The Free Life: Portrait of an Artist

Cuban-born artist Carlos Luna was told from a young age that his revolutionary art would get him in trouble with Fidel Castro’s authoritarian regime.

Free the People
Free the People
PUBLISHED IN Free Expression - Feb 23, 2026

“Be careful, you are on the edge, they are watching,” warned a trusted teacher. With no way to fulfill his life’s purpose in Cuba, Carlos left his family and homeland behind, immigrating first to Mexico and finally to Miami, pursuing his craft to create what he calls “The Free Life.” Today, Carlos Luna is a prominent voice within the contemporary art movement and has gained notable success in the United States as a Cuban-American painter, sculptor, printmaker, and ceramicist.

The Free Life: Portrait of an Artist is available to watch in full at Free the People and on CiVL.

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