A close-up outdoor portrait of artist Alexandre Arrechea. Smiling in warm sunlight, Arrechea wears gold reflective sunglasses, a white short-sleeved collared shirt, and a small silver hoop earring, with his right hand resting under his chin. He has a full afro hairstyle and a neatly trimmed goatee, set against a soft-focus background of city buildings and a bright blue sky.Alexandre Arrechea Credit: c/o USF Graphicstudio

The Cuban artist collective Los Carpinteros stretches back more than three decades, and one of its founders is in town this week.

Known for large-scale installations, sculpture, watercolor and video, Cuban-born Alexandre Arrechea has never shied away from addressing politics, power and history in his work, which he’ll discuss on behalf of USF Graphicstudio.

“Arrechea explores the cultural resonances embedded in architecture and considers how design, social value, and the built environment shape our understanding and experience of space. His work engages with the ways architecture and urban structures reflect and influence social, political, and cultural relationships,” a press release adds.

There’s no cover for the USF Graphicstudio Alexandre Arrechea artist talk happening Wednesday, Sept. 23 in Tampa at Barness Recital Hall on the University of South Florida capus.

This article appears in Sept. 17 – 23, 2026.

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