronique organized by Champ Libre in Montreal (1997). In Finland, his work was shown at the “Helsinki City Art Museum”, Tennis Palace (2002), and in Lithuania at the “Ciurlionis National Art Museum” in Kaunas (2003). He was also featured in Short Stories at the Fabbrica del Vapore Art Center in Milan (2001) and in Atravesados at “Fundación Telefónica”, Madrid (2002).
In the United States, his work was presented in Killing Time: An Exhibition of Cuban Artists from the 1980s to the Present at “Exit Art”, New York (2007), and later in the survey Every Exit Is an Entrance: 30 Years of Exit Art (2012).[7] He also exhibited in smART and Past is History, Future is Mystery at the Freedom Tower in Miami (2010), as well as at the “PULSE Art Fair” in Miami (2006).
More recent group exhibitions include The Object and the Image (This Is Not a Chair Either) at Concrete Space Projects in Miami (2017)[8] and The New Gold Rush at Pan American Art Projects in Miami (2025).[9]
Acea has built a parallel career as an entrepreneur in media, culture, and digital innovation. In 2004, he founded “Miami Art Guide”,[10][non-primary source needed] a regional arts marketing agency and online magazine that operated for 16 years. The publication became a central platform for documenting and promoting South Florida’s arts scene, supporting galleries, museums, and artists during Miami’s rise as an international cultural hub.
From this foundation, Acea expanded into projects that combined cultural production with new forms of publishing and digital communication. In 2020, he launched “Opinión Cubana”,[11][non-primary source needed] an online newspaper dedicated to Cuban politics and economics; “Unión Constitucional”, a platform for civic education on Cuba’s constitutional history structured as an online academy and social network.
In 2021 he established “One Sun Media”,[12][non-primary source needed] a boutique agency focused on brand development and publishing strategies. Subsequent projects included Coca Cola del Olvido (2022),[13][non-primary source needed] a concept-based gift shop presenting art objects and multiples, and ELEVENSUNS MAGAZINE (2023),[14][non-primary source needed] an online magazine curated for a select male readership.
- Sullivan, Edward J. The Language of Objects in the Art of the Americas. Yale University Press. 2007.
- Linda Pace, Jan Jarboe, Eleanor Heartney. Dreaming Red, Creating ArtPace. 2003
- Atravesados, Deslizamientos de identidad y genero. Fundacion Telefónica, May 2003.
- Prophets of Boom. Staaliche Kunsthalle Baden Baden. Baden Baden, Germany. 2002.
- Heather Corcoran. Art.sy Editorial. “Francis Acea”.[15]
- Olivier Cayron. Art Scenes Magazine. p. 64-65. No 18. Paris, France. 2006.
- Carlos M. Luis. El Nuevo Herald. “Francis Acea y la realidad cotidiana”. January 25. Miami, FL. 2004
- Miguel Muniz. Milenio. Diario de Monterrey. “Gabinete Ordo Amoris”. Interview. p. 46. Monterrey. MX. April 6, 2002.
- Goddard, Dan R. (2008-01-02). “No sir, Mr. Castro, it’s not art: A Cuban duo recycles things in thought-provoking ways”. San Antonio Express. p. 1G.
- Cuauhtemoc Medina. “El Ojo Breve. Una isla cada vez mas isla.” Reforma Newspaper, 3 de Enero. p. 4c. Mx. DF. 2001
- Walter Robinson. “Havana, Art Capital”. Artnet Magazine. 2000.
- Hilda Rodriguez. “Espacios para una comunicacion deseada”. Revista Arte Cubano, No.3, p. 13. ISSN 1024-8439. La Habana. Cuba. 2000
- Antonio Eligio (Tonel). Por la Habana en Limosina. Revista La Gaceta de Cuba, No.6, p. 22. ISSN 0864-1706. La Habana. Cuba. 1999
- Grant, Simon. Imagination at full stretch. Evening Standard, May 12, London, 1999.
- Ian Hunt. Review. Thinking Aloud. Art Monthly Magazine. No.2. UK. 1999
- Naomi Blum. Naomi Blum visited Thinking Aloud with Art Monthly critic Patricia Bickers. Art Monthly Magazine. UK. 1998
- Nelson Moya and Luis F. Quiroz. Interview. Revista Fanal (MADC), No.14, p. 24. ISSN 1409-469X. San Jose, Costa Rica. 1996.
