The Cuban Research Institute deeply mourns the passing of the respected Cuban American visual artist Humberto Calzada, who for many years was a member of the Institute's Community Advisory Board.
Humberto Calzada was born in Cuba and lived in Miami since 1960. He completed an MBA in finance and a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering at the University of Miami. In 1976, he gave up his engineering career to pursue painting. The influence of his engineering background would influence his style and become a striking hallmark of his work, inspired by Havana's colonial and neoclassical architecture. Humberto joined a group of Cuban American artists who became known as the Miami Generation. His work forms part of several museums and corporate, public and private collections.
Humberto was a talented artist, a proud Cuban and a wonderful human being. He was a loyal friend of the Cuban Research Institute, which benefitted from his kindness, wisdom and generosity. He will be sorely missed.
In celebration of his life, CRI will dedicate its upcoming 15th Conference on Cuban and Cuban American Studies to the memory of Humberto Calzada.