Karen Rifas
Karen Rifas is a renowned contemporary artist known for her exploration of space, geometry, and color. Based in Miami, her work often incorporates minimalist aesthetics, bold lines, and dynamic compositions that challenge perception. With a career spanning decades, Rifas has exhibited widely, leaving a lasting impact on the art scene. In this interview, she shares insights into her creative process, inspirations, and artistic evolution.
AMM: The idea of the “line” as both a visual and metaphorical element is central to your practice. How has this concept evolved in your work over time?
KR: You are certainly correct in asserting that the “line” is central to my practice. My earliest bronze sculptures from the 80s were linear, multiple, similar forms that formed groups, often accompanied by Florida live oak leaves and usually in geometric configurations.
After that, I began stitching the leaves into hundreds of strands that formed geometric configurations and were typically site-specific. Following this linear path, I realized these installations out of colored cord. I also noted the importance of their cast shadows and how these groupings of forms moved the viewer through the installations. This process played with one’s perception as lines do when one walks around and views them from multiple vantage points. Later, the line work led to drawings and provided an instinct to pursue color and the geometric and abstract paintings on view today—one further point. The early stages of the paintings begin with a simple line on a grid.
AMM: Geometric abstraction in your work functions as a space where perception and concept intersect. Do you see your approach as challenging or redefining the role of abstraction in contemporary art?
KR: Geometric abstraction does not need to be harnessed to reality. The concept for my work comes not from reality but from geometric forms and their spatial relationships to each other. Yes, the concept comes first and foremost, but I am most interested in playing with how form and color are perceived.
AMM: Your installations often invite viewers to engage with the space in unique ways. How do you envision the audience interacting with your work, and what kind of experience do you hope they take away?
KR: I arrived at painting by way of sculpture, and as in sculpture, where you are in relation to The work determines what you see. I hope that the viewer will take time with the work and discover the spatial and optical illusions and the malleability of color. Perhaps they will perceive a mood, rhythm, sense of energy, or stillness in the work.
AMM: Over the years, your work has evolved significantly. How would you describe the progression of your artistic style, and what key moments or influences have shaped it?
KR: As I mentioned earlier, one exploration leads to the next. Little discoveries prepare one for the next step. I would say that awards such as Oolite’s Michael Richards Award (2019), museum shows such as “Deceptive Constructions” (2018) at The Bass, Art in Public Places commissions, and the support of Emerson Dorsch Gallery have given me the confidence to take chances with my work.
AMM: As someone who has been part of the Miami art scene for decades, how do you see the city’s artistic evolution?
KR: I have lived in Miami for seventy-two years and have watched it grow from a small town to an international community. From a small, dedicated group of artists and art teachers, we have been enriched by all who have moved to Miami, studied here, and shared their artistic knowledge and vision with us.
AMM: Can you share an experience or artwork that was particularly challenging or transformative for you?
KR: Every artwork is a small transformative step. You look at the work and ask what worked and what I can learn from it.
AMM: What advice would you give to emerging artists exploring abstraction and spatial relationships in their work?
KR: My advice to any emerging artist would be to work, work, work. Ideas flow when they’re oiled by past experiences. Also, don’t work in a bubble. We have so many art institutions and galleries to visit. Share these experiences with friends, and if possible, find a few artists to share and bounce around ideas and critiques. As for those artists exploring abstraction and spatial relationships, go for it. For myself, it is totally inventive and unrestrictive.
A heartfelt thank you to Karen Rifas and Ibett Yanez del Castillo, Director of Emerson Dorsch, for their time and insight in this interview. Emerson Dorsch has been a cornerstone of the contemporary art scene since 1991, and we truly appreciate their contribution to our conversation.
Emerson Dorsch
5900 NW 2nd Ave
Miami, FL 33127
305-588-1286
