Through installations, sculptures, photographs, drawings, and other media, Carlos Garaicoa’s work examines urban space – especially that of his native Havana – while also considering it as a symbolic arena. The connections between social fabric and city architecture feed a multidisciplinary approach that develops into conceptual, linguistic, and poetic operations which highlight particular cultural and historical dynamics to a given location. By addressing the passage of time, collective memory, language, and projective thinking, Garaicoa’s work offers critical insight into the financial market’s influence in shaping cities, the legacy of 20th century utopias and its modernization plans. 

Garaicoa has been featured in major exhibitions around the world, such as Documenta 14 (2017); Documenta (2002); 51st e 53rd Biennale di Venezia (2005 and 2009); Bienal de São Paulo (1998, 2004, and 2010); 31st Panorama da Arte Brasileira (2009); 12nd Gwangju Biennale (2018); in addition to many editions of the Bienal de La Habana. 

His most recent solo shows are: Double Exposure, Almeida & Dale and Galleria Continua, Brazil (2025); Toda utopía pasa por la barriga, Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno – CAAM and Es Baluard Museu d’Art Contemporani de Palma, Spain (2024); Ascoltare il volo degli uccelli, Rocca Maggiore, Italy (2024); Oratorio, Oratorio San Filippo Neri, Italy (2022); Soñamos en la superficie rayada de un cristal, Wellbeing Summit Week, Spain (2022); Partitura, Peabody Essex Museum, USA (2021). Other solo shows were presented at: SCAD Museum of Art, USA (2020); Lunds Konsthall and Skissernas Museum, Sweden (2019); Parasol Unit Foundation, UK (2018); Fondazione Merz, Italy (2017); MAAT, Portugal (2017); Azkuna Zentroa, Spain (2017); Museum Villa Stuck, Germany (2016); Nasjonalmuseet, Norway (2015); Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo – CA2M, Spain (2014). 

Garaicoa has received the PEM Prize 2021, from the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, USA. In 2005, he was awarded the International Prize of Contemporary Art by the Fondation Prince Pierre de Monaco, and the Katherine S. Marmor Award, from MOCA in Los Angeles. His work is featured in institutional collections such as Centre Pompidou, France; CA2M, Spain; Dallas Museum of Art, USA; LACMA, USA; Museo del Barrio,USA; Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Spain; MOCA, USA; Museum of Fine Arts, USA; MoMA, USA; Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Cuba; Tate Modern, UK; Guggenheim Museum, USA.