James Lopez

José Bedia: 1976 – 2026: A Five Decade Field Study is a rich exploration of the career and work of Cuban artist – José Bedia. From being a formative member of the “Volumen Uno” Cuban art renaissance, Bedia’s international outreach continually grew from the 1980’s onward, reaching worldwide acclaim - spanning from his participation in the monumental exhibit Magiciens de la Terre in 1989 to winning First Prize at the Beijing Biennale in 2010. His unique artistic craft focuses on organic elements, tribal symbology, and shamanism from diverse cultures. Bedia’s work and artistic creations are deeply informed by living and past ancestral communities everywhere and his personal interactions with them, while simultaneously using a “field work” approach of an ethnographer or anthropologist to create his paintings, drawings, sculptures, and installations. Anchored by his 5-decade retrospective at the MARCO Museum of Monterrey, and also accompanied by text from various art scholars, this book will look at his trajectory focusing on his different styles and periods throughout the years, as well as images from his personal travels, and tribal collection, that directly impact his artistic output. Text in English and French.

November 1095. Pope Urban II ignited the passions of all the nobles throughout Europe with his fiery sermon and promise of a lifetime of penance in return for a holy war against the Saracen Turks. Inspired by this cause, Sir Rodrigo, a young knight from Castile, set out to join the armies being gathered by the Princes of Europe, as they sought to answer the Pope's call and recapture the city of Jerusalem for Christendom. An unexpected encounter with a stranger along his way challenges his beliefs about the Pope's proclamation, leaving him troubled and determined to uncover the truth. Throughout his fateful journey he experiences the epic battles and triumphs along with the horrific tragedies and struggles of the First Crusade as they march toward Jerusalem. His unrelenting quest for truth will ultimately test his very faith in God when the crusaders reach their final goal.