Gregory De La Haba, Internationally Famed Sculptor Who Created An Art Basel Furor When He Exhibited His Now Legendary Installation, “Equus Erectus: Between Nothingness And Paradise,” To Premier ‘Surfboards And Skateboards’ Opening May 5 At World Erotic Art Museum

Recalled as having been a major sensation when his sculpture of a rearing horse in tumescence scored major international attention during Art Basel 2008, Gregory de la Haba will return to South Florida, Tuesday, May 5 to launch a month long exhibit of his newest works, “Skateboards and Surfboards,” at the World Erotic Art Museum,1205 Washington Avenue.

Long respected as an accomplished draftsman who embraces a conceptual approach to his art, de la Haba’s now famed “Between Nothingness and Paradise” is considered to have been triggered as a young boy through his heritage as the grandson of a wealthy Spanish grandfather who opened the first casinos in Puerto Rico and, alternately, of a poor Irish grandfather who daily patronized the local OTB, creating for de la Haba a persona equal parts devoted to gambling reflected by his ownership of a Saratoga winner’s circle horse, as he was to art.

A cum laude graduate of Harvard University as well as a star pupil at the Museum School of Fine Arts in Boston, de la Haba attended La Universidad del Sacrado Corazon in Santurce, PR, and the Artes Plasticas in San Juan and in rapid succession thereafter, received several awards from the Copley Society which was to lead him to scholarships at the New York Academy of Art, international travels, and ultimately, to a major career as a figurative artist.

Seen through such high profile work as his acclaimed taxidermic equines first unveiled in Miami and now in a solo show at New York’s Jack the Pelican Presents gallery, de la Haba also created the Bacchanalia mural at Atlantic City’s Caesar’s Palace commissioned by John Tunney III. The artist’s latest erotically charged art is a mural project for a bar in Los Angeles commissioned by Sean McPherson, among the owners of New York’s high profile “in” spots, the Bowery Hotel, The Maritime Hotel and the Waverly Inn.

For his show at the World Erotic Art Museum, de la Haba will illustrate yet another side of his artistic persona via a series of eight surfboards using them as “canvases” for his original erotic arts scenes. Additionally, de la Haba will exhibit blow-ups of the famous works which have caused such an international furor.

On opening night, de la Haba and WEAM owner/curator Naomi Wilzig will auction off a surfboard to help fund the Carlos Collazo Scholarship created by de la Haba to honor the memory of the pioneering and gifted Puerto Rican artist who died of AIDS.

The World Erotic Art Museum is located at 1205 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach. Open from 11 A.M. to midnight, admission is $15 per person, not on under 18 admitted. Information is available at (305) 532-9336 or via www.weam.com.