BELIZEAN ARTS

Manuel Gonzalez Daza was born in Havana in 1956. He studied art at the Escuela de Arte de San Alejandro (1972-1976) and later received a BFA from the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana (1981). During this time he studied under various Cuban and European masters in different disciplines and was exposed to many international influences, artists, movements and genres.

From 1980 to 1985 he worked as a graphic illustrator and designer for Letras Cubanas, later on moving to Gente Nueva (1985- 1993), both Havana publishing houses belonging to the Instituto Cubano del Libro.Daza traveled to Belize in 1993 at the invitation of Benque Viejo-based Cubola Productions, working on many publications for primary school use. Since then, he has lived in Benque, Dangriga and Belmopan, working on various graphic illustration projects for the Archaeology Department and the European Union, Cubola Productions, Imaginative Works and BIOMED. In Belize his paintings have been exhibited at the Bliss Institute (Dreams, 1999),El Cafe (Angels, 2000) and the Instituto de Colaboracion Mexico-Belize (Somersaults, 2002).

His works have been exposed in France, Italy, Germany, China, Taiwan, Spain and other countries. A member of the UNEAC (Writers and Artists Cuban Union) and TGEH (Taller de Grafica Experimental de La Habana).

Daza alternates between working on his paintings and digital projects.