Nonardo Perea

Growing up in Cuba, Nonardo Perea had to rely on their own imagination and creative instincts to make art. Artwork by contemporary and independent artists wasn’t readily available to the public. The internet, a primary means to learn and interact with the global artistic community, arrived in Cuba relatively late. However, their largest creative influence was Madonna, who they embody in their current artistic work by rejecting taboos and exploring themes of sex and the body.

Early in their career, Nonardo mostly focused on literature, handwriting short stories and novels. It was easier to acquire the materials: pencil and paper. But since entering exile in Madrid, Spain, the peace of mind required to concentrate on writing continues to elude Nonardo. Instead, they have turned to audiovisual mediums to express themselves artistically. Their work centers on their queerness, non-conformity, and the diverse forms of dissident expression. “Practically all of my work is self-referential,every lived experience, whether negative or positive, has in some way helped me to reflect it in my works, which are personal processes that I capture either in videos or photographs,” they explain. 

During the Cuban Migrant Artists Resilience Fellowship with ARC, Nonardo worked on a film titled “La Mentira Humana” (The Human Lie). The film uses the first-person perspective of an exiled Cuban immigrant in Spain to examine the Cuban authoritarian system and its effects on human beings, addressing the importance of human rights and the distinct challenges faced by individuals in exile.

Through their unique experimental flare and personal aesthetic, Perea also provides an intimate reflection on themes such as aging, the cosmetics industry, the problem of new beauty models/standards, social media, death, loneliness, and affective relationships. Channeling surrealistic and performative elements, “La Mentira Humana” and Perea’s novel artistic voice present a melancholic yet engaging story of loss, love, and isolation.