Agustin Gainza Gallery

08/20/07

Best gallery in Miami

by qbana at Citysearch

Great place, highly recommended. As a native of Cuba, every time I walk into this place I am inevitably reverted back to my native land and to the happy days of my childhood. The gallery makes me feel happy of my heritage. All the art, be it Gainza's or that of any other fellow Cuban painter, takes you back and makes your time in this gallery a surreal experience. A scene on a painting of a "criollita" fanning herself in her balcony switches me back to Cuban mode and all of a sudden I am there. The attention is exceptional, Ester and Gainza are very relatable and personable. They will treat you to a cafecito and will do anything and everything to make you feel welcome. The atmosphere is perfect, check them out the last Friday of every month for when all the businesses on Calle ocho have their cultural nights, they are open until pretty late and the gallery is full with the best the Cuban community has to offer. You have got to check out this place, where else could you find another expression in the arts of the famous Zoe Valdes? Yes, they sometimes exhibit paintings by her that are inspired by her writings and some wonderful Parisian nights.

• Pros: everything
• Cons: I am never in Miami enough to go see them more

08/17/07

Gaiza paints the Cuba I wish I had known.

by sitgesusa at Citysearch

Whimsical, Happy, Sensous, Familiar and then some. Agustin Gainza gives us a view of a happy and mischievious life in his native Cuba. I know that the momment I walk into his gallery I am going to feel good. I love how some of the characters in one painting will appear individually, telling us still another story. Like the people in his "guagua" who go from a story as a group into individual stories in other paintings. If I could I would wallpaper my house with "Gainza paper" I would be smiling al day long.

Margarita

• Pros: Personal attention, Centrally located in Calle 8, Restaurants in the area.