Guido Llinás (1923–2005) was a trailblazing Afro-Cuban painter who revolutionized Caribbean art as a co-founder of Los Once (The Eleven). During the 1950s, he broke away from traditional figurative styles to champion Abstract Expressionism in Cuba, drawing inspiration from the rhythmic energy of Afro-Cuban music and modern American art. His early work was a bold statement of artistic independence that sought to align Cuban visual culture with the global avant-garde movement. In 1963, Llinás moved to Paris, where his style evolved into a unique fusion of Western abstraction and African heritage. He became renowned for his "Black Paintings" (Pinturas Negras), which integrated sacred symbols and signs from the Abakuá secret society into dense, gestural compositions. By the time of his death, he was recognized as a master of cross-cultural abstraction, with his works held in prestigious institutions like the Brooklyn Museum and the Centre Pompidou.