Wifredo Lam was born in 1902 in Sagua la Grande (Cuba). He was Yam Lam’s son, aChinese emigrant who gave him birth in 84 years, and of Ana-Serafina, a Cubanhalfcaste.

He studied Law before leaving his island in 1923 for Spain. Wifredo Lam knewthat he could be only a creator, a painter or a poet; also he joined theArtcollege of Madrid where he would work in the painter Fernando Alvarez deSotomayor’s atelier.

His first personal exhibition was organized in 1928. The work of Wifredo Lamwas in its halfcaste history (China, Africa, and the Antilles). The artist wasnotably inspired by Africans who brought in Cuba « their primitive culture,their magic religion, and its mystic aspect in narrow correspondence with thenature ».

During the Spanish civil war, Wifredo Lam fought for the republicans. He wasobliged to take refuge in France in 1937; there, he met Picasso who helped himto find his place in the Parisian artistic environment and introduced him to hisfriends (Michel Leiris, Paul Eluard, Tristan Tzara, Léger, Braque, Miro,Christian Zervos, Matisse, etc.). In 1939, Lam got acquainted with BenjaminPeret; he joined André Breton and the surrealist movement. He painted, drew,etched imaginary and baroque worlds stemming from « the automatism of thethought ». Lam often worked by series. He made (1941), together with a group ofsurrealist artists, a journey in his native country. Wifredo Lam created humanor animal forms that he laid into exuberant environments. Later, the artiststylized his figures which became subjects-totems, "intimate confession" of hisexistence. He did an important graphic work (lithographs and etchings),illustrations for numerous works, wall frescoes, ceramics and terra-cottas.

Wifredo Lam died in Paris in 1982. According to the painter’s will, his asheswere transferred in Cuba, where was created in posthumous honoring, the "CentreWifredo Lam" for the promotion and the study of the Third World-PlasticArts.