Serafín Sánchez the most famous monumental complex in Sancti Spíritus

In the history of Cuban art, few women have left such a solid and indelible mark as Thelvia Marín Mederos. A sculptor, art critic, cultural promoter, and committed to defending national identity, Marín stood out for the formal solidity of her work and her sensitivity in capturing the founding values ​​of the nation. Her broad and diverse artistic legacy extends across multiple corners of Cuba, but it is in Sancti Spíritus where it reaches its highest expression.

Born in the village of Yayabo in 1922 and died in Havana in 2016, Thelvia Marín lived a life of intense creativity, with a body of work that addressed patriotic, historical, and human themes. A graduate in Philosophy and Literature, and later a PhD in Art Sciences, she combined her academic training with a deeply humanistic outlook, influenced by her commitment to the ideals of social justice.

Although in his early years he dabbled in literature and art criticism, his vocation for sculpture found fertile ground in the 1970s and 1980s, when he participated in large-scale public projects. Throughout his career, Marín created busts, reliefs, and monuments dedicated to key figures in Cuban history, such as José Martí, Maceo, Mariana Grajales, and Celia Sánchez. His sculptures of Camilo Cienfuegos in Yaguajay and Faustino Pérez in Cabaiguán have been particularly significant.