noel caban

ARTIST BIO

Noel Caban was born in Brooklyn, NY (1960) where he maintains a studio. In 1982 he earned a BFA in Painting from Buffalo State University, pursued a career as an art director. In 2018, Noel received his MFA with honors from Pratt Institute. His work has been exhibited locally and internationally, followed by residencies at Trestle Gallery Studios, Vermont Studio Center and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. Noel is an educator with Studio In A school, providing visual arts instruction to students in the underserved communities of New York City.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Noel Caban, an interdisciplinary Latin artist born in Brooklyn (1960), weaves together diverse strands of border thinking, drawing on the scholarship of decolonization and indigenous scholars. His work delves into the intersections and segregations within cities and communities shaped by government policy, exploring themes of displacement, diaspora, and reclamation of indigenous identities.

Through the use of sculptural, geometric, and abstract forms, often fashioned from found or commercial materials, Noel channels the marginalization and limitations of communities, evoking the complexities of urban conditions in a blend of distressed, textured, and fragmented works. His works speak to the urgency of social and community-based issues, offering a vehicle for activism and advocacy.

By incorporating a range of border thinking perspectives into his work, the artist demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the intersections between race, class, gender, and power in contemporary society, underscoring the importance of artistic practice in the ongoing struggle for social justice.