Alex Sánchez was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1943. He always loved art, particularly contemporary art. By the time he was nine years old he could distinguish a Matisse from a Picasso and Braque from Léger. Before turning 16, Sánchez exhibited his ink drawings at the Liceo de la Habana and at a design store called Interiors, where his drawings hung alongside works by other renowned Cuban artists such as Amelia Peláez and Wifredo Lam. While still a teen, Alex Sánchez left Cuba for New York City, where he studied at Pratt Institute. During his ten-year stay in New York, he worked in the advertising industry and was the art director of a men’s fashion magazine. After moving to Miami, Sánchez continued his work as an art director, but he also became a professional travel photographer, which gave him the opportunity to travel extensively.