Cuban painter Javier Guerra passes away.

The Cuban painter Javier Guerra passed away the night before "in his beloved Cuba" at the age of 54, as confirmed on social media by the National Council of Plastic Arts (CNAP), along with friends and family of the artist.

A close source indicated that the artist's death occurred in the early hours of October 11. "He died young, lived like the bohemian of story tales, like those cursed poets for whom night was day and day was night," he summarized without specifying the cause of death.

Another friend of the painter wrote: “Zero speculation about what happened. Today, alongside YoYi, family, and close friends, I spent the day; he died where he wanted "in Cuba." In his world, at his parties, he died on his own terms. "Until forever machete," you will always be in our hearts.

Activist Lara Crofs also joined in the expressions of sorrow over the death and recalled moments shared with the artist, originally from the Isle of Youth.

"I met him over 20 years ago, I curated three Expos for him and we worked together several times. I cherish a ton of memories, enormous ones. The trips to the Island, the Expo in Italy, and the hundreds of afternoons on my terrace, the gardens of the Hotel Nacional or the bar at Madrigal. I believe that everyone who knew you in one way or another was left with a pleasant memory of the artist, the friend, the man you were. We'll see each other in another plane, Javico, may the light be with you wherever you go," Crofs wrote on Facebook.

Javier was a graduate of the Elementary School of Art of the Isle of Youth (1984) and the National School of Art (1988), recalled the CNAP in its publication.

In his career, he had more than fifteen solo exhibitions in Cuba, the United States, and Spain, as well as several group exhibitions.

He was the winner of the First Prize at the Erotic Art Salon organized by the La Acacia gallery in the year 2000 and participated in works of a social nature, settings, commemorative murals, designs, and scenographies.

He also painted characters from the history of Cuba, stating to the official media Cubadebate that “I never cling to a theme; I simply live the circumstances of the time I have been given to live, whether I am inside or outside of Cuba, and thus the most diverse characters and moments from history arrive on the canvas, cardstock, or whatever medium it may be, and then I reflect them from inspiration itself. That is what happened with the exhibition I titled ‘Barbudos’, and later, the series of banknotes, which in reality has nothing to do with money. I am not sure when a theme comes or goes; what I do is simply capture the lights that illuminate my spirit.”