Edel Rodriguez: Freedom is a Verb is part of In The Making, a documentary shorts series from American Masters and Firelight Media follows emerging cultural icons on their journeys to becoming masters of their artistic disciplines.
Director Statement from Mecky Creus
“When you go through that, you then see all of life as sort of temporary. You just think this can disappear anytime.”’ – Edel Rodriguez
Edel Rodriguez’s art speaks boldly and unapologetically. His playful style carries a sharp edge, confronting political truths with vibrant imagery. He paints the world as he sees it, infused with bright, vivid colors. Born in 1971 in post-revolution Cuba, Edel’s father, Cesareo, was the only photographer in their small town of El Gabriel. In 1980, Edel’s family fled Cuba on the Mariel boatlift, leaving behind their home and facing challenges in their new life in the U.S. Like many others, they sacrificed their past for an uncertain future.
I was drawn to Edel’s story as my own father left Cuba during the Revolution, never to return. Meeting Edel and learning his story revealed shared threads of sacrifice and separation that shaped both our families. Edel’s experiences deeply connect him to Cuba and the sacrifices his parents made. The vibrant imagery of his homeland, blended with his new life in America, is at the heart of his art. His work, influenced by the Cuban revolutionaries and poster makers of Havana in the 1960s and 1970s, reflects both his love for his homeland and his critique of the country that became his new home.
For Edel, creating art is an act of civic duty. He is grateful to live somewhere where he can exercise his freedom of expression and can create art uninhibited. Edel’s artistic journey has always grappled with the question of belonging. Growing up in Cuba, he later found his voice as an artist in the U.S. While he and his peers were encouraged to paint in “more sophisticated” muted tones during graduate school, Edel’s bold use of color was inspired by the street paintings of El Gabriel. This vivid style became his signature, combining Cuban heritage with his fine art training and life in the United States. While his work echoes Havana’s graphic traditions, it also embraces US culture and this is seen throughout his illustration, maintaining a strong connection to his roots while connecting with something new.
Edel has gained widespread recognition for his evocative synthesis. His clients include The New York Times, TIME, and The New Yorker, and his work is in prestigious collections like the Smithsonian. His art stands as a tribute to the Cuban artists before him and the sacrifices his parents made for his success.
In 2023, Edel published his graphic novel “WORM,” a reflection on identity, color, and heritage. The book launch, attended by his family in New York, marked a continuation of his legacy and a shared experience for his family, connecting the dreams his parents had for him in moving to a new country with the successful release of their family story.