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“Caballo de Fuego: Firehorse” opens Friday, April 17, at Notta Gallery in downtown Lakeland. The exhibition runs through July 12 and celebrates the prolific work of Cuban artist Gonzalo Borges, who turned 90 in January.
At 11 years old, Borges laid the foundation for his career when he started working with masters like Vicente Clemades and learning to paint and restore frescos in Cuba.
Borges left Cuba in 1991. He has lived in New York City, Miami, and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He moved to Lakeland two years ago.
“We’re trying to showcase what we believe … is really a great, great artist that needs to be celebrated,” said Tony Agnello, co-owner of Notta Gallery.
Fuego Festival
To kick off the exhibition, Notta Gallery is also hosting a one-day event, Fuego Festival, on Friday from 6 to 9 p.m., co-sponsored by Nineteen61 and Ybor Cigar City Festival.
The free street festival will feature Latin cuisine and cocktails, hand-rolled cigars, and artisan vendors. Notta Gallery plans to make Fuego Festival an annual event, celebrating Hispanic heritage, art, and culture.
Fuego Festival
When: Friday, April 17, 6 to 9 p.m.
Where: North Kentucky Avenue between Main Street and Pine Street
Cost: free admission
VIP tickets are available for “The Collector Experience at Caballo De Fuego: Firehorse” in the gallery on Friday at 6 p.m., where visitors will get the first view of Borges’ work and toast the artist in person. Tickets are $69 and include a signed, limited-edition print, dinner, a pack of hand-rolled cigars, and access to a VIP seating area for live music.
‘Caballo de Fuego’
The show at Notta Gallery will feature more than 40 works spanning more than 30 years. “It’s showcasing a lot of different points of his life and the artwork,” Agnello said.
“Stylistically, it’s just the most realized work we’ve been able to show as a big collection,” said Katie Webb, co-owner of Notta.
Borges painted the oldest piece in the show, “Cathedral Inspiration,” in 1994 and the most recent, “El Trovador Cubano,” in 2025.
“If you start to look at it, you kind of see the different styles and the different periods of his life,” Agnello said.
“It’s joyful and fun, and it’s also deep and meaningful,” said Agnello. “That’s kind of who he is.”
A unique opportunity
Borges still paints “every day, every single day,” said Webb. “It is wildly cool, and I think it’s probably making his later years that much more special — still doing this every day.”
Agnello said they felt honored when Borges and his partner, Josefina Montilla, approached the gallery about exhibiting his work. He sees this show an opportunity for art enthusiasts and collectors to acquire a Borges work, while the artist is still living.
“This is really a great moment to try to collect the art of somebody who we think is a master that isn’t as well known as he should be,” Agnello said.
Notta chose the dates for the festival and exhibit strategically to help introduce as many people to Borges as possible. They coordinated transportation and advertising for the festival to attract visitors from Sun ‘n Fun, and they’re excited for collectors who are in town for Mayfaire by-the-Lake to stop by the gallery and view the work in the coming weeks.
“Caballo de Fuego”
When: Friday, April 17 through July 12
Where: Notta Gallery at 125 N. Kentucky Ave., Suite 103
Hours:
Thursday and Friday – Noon to 8 p.m.
Saturday – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m.
Sunday – Noon to 4 p.m.
By appointment
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