About Willay Paez

Wilay Méndez Páez (Cuba, 1982) is an Afro-Cuban artist whose practice centers on everyday life, human connection, and the stories embedded in place. Working primarily in sculpture and collage, he creates all of his pieces from recycled and recovered materials—metal salvaged from old cars, fragments scraped from deteriorating walls in Havana, and found surfaces collected throughout Cuba and beyond. Through these materials, Wilay preserves memory, texture, and lived experience, transforming discarded remnants into vibrant narratives.

Born and raised in Cuba, his work has been exhibited widely across the island, including the Havana Biennale (2015), a solo exhibition at Moderna Gallery (2016), multiple group shows at Galería Luz y Oficio (2012, 2018, 2019), and exhibitions in Santiago de Cuba at the African Cultural Center Fernando Ortiz (2018). Internationally, his work has been featured in Munich (Atelierhaus Dachauer Straße, 2016), Seattle (ArtXchange Gallery, 2017), and London (Studio ExPurgamento, 2019).

Now based in Atlanta, Wilay continues to exhibit frequently, with recent shows at GerART Gallery, AUC Woodruff Library, Murphy Rail Studios, Day & Night Projects, MOCA GA, the Atlanta Contemporary, and Clark Atlanta University Art Museum. He is currently an artist-in-residence at CAUAM, where he continues developing work rooted in resilience, community, and the ongoing dialogue between material and memory.