Calzada de Luyanó y Calle Ensenada. 40 x 45 pulgadas. Acrílico sobre fotografía de Hector Trujillo.
Calzada nos deja su arte y el legado plástico que reflejan las esperanzas del exilio y el esplendor de la Cuba libre que se avecina
El Museo Americano de la Diáspora Cubana se une a la pena que embarga a nuestra comunidad tras la partida del prestigioso pintor cubano americano Humberto Calzada, artista excepcional que reflejó en su obra la memoria de una república grandiosa y señorial de la cual tuvo que partir forzosamente tras la llegada de Castro al poder.
Calzada llegó a Miami como exiliado junto a sus padres con apenas 16 años en 1960 y tras cursar la carrera de ingeniería industrial y trabajar en la prestigiosa compañía IBM decidió, en 1970, dedicarse por completo a la pintura, su verdadera pasión.
Calzada fue uno de los precursores de la corriente plástica conocida como The Miami Generation, integrada por artistas visuales nacidos en Cuba, pero formados estéticamente en el exilio de Miami.
Restoring Some Dignity – 2009 Acrillic on Canvas 53 x 40 / 164,42 x 101,60 cm
En contraposición a los artistas cubanos que decidieron quedarse en Cuba y poner su talento y obra al servicio de la dictadura de Fidel Castro, Humberto Calzada supo recrear en imágenes el vacío, la nostalgia y el sentimiento de desarraigo sufrido por el exilio cubano, y al mismo tiempo fue capaz de plasmar en sus cuadros la inclaudicable esperanza de recuperar y reconstruir la patria en todo su esplendor. Esa lealtad hacia su identidad expresada en un arte que por encima de la desolación se convertía en luz ha cautivado no sólo a compatriotas sino al público de otras latitudes.
“Ha muerto un ícono de la expresión artística cubana; su arte y el legado plástico que nos deja reflejan las esperanzas del exilio y el esplendor de la Cuba libre que se avecina”, señaló Marcell Felipe, presidente del Museo Americano de la Diáspora Cubana.
Nuestra institución honra ese legado artístico que permanecerá vivo en la Cuba evocada en cada una de sus obras, y se une al duelo de familiares, amigos y admiradores extendiéndoles sus más sentidas condolencias.
No hay despedida definitiva para quien fuera un extraordinario ser humano. Al protagonista de tertulias inolvidables en su hogar donde se reunió la crema y nata de la intelectualidad, el arte y el liderazgo de la comunidad cubanoamericana. Al hombre siempre amable, compasivo y generoso. Al hacedor de utopías realizables con las que siempre soñará la nación que fundó con sus pinceles.
La misa funeral a la memoria de Humberto Calzada tendrá lugar el lunes 25 de agosto, a la 1:30 p.m., en la Iglesia St. Augustine, ubicada en 1400 Miller Drive, Coral Gables, FL. 33146.
This December, Untitled Art returns to the sands of Miami Beach for its 14th edition, set to take place from Wednesday, December 3 to Sunday, December 7, with a VIP and Press Preview on Tuesday, December 2.
With a strong foundation as a curatorial platform that champions artistic voices in an evolving art market, Untitled Art has collaborated over the years with a dynamic curatorial team alongside a committee of leading industry experts. This collaboration enhances and amplifies the fair’s mission, ensuring a selection process rooted in curatorial integrity, global reach, and visibility for underrepresented artistic voices. For the 2025 edition of Miami Beach, Untitled Art is thrilled to welcome Petra Cortright, Allison Glenn, and Jonny Tanna with Harlesden High Street as Guest Curators, who will bring their unique expertise to guide this year’s sectors, respectively.
Founded in 2012, Untitled Art is a leading contemporary art fair taking place annually on the sands of Miami Beach and in 2025, will expand to Houston. Guided by a mission to support the wider art ecosystem, Untitled Art offers an inclusive platform for discovering contemporary art that prioritizes collaboration within each aspect of the fair.
Each year, new and long-standing exhibitors are selected by Untitled Art’s evolving curatorial team for their artistic integrity and international reach, with several galleries based outside of mainstream art hubs. Emerging artists, young galleries, and non-profit organizations are supported through its ‘Nest’ sector, an initiative offering subsidized booths developed in response to traditional entry barriers posed by art fair participation. The first to launch an online art fair, Untitled Art continually invests in new technologies to make contemporary art collecting more accessible to new audiences, and it proactively advances responsible culture by using its platform to amplify diverse voices.
Through critical and educational programming, from a robust on-site podcast series focusing on relevant industry topics and artist talks to events and community activations outside of the fair itself, Untitled Art attracts contemporary art collectors, art professionals, curators, art historians, and critics, among other enthusiasts. It also celebrates the context in which the fairs are held by promoting leading galleries from Miami and Houston, as well as engaging with local institutions. To reduce its environmental impact, Untitled Art has joined the Gallery Climate Collation and works closely with the City of Miami Beach to ensure zero environmental impact. Untitled Edit, commissioned essays intended to spark debate and dialogue, also continues to further the critical advancement of art criticism while cultivating the next generation of writers.
Untitled Art Team
Jeffrey Lawson Founder
Clara Andrade Pereira Executive Director
Michael Slenske Director for Houston
Cailin Sung Exhibitor Relations and Communications
Lauren Pollock Head of VIP Relations
Romina Jiménez Álvarez VIP Relations and Programming Manager
Calzada de Luyanó y Calle Ensenada. 40 x 45 pulgadas. Acrílico sobre fotografía de Hector Trujillo.
Calzada leaves us his art and the visual legacy that reflect the hopes of exile and the splendor of the free Cuba that is to come
The American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora joins our community in mourning the loss of renowned Cuban-American painter Humberto Calzada—an exceptional artist who, through his work, captured the memory of a grand and noble republic from which he was forcibly exiled following Castro’s rise to power.
Calzada arrived in Miami as an exile with his parents at just 16 years old in 1960. After earning a degree in industrial engineering and working for the prestigious IBM corporation, he decided in 1970 to dedicate himself fully to painting—his true passion.
He was one of the pioneers of the artistic movement known as The Miami Generation, composed of visual artists born in Cuba but aesthetically shaped in exile in Miami.
In contrast to the Cuban artists who chose to remain in Cuba and place their talent in service of Fidel Castro’s dictatorship, Humberto Calzada masterfully depicted the emptiness, nostalgia, and uprootedness experienced by the Cuban exile community. At the same time, he was able to express in his work the unwavering hope of recovering and rebuilding the homeland in all its splendor. That deep loyalty to his identity—expressed through art that turned desolation into light—captivated not only his compatriots but also audiences across borders.
“An icon of Cuban artistic expression has passed away; his art and the visual legacy he leaves behind reflect the hopes of exile and the splendor of a free Cuba that is to come,” said Marcell Felipe, President of the American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora.
Our institution honors his artistic legacy, which lives on in the Cuba evoked through each of his paintings, and we join his family, friends, and admirers in mourning his loss and extending our deepest condolences.
There is no final farewell for someone who was such an extraordinary human being. To the host of unforgettable gatherings in his home, where the finest minds in Cuban-American intellectual, artistic, and leadership circles convened. To the man who was always kind, compassionate, and generous. To the creator of realizable utopias, with which the nation he envisioned with his brush will always dream.
The funeral mass in memory of Humberto Calzada will take place on Monday, August 25, at 1:30 p.m., at St. Augustine Church, located at 1400 Miller Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146.
Restoring Some Dignity – 2009 Acrillic on Canvas 53 x 40 / 164,42 x 101,60 cm
Rafael Montilla Queen Nandi, Will to Become Series Canvas on wood
Showcasing your work during Miami Art Week and Art Basel Miami Beach can be an exciting opportunity. Here are some strategies to effectively present your art:
1. Apply to Exhibitions
Art Basel Applications: Keep an eye on the application process for galleries and exhibitions associated with Art Basel.
Satellite Fairs: Explore smaller satellite fairs like Scope, Pulse, or NADA, which can be more accessible for emerging artists.
2. Collaborate with Galleries
Partner with local or international galleries to display your work. Establish relationships with galleries that align with your style.
3. Host a Pop-Up Exhibition
Organize a pop-up show in a unique venue. Consider collaborating with local businesses or artists to attract more visitors.
4. Utilize Social Media
Promote your participation through platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Use hashtags like #ArtBasel and #MiamiArtWeek to reach a wider audience.
5. Create an Online Portfolio
Ensure your website is updated with your latest works, artist statement, and contact information. Include a dedicated section for Miami Art Week.
6. Engage with Art Communities
Attend pre-events and networking sessions. Engage with other artists, curators, and collectors to build connections.
7. Organize an Artist Talk or Workshop
Hosting a talk or workshop can draw attention to your work and provide an interactive experience for visitors.
8. Leverage Press and Media
Send press releases to local art publications and blogs to gain media coverage. Consider inviting journalists to your events.
9. Create a Unique Experience
Think about how to make your exhibit stand out. This could involve interactive elements, performances, or immersive installations.
10. Network with Influencers and Collectors
Reach out to art influencers and collectors who might be interested in your work. Personal invitations can help create buzz.
Final Tips
Plan Ahead: Start your preparations well in advance to ensure everything is in place.
Budget Wisely: Consider the costs of materials, venue rental, marketing, and shipping.
Stay Authentic: Showcase work that reflects your true artistic voice.
By combining these strategies, you can maximize your visibility during one of the world’s most prestigious art events. Good luck!
Teotihuacán and Diego Rivera: His Influence on Mexican Muralism
By Jesús Perseo Becerra – Reflections and Analysis by Archaeologist Luis Eduardo Ramos Cruz
A Cultural Mosaic Called Mesoamerica
For thousands of years, successive waves of tribes populated Mesoamerica, bringing with them a remarkable diversity of physical traits, languages, and cultural expressions. Despite these differences, a unifying thread has always run through their historical development: culture.
The term “Mesoamerica” is more than a geographical reference—it is, above all, a cultural concept. For anthropologist Paul Kirchhoff, it was a vast super-area inhabited by civilizations that developed in what we now call ancient Mexico. It was home to numerous peoples, each with their own distinct traits, yet all part of a region defined by advanced social organization, artistry, and agriculture.
The Shared Foundations of Mesoamerican Civilizations
Ramos Cruz notes that Mesoamerican cultures shared strikingly similar characteristics: truncated pyramid bases, polytheistic religion, ritual cannibalism, dual calendars (a 365-day solar calendar and a 260-day ritual calendar), 52-year cycles, hieroglyphic writing, the ballgame, human sacrifice, a symbolic division of the universe into four directions, and complex systems of governance and belief.
Each region’s uniqueness was shaped by its environment, which determined its economic base, social organization, and technological development. These elements formed the building blocks of what we recognize as a distinct cultural face.
Heritage in the Everyday
Cultural heritage is not solely contained in monumental architecture or museum collections—it lives in songs, flavors, the expressions of the elderly, the laughter of children, rituals, prayers, and seasonal celebrations.
Mexico, poetically speaking, is a seed of maize in the heart of humanity—a land born of tortillas, nourished by the labor and spirit of its people. This grain, cultivated for millennia, remains the flesh and sustenance of the Mexican identity.
The Spiritual Guardians of Knowledge
Elders were revered for their wisdom and served as intermediaries between the earthly and spiritual realms. Among the Maya, the Chilam Balam—jaguar-priests and interpreters of the gods—delivered divine messages from the darkness of temples in trance-like states. In the Central Highlands, the Teopixque fulfilled similar roles, orchestrating sacred ceremonies.
In Maya tradition, the act of “being born” was understood as “being reborn.” Baptism, or Caput-Zihil, meant a return to spiritual life. This concept of cultural rebirth is one Diego Rivera embraced through his murals, drawing inspiration from the visual heritage of Teotihuacán.
Teotihuacán: City of the Painted Universe
Teotihuacán, at its peak, housed over 300,000 people and was entirely painted—its temples, homes, and ceremonial spaces adorned with vivid murals. These images blended religious symbolism, cosmology, and the rhythms of daily life, creating a living canvas that shaped the city’s spiritual and cultural identity.
For Rivera, Teotihuacán was a revelation—a visual and philosophical foundation for what would become his monumental contribution to Mexican muralism.
Seeds of Identity and Symbolism
The Maya saying, “Plant a word, and your ideas will grow in the hearts of your people,” encapsulates the essence of cultural transmission. Symbols—whether carved in stone, painted on walls, or woven into textiles—carried meanings that defined identity and history.
For Ramos Cruz, pre-Hispanic symbols form the “face” of culture, allowing societies to see themselves in their ancestral mirror. Without them, he warns, we risk becoming a people without form or identity.
Man Between Heaven and Earth
In Mesoamerican cosmology, humanity exists between the celestial and terrestrial realms—in the domain of maize. This worldview fostered a reverence for all living things and an awareness of the delicate balance between human action and the natural world.
Modern technological progress, while extraordinary, has distanced us from this harmony. Rivera’s work, in part, sought to restore it through visual narratives that reconnected people to their origins.
Diego Rivera: Muralist and Cultural Intercessor
Rivera’s murals synthesize pre-Hispanic imagery with episodes from Mexican history—Independence heroes like Hidalgo and Morelos, revolutionary figures such as Zapata and Villa, and scenes of labor struggles and social movements.
In Teotihuacán, Rivera lived among the community, exchanging stories and creating art. One well-known anecdote recalls his gift of a painting to Teófila Romero of San Sebastián Xolalpa. Her grandson, nicknamed “El Diente,” would secretly pawn the artwork for jars of pulque, unaware of its true value. The tale, humorous and human, became part of local folklore, deepening Rivera’s connection to the town.
Through his art, Rivera acted as a bridge—an interpreter of ancestral wisdom—seeking his own identity within the muralist movement, and offering Mexico, and the world, a cultural face woven from the threads of Mesoamerican heritage.
Alma Thomas, a groundbreaking American artist whose work continues to resonate with power, joy, and innovation:
In the often-serious world of 20th-century modernism, Alma Thomas offered something radically simple: joy.
Her paintings burst with luminous color and rhythmic energy, vibrating with a sense of optimism that was as much spiritual as it was aesthetic. But beyond her dazzling canvases, Thomas’s story is one of quiet revolution—a Black woman, a teacher, and an artist who defied both racial and gender boundaries, and who came into her own not in youth, but in the so-called “twilight” of life.
In doing so, she redefined what it means to be a modern artist—and left a legacy that is still shaping contemporary conversations around abstraction, identity, and resilience.
Early Life: Foundations in Education and Nature
Born in 1891 in Columbus, Georgia, and later moving with her family to Washington, D.C. to escape racial violence, Alma Thomas grew up in a world where Black artistic visibility was almost nonexistent. And yet, her curiosity and creativity were never stifled.
She attended Howard University, where in 1924 she became the first graduate of its newly established fine arts program. She later earned a Master’s degree in art education from Columbia University, all while teaching art at Shaw Junior High School in Washington for over 35 years.
Her long teaching career wasn’t a detour from her art—it was a practice in itself, rooted in nurturing beauty, discipline, and imagination in generations of Black students.
Nature played a deep role in her artistic sensibility. She often described the way light filtered through trees, how leaves danced in the breeze—natural patterns that would later become the very structure of her iconic style.
The Blossoming of an Artist—Later in Life
Remarkably, Thomas didn’t fully dedicate herself to painting until after retiring from teaching at age 69. Most artists are introduced in youth; Alma Thomas arrived with age, wisdom, and purpose.
It was in this later period of life that she developed her signature visual language: radiant, mosaic-like abstractions made of dabs and dashes of color, arranged in rows, spirals, or circles. Her palette was bright and affirming, rejecting the dark emotional tones often associated with high modernism.
She drew inspiration from nature, space exploration, and even music, translating those experiences into color fields that feel like visual meditations on life itself.
Abstraction, Space, and Spirit
Thomas was deeply inspired by NASA and the Space Race of the 1960s. Works like “Starry Night and the Astronauts” (1972) and “Apollo 12 ‘Splash Down’” show how she fused cosmic themes with earthly joy, proving that abstraction can be deeply rooted in both science and spirit.
And though her work was not overtly political, her very existence as a Black female abstractionist in a predominantly white, male art world was a quiet act of rebellion—a refusal to be categorized or diminished.
Her art transcends identity politics but never denies identity. She claimed her space not through confrontation, but through mastery—offering a language of light and harmony that invites everyone in.
Breaking Barriers
In 1972, at age 81, Alma Thomas became the first Black woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. That same year, her work was included in the White House collection—a distinction few artists of any background receive.
In a segregated America still struggling to recognize the genius of Black creatives, Thomas’s achievements were extraordinary. But she never allowed recognition to dilute her devotion to the work. For her, painting was a form of prayer, a celebration of life’s beauty—even amidst its harshness.
“Creative art is for all time and is therefore independent of time. It is of all ages, of every land, and if by this we mean that the creative spirit in man is universal, no one kind of art is more valid than another.”
—Alma Thomas
A Lasting Legacy
Alma Thomas passed away in 1978, but her influence continues to grow. In the 21st century, her work has experienced a powerful resurgence, featured in major museum retrospectives and prominent collections.
Artists such as Julie Mehretu, Mickalene Thomas, and Howardena Pindell draw inspiration from Thomas’s defiance of categorization and her commitment to abstraction as a language of possibility.
More than just a painter, Alma Thomas reminds us that it’s never too late to claim your calling—and that even in a fractured world, color, light, and harmony can still be radical.
Final Thoughts
Alma Thomas didn’t chase trends. She didn’t paint her pain for public consumption. She offered something else: a vision of beauty as resistance, of age as emergence, of color as a universal language.
Her work stands as a testament to the enduring power of art to uplift, to transform, and to affirm life. In every brushstroke, Alma Thomas gave us permission to look up, to look inward, and to find joy—not in perfection, but in the rhythm of becoming.
El Lado Oscuro de la Creación: Tu Sombra como Fuente de Autenticidad
El Lado Oscuro de la Creación: Tu Sombra como Fuente de Autenticidad
Hemos hablado de inseguridad, de miedo al juicio y del perfeccionismo que nos frena. Pero hay una fuerza más profunda, un arquetipo que el psicólogo Carl Gustav Jung llamó la Sombra: esa parte de nuestra psique que contiene todo lo que hemos reprimido y escondido. Para un artista visual, enfrentarse a ella no es solo un acto de valentía, sino un camino directo hacia la autenticidad.
La Sombra no es solo “mala”. Sí, contiene nuestra ira y envidia, pero también alberga talentos no descubiertos, deseos reprimidos y una energía vital que hemos relegado a la oscuridad. Jung argumentaba que reprimirla conduce al estancamiento creativo. Al contrario, integrarla es la clave para la individuación, el proceso de convertirnos en un ser completo.
Los artistas visuales tienen una ventaja única en este viaje, porque el arte es un puente entre la mente consciente y el mundo subterráneo del inconsciente. La creación se convierte en una forma de diálogo, un lenguaje sin palabras que permite que lo reprimido emerja en forma de color, forma y textura. Piensa en pintores como Jackson Pollock o Anselm Kiefer, que usaron su obra para confrontar traumas personales y colectivos, plasmando en sus lienzos lo que la sociedad preferiría olvidar.
La Sombra se manifiesta en tu obra de muchas maneras:
Temas Desafiantes: Si te sientes atraído por temas complejos o crudos, podrías estar explorando un aspecto de tu sombra.
Tensión Creativa: En tu trabajo, la integración de elementos opuestos (naturaleza vs. tecnología) ya es una forma de confrontar estas dualidades.
Vulnerabilidad Cruda: La capacidad de expresar una emoción cruda, sin filtro, es a menudo la Sombra que busca salir a la luz.
Tu camino, que valora la espiritualidad y el autoconocimiento, te prepara de forma única para este viaje. El trabajo con la Sombra no es una batalla, sino una exploración. No se trata de eliminar la oscuridad, sino de iluminarla y entender que tus miedos son tan parte de ti como tus fortalezas.
Al final, la confrontación con tu Sombra es la posibilidad de una creatividad sin límites, una que no teme a la oscuridad porque sabe que en ella reside la semilla de la luz más brillante.
¿Qué parte de tu Sombra sientes que te está llamando a explorarla en tu próxima obra?
Las primeras influencias culturales de Europa en el Nuevo Mundo se manifestaron en la ciudad primada de América: Santo Domingo. La huella inicial quedó grabada en los muros y en las piedras, a través de la arquitectura y el diseño urbano. Más tarde llegaron la orfebrería, la platería, y finalmente la pintura y la escultura.
La arquitectura colonial dominicana refleja una gran variedad de estilos, enriquecidos con aportes locales. En Santo Domingo se revitalizaron el románico, gótico, barroco y neoclásico. En cuanto a la pintura y la escultura, predominaban los temas sacros, pues era en los conventos donde se enseñaban y practicaban las bellas artes.
Siglo XIX: la influencia europea
En la segunda mitad del siglo XIX, Europa vuelve a marcar el rumbo artístico en el país. El impresionismo, postimpresionismo, costumbrismo y Art Nouveau influyen en la pintura dominicana. Entre los artistas más representativos destacan:
Celeste Woss y Gil (1891-1985), primera mujer en presentar una exposición individual (1924). Su enseñanza basada en la copia del natural introdujo una nueva apreciación de la anatomía criolla, lo que marcó un cambio crucial en la pintura de los años treinta.
Primeras décadas del siglo XX: hacia una identidad
La pintura dominicana moderna surge a inicios del siglo XX, con artistas que buscan expresar la identidad nacional frente a la condición racial, geográfica e histórica. Entre ellos:
Jaime Colson
Darío Suro
Manolo Pascual
En 1939, con la llegada de artistas y profesores españoles, se funda la Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes, bajo la dictadura de Trujillo (1930-1960). De allí emergen figuras como:
Gilberto Hernández Ortega (1924-1979)
Marianela Jiménez (1925)
Clara Ledesma (1924)
Luichy Martínez Richiez (1928)
Antonio Prats Ventos (1928)
Josép Gausachs (1889-1959)
George Hausdorf
Años 50 y 60: modernidad y crítica
En este periodo se consolidan artistas como:
Eligio Pichardo (1930-1984)
Paul Giudicelli (1931-1965)
Domingo Liz (1931)
Fernando Peña Defilló (1928)
Silvano Lora (1931-2003)
Gaspar Mario Cruz (1925)
Antonio Toribio (1934)
Ada Balcácer (1930)
José Cestero
Ramón Oviedo
Juan Plutarco Andújar
Aquiles Azar
Durante la década del sesenta, el tránsito de la dictadura a la democracia provoca un arte cargado de cuestionamientos, que marca el límite entre lo moderno y lo contemporáneo. Sobresalen:
Iván Tovar (1942)
Ramón Oviedo (1927)
Cándido Bidó (1936)
José Rincón Mora (1938)
Rosa Tavárez
José Félix Moya (1944)
Jorge Severino
Amable Sterling
Fernando Ureña Rib (1951)
Antonio Guadalupe (1941)
José R. Conde (1940-1987)
Alonso Cuevas (1953)
Alberto Ulloa (1950)
Domingo Liz (1931)
Vicente Pimentel (1942)
Elsa Núñez (1943)
Guillo Pérez (1927)
Mariano Eckert (1920)
También otros nombres claves como: León Bosch, Soucy de Pellerano, Alberto Bass, Orlando Menicucci, Daniel Henríquez, Danilo de los Santos, Julio Susana, Vicente Fabré, Freddy Javier, Joaquín Ciprián, Juan Medina, Freddy Cabral, José Perdomo y Bismark Victoria.
Décadas de 1980 y 1990: identidad caribeña y nuevos lenguajes
Con el auge de la informática y los medios de comunicación, surgen propuestas donde lo insular y lo caribeño se consolidan como sello de identidad. Destacan:
Hinojosa
Dustin Muñoz
José García Cordero (1950)
Dionisio Blanco
Jesús Desangles
Hilario Olivo
Luz Severino
Radhamés Mejía
Juan Mayí
Johny Bonelly
Raúl Recio
Amaya Salazar (1951)
Fabio Domínguez
Tony Capellán
Geo Ripley
Arte contemporáneo
Entre los artistas que exploran las instalaciones y el arte contemporáneo, se encuentran:
Exhibitions at the Library - Miami-Dade Public Library System
Vasari Project at 25: A Legacy of Art Collections and Collecting in Miami
Miami-Dade Public Library System
101 W Flagler St, Miami, FL 33130
This exhibition celebrates 25 years of The Vasari Project, a living archive that documents Miami-Dade’s visual arts since 1945. Tracing its origins in early library exhibitions, the show highlights donated materials that reflect the city’s evolving artistic landscape and cultural memory. For more information, please contact the branch at 305-375-2665 or [email protected]. All ages.To request services in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) such as materials in accessible format, sign language interpreters, and/or any accommodation to participate in any Miami-Dade Public Library System sponsored program or meeting, please email [email protected] or call Monica Martinez at 305-375-5094 five days in advance to initiate your request. TTY users may also call 711 (Florida Relay Service).
The Miami-Dade Public Library System makes its facilities and meeting rooms available to independent entities, such as community groups or organizations. Hosting such events or programs does not constitute an endorsement or affiliation with the activities of the independent entity or its content. The Library is not responsible for the accuracy or completeness of the information provided by independent entities.
Twenty-five years ago, the Miami-Dade Public Library System created The Vasari Project to document and preserve the vitality of the visual arts in Miami-Dade County dating back to 1945 and beyond. Three visionary women led the initiative: Art Librarian Margarita Cano; Miami Herald art critic, historian, and writer Helen L. Kohen; and Art Librarian and Art Services Manager Barbara N. Young. Together, they collaborated to establish this unique repository in 2000. With funding from the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs and the invaluable support of Library leadership, The Vasari Project was successfully launched.
Several exhibitions created by the Library’s Art Services Division underscored the need for a dedicated repository to preserve Miami’s art history. Miami Thriving in Change 1940-1990, organized in 1991, was a series of exhibitions that documented 50 years of arts and culture in the community. The exhibit Cultivated Under the Sun, 30 Years of Library Service, 1971-2001, curated by Cano, Kohen, and Young raised awareness of the Library’s art collection and documentation efforts.
The Vasari Project collection safeguards the ever-changing nature of the city’s museums, a decades-long roster of commercial galleries, and the footprints of artists who continue to leave their marks. Contributions to this significant archive — including exhibition catalogs, photographs, press clippings, oral histories, and other mementos — by public institutions, galleries, artists, art professionals, artist collectives, and private donors continue to document the many facets of Miami’s arts scene.
This is the second survey exhibition of materials donated to The Vasari Project since its founding 25 years ago, following Highlights from The Vasari Project Archive of the Miami-Dade Public Library System in 2012. As a living archive, donations are welcome to help fill historical gaps and to continue the legacy of its founders.
Together, we ensure that Miami’s artistic heritage is preserved, celebrated, and shared for generations to come.
La artista venezolana Marianela Pérezexpone su obra en el Centro Cultural IMAGO
El próximo sábado 30 de agosto de 2025 a las 6:00 p.m., será inaugurada en Miami, en los espacios del Centro Cultural IMAGO, la exposición individual “Balance”, de la artista venezolana Marianela Pérez, bajo la curaduría de Katherine Chacón.
Esta muestra ofrece la oportunidad de apreciar el trabajo creativo de Marianela Pérez, cuya obra pictórica se desarrolló durante años “a partir de composiciones geométricas de colores vibrantes que creaban superficies densas, donde triángulos en tensión se estructuraban como si una explosión interna los hubiese proyectado hacia fuera”, según afirma la curadora Katherine Chacón en el texto de sala de la exposición.
“Siendo una artista multidisciplinaria —trabaja pintura, escultura, collage, fotografía y medios digitales—, Pérez desarrolla en las piezas reunidas en esta exposición, un proceso estratificado que parte de fotografías tomadas en los primeros tiempos de su traslado a Miami, cuando los fascinantes atardeceres del sur de la Florida —cargados de naranjas, rojos y fucsias intensos— se convirtieron en una forma de anclaje emocional en medio del desarraigo. Esas imágenes fueron luego intervenidas digitalmente, en un gesto que le permitió traducir la vibración del color en estructura visual. A partir de ese «boceto» digital, Pérez aborda el lienzo, llevando la emoción inicial hacia el terreno abstracto de la geometría”, explica la curadora.
De acuerdo con Katherine Chacón, en “Balance” el lenguaje geométrico de Pérez encuentra una expresión más contenida. “Los colores se han apastelado, las formas —antes compactas— han comenzado a separarse, y el lienzo, que solía cubrir por completo, muestra ahora zonas sin pintar, aludiendo al respiro que nos ubica en el presente como una pausa necesaria. Las piezas de esta exposición responden a una sedimentación emocional de la artista tras años de contemplar otros cielos, vivir otros ritmos, y reconfigurar su identidad en diálogo con lo nuevo. Revelan no solo el asentamiento de los afectos, sino un modo de mirar en retrospectiva la intensidad del tránsito migratorio y de reconciliarse con un paisaje que, poco a poco, se ha hecho «casa»”.
Marianela Pérez
Marianela Pérez es una artista visual venezolana que estudió Arte Comercial en Endicott College, en Beverly, Massachusetts, y Diseño Ambiental en el Instituto de Diseño Villasmil de León, en Caracas. Continuó su formación plástica bajo la guía de reconocidos artistas venezolanos, y realizó estudios especializados en pintura y técnicas aplicadas al acrílico en la Escuela de Arte de Boca Ratón. Se formó en fotografía en la Escuela de Fotografía Roberto Mata, en Caracas. Ha participado en numerosas exposiciones colectivas en Venezuela, Estados Unidos, Inglaterra y España. Asimismo, ha realizado exposiciones individuales en Miami International Fine Arts –MIFA– (Miami, 2023), en la Art Gallery del Miami Dade College, Hialeah Campus (2022), en la Biblioteca SpanishRiver (Boca Ratón, 2020) y en la Galería Hernán Gamboa de la Humboldt International University (Coral Gables, 2019). Actualmente es artista residente en Arts Warehouse, Delray Beach, Florida.
La exposición individual “Balance” de Marianela Pérez se estará presentando desde el 30 de agosto hasta el 25 de octubre de 2025, en los espacios del Centro Cultural IMAGO, ubicado en 4028 SW 57th Ave, Miami, Estados Unidos. El horario es los lunes de 2:00 a 6:00 p.m., martes a viernes de 10:00 a.m. a 6:00 p.m., y los sábados de 10:00 a.m. a 1:00 p.m.
