Edel Alvarez Galban was born and raised in Havana, Cuba. He showed early artistic inclination in his youth, although his initial professional intent was to pursue a medical career in Cuba. However, in 1993 Galban was denied permission from the Castro government to practice medicine, and so redirected his aspirations back to his passion for the arts. The following year he completed fine arts education from the Federico Engel Art School in Havana where he studied sculpture and draftsmanship.
In 1995 Galban permanently emigrated to the United States where he joined the Cuban exile community in Miami. There he continued his medical studies and enlisted in the United States Army as a medic where he served for three years. He also continued to pursue and establish his art career. During his Miami period, Galban became connected to significant figures of the Cuban exile art community such as painters Hortensia Gronlier, José Mijares, and Cundo Bermúdez.
In 2001, Galban relocated to St. Petersburg, Florida, which became the permanent base for both his art and medical professions. Since relocating to St. Petersburg, Galban gradually emerged as among the most visible Cuban artists of the region frequently exhibiting his work throughout Tampa, Orlando, and Clearwater. He is also known as a proponent of Cuban art and artists throughout Central Florida, creating opportunities that support other Cuban artists. Galban is the recipient of the 2024 Beyond Placemaking Grant funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and Creative Pinellas.
