KCHO (Cuban, b.1970) is a world-renowned mixed-media artist who has contributed to the Contemporary Art movement. Born Alexis Leyva Machado on the Isle de la Juventud in Cuba, BA in Fine Arts from the National School of Fine Arts in Havana. In 1995, KCHO won the prestigious grand prize at South Korea's Gwangju Biennial, which presents a global perspective on Contemporary Art. His works are on permanent display in some of the most famous galleries & museums around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, NY, the Arizona State University Art Museum in Tempe, AZ,  and the National Museum Reina Sofia, in Madrid, Spain. KCHO grew up in a small island of Cuba, surrounded by the sea and its driftwoods, fishing nets, rope & ship propellers scattered across beaches. Thru his oeuvre KCHO has been utilizing these items as figures in his artistic imagery.