Kcho (Cuban, b.1970) is a world-renowned sculptor and mixed-media artist who has contributed to the Contemporary Art movement. Kcho was born in Alexis Leyva Machado on the Isle de la Juventud in Cuba. He obtained his BA in Fine Arts from the National School of Fine Arts in Havana. He was interested in drawing at a very young age, and his main influence was Bruce Nauman (American, b.1941). The majority of Kcho’s works are based on boat forms. He uses materials that are often scavenged from other sources, such as recycled bottles and old lumber from docks and boats. He grew up around water, so he took the pictures from his past and created images that honored the dead. He incorporated many Cuban icons and items from the daily culture into his sculptures.

Some of Kcho’s most notable works include Coluna Infinita, Las Playas Infinitas, and El Camino de la Nostalgia. In 1995, Kcho won the prestigious grand prize at South Korea's Gwangju Biennial, which presents a global perspective on Contemporary Art. In 1996, Kcho began to exhibit his work at the National Center for contemporary Art in Montreal, Canada. He also exhibited his work at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, CA, the Reina Sofia National Museum in Madrid, Spain, and many other famous galleries and museums.

In 1992, Kcho was named a member of the Jury of the National Salon of the National Museum Palace of Fine Arts in Havana, Cuba. In 1994, he received a scholarship by the Ludwig foundation of Cuba. The group presents award money to help promote and protect Contemporary Cuban artists. The following year Kcho received the UNESCO Prize for Promotion of the Arts in Geneva, Switzerland. His works are on permanent display in some of the most famous galleries and 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 Walker Art Center in Minnesota. Kcho currently lives and works in Cuba.