Perhaps the greatest power that the internet has is to connect people from all over the world, it is a layer where the swirls of circumstance can collide and build bridges between communities. Recently I received a DM from Cuban NFT artist Gabriel Bianchini, and his story and his creative drive have left quite an impression on me. You can find his work on his Foundation page and on Open Sea.

Can you introduce yourself to our readers? Your name, where you are from, and the medium you work in?

Hi, my name is Gabriel Guerra Bianchini, I’m from La Habana, Cuba. I’m a photographer more focused on Fineart photography, I love to do street and performing arts photography

How did you first encounter your creativity? Is there a moment you knew you wanted to make art? Or has it always been with you?

Beginnings are always cloudy in my memories. I only know that something in me asked me to buy a camera about 12 years ago, and since then my life changed. Victim of curiosity, of wanting to learn, of starting to follow photographers around the world to understand how they took such wonderful pictures. All this was an engine that when it was turned on it never turned off again. I never even imagined to dedicate myself to this. For that I am grateful! My life found its course in a very unconscious way. I started working for musicians, because I love music. But after a few years, I realized that I wanted to create my own projects in photography and since then I have been able to grow.

Tell me a bit about your first NFT sale, which I just read about in the Chicago Tribune. I love that collage you made, how did you first hear about NFTs and what are your hopes for this new art market?

Everything I know about NFTs, I learned at Clubhouse, it was the first time I started hearing about it and I didn't understand what it was all about. I started to study, I started to spend long hours in Clubhouse to understand and I started to set up my NFTs in Opensea. Until I hit the problem that I can't buy Ethereum from Cuba, because of the embargo, it just gives error when I try. Then thanks to the beautiful NFT community at Clubhouse, a 23 year old guy from NY paid me the gas to mint my first NFT and it sold in a week long auction, the collector turned out to be the lead in Cuba for Google.

Since I learned about the NFTs I started to communicate it in my networks to all Cuban artists, as I consider it’s a great opportunity for the culture of my country, which since the pandemic began has been stagnant without contact with the world, where the collectors are. Remember that Cuba is an island, where the internet is difficult to obtain and is very expensive. That is why I quickly understood that this was a great window for Cuban artists, through a great effort, to market their works with cryptocurrency. I created a Facebook group where I started to gather information and help the community. As soon as I cashed my first NFT, I am dedicating myself to pay the gas to several artists, I am continuing the chain of favors.

My first NFT is a work called Hotel Habana, and I took me a year to finish it. I photographed terraces and balconies of the varied architecture of my city and what I did was literally welding one with another in photoshop, so it is not a simple collage, it took me a year to finish it to make it as real as possible and visually create a building that brings together all our architecture, with its many characters on the balconies, the laundry, the broken houses and others painted with bright colors. There are 52 raw files, so the resolution is wonderful and allows you to enter each balcony and discover the hundreds of hidden details.

Wow. You are truly a pioneer, a community leader, and you also embody the very title of this project, which is ALLSHIPS rise with the tide. You are opening doors for your fellow countrymen by being early to the space and being willing to uplift others. I applaud you, and the piece is beautiful as well.

Thanks!!! Thank you so much!! I want to share with you a video that a gallery made about this.

What are some ways that people in the US and around the world can assist you in your efforts to bring NFTs to Cuba?

A way that they can help, there are many:

1. Retweet and share.

2. Maybe pay the gas to a Cuban artist that should continue that chain after sale

3. Buy Cuban NFTs

4. Collectors

Every light of focus that can be put on cuban NFT artists community is already a great help. Like what you are doing!

We are glad to do our small part, and to the reader, join us in making sure the spotlight is shining on these incredible efforts to help Cuban artists.

What is the creative community like in Cuba? And are many now curious about NFT's and how to succeed with them?

The creative community in Cuba is one of the strongest and most numerous in the country. Cuba is internationally known for its great culture. Since I started sharing the news of the NFTs, and how to access and how it works, you can't imagine how many messages I received daily from Cuban creators, from the youngest to the most experienced! even, which is a pleasant surprise for me. I have received messages from state galleries, that is to say, those that are part of government institutions. They are interested in having access to commercialization in this world. A whole phenomenon has been created around this.

I think that for Cubans, when this kind of evolutionary leaps occur in the technologies or cultures and societies of the world, they seem so far away, we see it in some news or on the Internet and it seems like something from another universe, because we live in a more closed society, because of the many socio-political issues.

When people on the island see that someone they know, someone close to their circle, from the island can access things like NFTs, then they understand that it is not so impossible and they start to get interested. That is exactly what happened when I started sharing my experience.

This is all wonderful to hear. It sounds like you are part of a robust and engaged community. I really look forward to me next trip to Cuba, its one of the most wonderful places I've ever been, I've truly never felt such strong hospitality. Wishing you and your community all the success as your grow into this exciting new space. See you in Havana ASAP!

Thank you so so much!!!! Your help, finding you, your kindness, all this have made my day. It's been a beautiful surprise!!!

The pleasure is ours! To the reader, connect with Gabriel via his LinkTree and make sure to read this article about his recent NFT sales.