Angel Iñigo Blanco de Anaya, the creator of the Stone Zoo “Zoologico de Piedra”, was born on the 25th of December, 1935 at a jurisdiction that belong to Santiago de Cuba province, his father was dedicated to the cultivation of the sugar cane and was able to pay his primary studies. Since his 5 years old he showed a great predilection for the modeling of figures, specially animals, starring from neighbors and professionals of those days, at the beginning he saw an animal, tried to reproduce it on wax, mud and then he carved it on wood, by those days he never had seen an sculpture. When he was 10 his father moved to Guantánamo, when he bought the farm “La Gracia” at Felicidad de Yateras, in it Iñigo works as a farmer beside his brothers.

He got married to Hilda Perez and they have 5 children, passing through hard circumstances. Later he moved to Nuevitas, Camagüey when worked at a museum. Then he decided to get back to Guantánamo and worked as a Plastic Art Instructor at Yateras Municipality.

He realized several personal expositions by his association (ANAP), winning an award with a sculpture that showed the solidarity between Cuba and Cambodia. His first sculpture of large format was a statue of Niceto Pérez García solicited by the ANAP. The in honour of José Jacinto Nápoles Fajardo (El Cucalambé) he realized a sculpture that is locate in Las Tunas, compromise questioned at the first encounter of sculptors, in with participated Rita Longa and others personalities of culture.

From December 21st, 1977 he dedicates completely to the development of the Stone Zoo “Zoologico de Piedra”. The started with rustic instruments created by himself, giving life to each carved stone and establishing a relation between the work and the natural environment. Lines, volumes and texture give force and vigour to each piece.

In 1988 there were about 150 sculptures, in 2002 year of his retirement form the Stone Zoo “Zoologico de Piedra” he exhibited more than 330 stone sculptures carved with the hands of its creator.

Today the Stone Zoo “Zoologico de Piedra” does not have its creators Iñigo anymore as sculptor, so he decided to retire himself some years ago, but first he had saved the perpetuity. “in 1988, Angelito started with me, first as an assistant, until I let him to express his own ideas”, he says.

His continues Angel Iñigo Jr

Angelito the oldest one of the boys inherited form him not only the character and the physical resemblance, but also the ability for creating magic figures from the rocks. When he was 10 he made a little horse, his first stone sculpture under the tutelage of his father.

His first figure in a large format was an ass that his father help him to do, to that one followed another animals, later he tried with the human figure and it was all right and from that moment it has been his seal inside the Stone Zoo “Zoologico de Piedra”, he makes farmers, the farmer working in this habitat for instance: picking coffee, labouring.

Angel Iñigo father has the merit of “have given life” to the stones of intramountain plantation of the coffee – trees, by dint of sweat and firmness; the son, the privilege of second him, first as about the artistic project that constitutes the Stone Zoo “Zoologico de Piedra”, that represent animals and human figures.

“He owns the talent and responsibility, besides he works the human figure in its relation with animals, he has more than 90 sculptures at the Stone Zoo “Zoologico de Piedra” and others works at several municipalities of the province”, his father said.

Angelito recognizes his father as a master totally in due forms “he helps me, gives me a suggestion, but always respect my criterion”, he affirms.