Sofía Albizu-Campos
the artist
University of Havana, Cuba
Sofía Albizu-Campos is a mathematician from Cuba who works in Numerical Analysis and Partial Differential Equations arising from biological models.
the artwork
La prehistoria de mañana
Spanish - Prehistory of Tomorrow - 2025 - acrylic on rock, 7cm x 5cm
15 days - 0 hours - 0 minutes
audio commentary
The idea is to recreate a miniature mural. The texture and forms were inspired by the original Mural of Prehistory, which is painted on the wall of a special kind of mountain located in Viñales, in western Cuba. The Mural of Prehistory was one of my earliest general approaches to science, and it is about how we remember the species from the past. So, how would we be remembered? Is science being used appropriately? How do we stop war and worldwide abuses? As a curious fact, I picked up this rock from the top of Cuba’s highest mountain (Turquino Peak). I love mountains, and also painting rocks.
Sofía Albizu-Campos
mathematics in Cuban culture
Mathematics was highly valued by the Cuban Revolution from its earliest years. One of our most important leaders, Che Guevara, took mathematics courses while serving as Minister of Industry. He believed Operations Research could improve our sugar production process. More recently, biotechnology has assumed a leading role in Cuban science and economy, so many mathematicians focused in biological modeling. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the dean of the Faculty of Mathematics became a famous person as the general public began following and trusting Cuban mathematicians’ weekly predictions.