Public · Hosted by ArtMedia Studio – Gallery
350 NE 75th Street, Unit # 103-2, Miami, Florida 33138
Thursday, May 16, 2019 at 6 PM – 10 PM
FIX ME
Photography & Video
by Claudia Ammirata
At ArtMedia Studio | Gallery
Opening Reception May 16
6 to 10:00 pm
About Artist Claudia Ammirata
Photographer and artist Claudia Ammirata was born in Caracas, Venezuela. Studied photography and drawing at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California. She continues to learn new techniques in digital photography in Miami, Florida where she resides.
Claudia finds pleasure in using photography as a vehicle for self-expression. In her work, there is a vision of beauty and meaning in life that is ever-changing and continually expanding.
This vision is shaped by present experiences, places she has lived in, struggles she has overcome and triumphs she has achieved. It’s a reflection of the little things Claudia sees or feels daily, from an inspiring melody to the subtle delicacy of a flower or a dream, that remain engraved in her mind and become part of her work.
She is the author of “Ephemeral Beauty” a photography book that uses flowers as the conduit to interpret the metaphor of life.
Her work has been exhibited at art galleries and fairs including: Art Palm Beach 2018, Art Media Gallery 2017, Pecha Kucha Miami 2017, Miami Twist 2016, Miami Biennale Art Gallery auction 2016, -The Hot Spot show Curator’s Voice Art projects 2015, -The Hardline show 2015, Scope Miami 2014, Artecho “Photography Masters and shooting stars” Art Basel Miami 2014, -Artists and Art juried show 2014.
FIX ME
“An authentic suffering is worth more than an illusory happiness” Emmanuel Carrère
I still remember the shock that I felt the first time I crossed those cold, steel doors. Being on the other side created a feeling so strange in me that I commonly have a hard time finding the words to describe the experience. We did not belong in that place. It was not a scene from a movie, it was real life, and it was my life.
Fear and sadness took me over. Some may say that enduring the same incident continuously might lessen the pain, molding some sort of resistance. Personally, I cannot sympathize with that thought. What I can assure you is that my world was forever transformed from being so imminently close to the unfortunate episodes that my son has suffered, including periods of psychiatric isolation.
My work has often been characterized for showing the beauty in simple things, and from there I’ve attempted to construct visual poetry. However, the series ‘Fix Me’ has allowed me to delve into perilous, disturbing memories while continuing to preserve an artistic drive. Photography is an art form that is frequently used to tell stories. Those can be perspectives of how we see others or explorations of that one who stands behind the lens.
Although I would not label myself as a documentary photographer, in this work I have taken my camera for the first time to narrate with images a complex and deeply personal story. The misfortunes with my son have taught me to be more compassionate and patient, as well as becoming conscious of human limitations. Surprisingly, I recognized that these extreme situations have led me to a deep transformation and healing of my soul. I did not expect to have this kind of life, but I have chosen to decorate it with dreams, to sustain it with faith and to face it with love, gratitude, and courage.
One in five people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives, according to the World Health Organization study in 2018. Despite the fact that they are among the leading causes of ill-health and disability worldwide, there is still so little understanding and embarrassment, which leads to discrimination and neglect. By sharing my intimate journey, I hope I may touch the lives of others dealing with similar issues by realizing how common mental disorders really are, encouraging them to talk openly about their struggles.
Personal stories have the power to move people, it is the best way to understand and learn. Perceiving mental health from a more educated lens will, in turn, contribute to the overall reduction of shame and stigma.
