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NEOPLATICISMO Y ELEMENTARISMO

NEOPLATICISMO Y ELEMENTARISMO
NEOPLATICISMO Y ELEMENTARISMO

NEOPLATICISMO Y ELEMENTARISMO

THEO VAN DOESBURG

LA NUEVA CONSCIENCIA DEL SER

El Arte consiste en un proceso sin fin de superación de contrarios, o el arte es la expresión del espíritu de la época.

El Grupo De Stijl empezó una colaboración que tenía como objetivo romper con el cubo, descomponerlo en planos y volviéndolo a romper en un todo dinámico, en donde las coordenadas de dentro-fuera, izquierda-derecha, arriba-abajo… se hubieran superado, con ello los autores intentaban materializar la 4º dimensión, es decir, la unión de espacio-tiempo en la arquitectura por medio de los colores y de la disposición de los planos y también rompiendo el principio de gravedad natural, extendiendo los puntos de apoyo de los planos hacia el espacio exterior, de esta manera se creaba un todo que parecía resistir a la caída, que flotaba en el espacio.

En un principio fue puramente experimental pero de aquí surgirá también la necesidad de expresión en la pintura, de expresar lo dinámico, lo que supondrá introducir la diagonal y la aparición del movimiento Elementarista.

Tanto el Dadaísmo como el Neoplasticismo intentaban conseguir una renovación del arte, es verdad que el primero lo hacía de forma destructiva mientras que el segundo lo llevaba a cabo constructivamente, pero en todo caso ambos aunaban fuerzas hacía el mismo fin, la construcción de un arte que fuera expresión del nuevo espíritu del tiempo.

Además de la Bauhaus y de los Dadaístas Van Doesburg también entra en contacto con los constructivistas Noholy-Nagy. Constructivistas y Neoplásticos coincidían en un punto fundamental, ambos movimientos se proponían la reconstrucción material y espiritual del mundo.

Van Doesburg también entra en contacto con Le Corbusier, poniendo en cuestión el funcionalismo y en este punto es indiscutible la clarividencia en sus palabras ante la reivindicación de un racioanalismo extremo y exclama: «también lo no objeto, lo irracional y lo ineconómico son factores vitales».

En 1924 se produce la separación o evolución del Neoplasticismo hacia el Elementarismo, el lenguaje neoplástico se había creado por la purificación del lenguaje naturista (basado en la imitación de las formas), situando los elemento básicos en relación de oposición – la Horizontal y la Vertical. con ello se quería dar expresión al resto de opuestos del mundo, espíritu-materia, hombre-mujer, bueno-malo…Pero van Doesburg descubre que esta práctica lleva a un estado estático que tiene como fin el equilibrio final, la reconciliación de los contrarios. Frente a ello va a proponer una plástica de la tensión, en la que el punto final tiene que ser siempre superado de nuevo en un proceso imparable.

Ahora el ortogonismo es considerado un esquema propio de la naturaleza que tiene que ser superado, no se trata de someterse a la naturaleza (el mundo dual) sino de espiritualizarla. El Elementarismo no será más que el resultado de la superación del neoplasticismo en este proceso infinito de espiritualización de la naturaleza.

(El carácter dinámico frente al carácter estático, la didáctica hegeliana frente a la contemplación y el éxtasis de Plotino).

Así se rompe con Mondrian y el neoplasticismo al introducir la diagonal. El Elementarismo.

Uno de los puntos más importantes que lo distingue de la convenciones anteriores del arte es que en el nuevo concepto artístico la personalidad del artista no se destaca, la idea estética es el resultado de una voluntad del estilo general.

LA ESENCIA DEL ARTE PLÁSTICO

1.-La vida se expresa en lo que nos rodea, todo lo que vive tiene una experiencia consciente e inconsciente de ello.

Varios filósofos u biólogos, Descartes, Darwin, Kant, Van Vexkull y otros han probado que en cuanto más consciente, mayor evolución orgánica, pasando del instinto al entendimiento, razón y espíritu.

2.-Consciente o inconsciente todo ser hace uso de su experiencia de la vida.

Una vez que el individuo gracias a sus experiencias sabe distinguirlos, compararlos, ordenarlos, empieza a unir a esta percepción de la vida la conciencia racional y poco a poco la consciencia de lo que nos rodea se vuelve más racional, consciente y espiritual.

3.-Así la experiencia de la realidad tiene tres categorías:

-Sensorial (ver, oir, oler,..)

-Psíquica

-Espiritual

El predominio de una de ellas determina la relación del individuo con su entorno.

(El perro no es capaz de superar el limite de la experiencia sensorial, todos los objetos que exijan una percepción profunda quedan fuera de su mundo, no existen).

4.-La percepción y la experiencia de la vida se determinan recíprocamente.

Si se produce una experiencia de la realidad profundizada de manera que el individuo pudiera objetivar esa experiencia racional y conscientemente, entonces se puede hablar de una experiencia espiritual de la realidad.

5.-Si la experiencia de la realidad es espiritual, lo que quiero decir es que la experiencia de nuestro entorno no se limita exclusivamente a lo sensorial, sino que después de la experiencia sensorial acontece un proceso en el alma, entonces la reacción será proporcional a la experiencia y la necesidad de plasmarla.

6.-La esencia y la causa de las artes es este movimiento reflejo de plasmarlo que surge de nuestra experiencia activa de la realidad.

7.-La obra de arte es la forma de expresión, la forma plástica de esta expresión de la realidad.

8.-Todas las artes tienen un contenido de la misma naturaleza. Solo se diferencian las formas y los medios de expresión.

9.-La experiencia estética y la expresión de la misma experiencia se determinan recíprocamente.

10.-La expresión de la experiencia estética se lleva a cabo por medio de relaciones.

11.-Estas relaciones se manifiestan en los medios de expresión de cada una de las artes, utilizando la oposición entre elementos positivos y negativos, la relación de un punto activo a otro pasivo es la actividad de la expresión artística.

12.- En pintura: -color(activo) (rojo-azul-amarillo)-no color (pasivo) (gris-blanco-negro)

Arquitectura: -plano masa (activo)-espacio (pasivo)

Escultura: -volumen(activo)-vacío(pasivo)

Poesía, Literatura, Baile, Teatro son la manera expresiva o plástica de nuestras experiencias estéticas de la realidad.

13.-En la experiencia estética el objeto desaparece como naturaleza.

14.-En la experiencia estética las diferencias particulares se transforman en una diferencia orgánica (no hay separación).

15.-La experiencia estética concierne a todas las formas creadoras del artista.

El artista transforma la realidad de la naturaleza en la consciencia creadora del artista, y lo que surge no es abstracto sino Real, la experiencia artística presupone la experiencia sensorial y psíquica, si se inserta el elemento sentimiento (de placer o no o de compasión,etc..) la experiencia artística se desvirtúa e incluso a veces se destruye.

16.-Cuando por el contrario los acentos estéticos, como la relación equilibrada de lo uno con lo otro, por ejemplo el color con el espacio, la forma con el color,..aparecen por sí mismos agrupándose en una forma, plenamente plástica con ninguna otra relación que la del medio de expresión del arte, podemos hablar de obra de arte exactamente plástica.

Composición XXII 1920

Reconstrucción de una vaca

equilibrio-posición-masa-numero.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fmiKOOvLUo&t=159s

Según se detiene la representación (imitación) de la realidad y empieza la expresión estética da una realidad más profunda que la expresión localmente determinada, la realidad cósmica.

«Toda obra de arte se encuentra precedida de una experiencia interna o externa de la realidad, en relación proporcional a la consciencia vital»

Así vemos en el arte de los egipcios predomina la expresión de la idea, las formas, los colores se ordenan según una consciencia de la vida dirigida hacia el interior. Se rechazan los valores aparentes y los detalles. Surge tensión en los contornos y claridad en los colores.

Sin embargo en los griegos predomina la expresión de la materia, las formas de apariencia natural sustituyen a las formas fundamentales cósmicas.

El arte de los griegos obtendrá la admiración de los pueblos con idéntica, naturaleza. Prueba de ello es el Renacimiento y toda la cultura que se basa en fundamentos físico-naturales.

17.-Sólo de la experiencia activa y creativa puede derivarse una obra de arte, de la pasiva nunca.

18.-De la experiencia pasiva solo puede derivarse una reproducción, una reduplicación del objeto de la experiencia.

Cuando se duplica el objeto y se suprime de ello el sello de la situación en que se ha dado la experiencia, la forma de expresión será siempre más o menos inferior a la expresión directa de la experiencia. Su forma de expresión será secundaria, confusa e indeterminada.

No será una realización directa o una forma de expresión exacta de la idea plástica, sino tan solo un sucedáneo.

19.-El artista solo puede producir una realización directa, una forma de expresión creativa, desde un medio plástico.

20.-Si un objeto de la experiencia aparece como tal en la obra, entonces este objeto actúa como medio auxiliar y la expresión no es exacta.

21.-Si la emoción estética se expresa directamente con el medio propio del arte en cuestión, entonces la manera de expresión es exacta.

El objetivo del artista es plasmar la experiencia creativa de la esencia fundamental de las cosas a través de una valoración y purificación del medio con el que tiene que ser realizado. (colores, formas, líneas, planos..).

Aún cuando no podamos ver la armonía perfecta, el equilibrio perfecto del Universo, todo objeto se encuentra sometido a los lugares por los se establece esa armonía, ese equilibrio es el que el artista es capaz de descubrir en las cosas, esa oculta armonía, el equilibrio Universal (sabiendo además darle forma)

Con los medios expresivos:

-de la posición (Horizontal y vertical)

-de la proporción

-de un plano por otro que lo limite

-o de un color por otro.

-o por una superficie coloreada y la inversa.

Así la obra de arte se convierte en un organismo viviente estéticamente e independiente, en donde todo se contrapesa.

22.-La comprensión de un obra de arte exactamente plástica sólo es posible cuando el espectador tiene con la obra una relación estética (se recrea no la reconstruye).

El espectador tiene una sensación de equilibrio total y no sólo con respecto a las partes de la obra en cuestión sino también respecto a la relación entre él mismo y la obra de arte, se experimenta algo claro superior y profundo, pero fuera de todo contacto con las relaciones naturales o con las dimensiones espaciales, que conducen a una condición de armonía consciente.

En el continuo cambio y superación de la posición y de la dimensión de la líneas, surgen relaciones siempre nuevas pero siempre armónicas.

Así se logra una balanza completamente equilibrada de las relaciones estéticas, en las que el espectador puede participar directamente sin ser distraído por algo particular.


Crear no es una expresión espontánea de nuestra sensibilidad, como veían los impresionistas y establecieron como dogma los expresionistas.

Muy al contrario todo acto espontáneo es el resultado de nuestra naturalidad pasiva y siempre tiene que acabar en decepción.

En el caso de la obra neoplástica sucede lo contrario, la obra de arte es el resultado de nuestra espiritualidad activa, la naturaleza es sometida, es dominada por nosotros.

El significado especial del Arte supone que en el conflicto entre realidad y verdad, lo último sólo puede ser expresado a través de lo primero.

Por tanto donde empieza la desviación de la realidad, empieza la expresión del espíritu libre humano.

Como el espíritu aspira a una forma absoluta, el compromiso es imposible.

Por eso todo compromiso entre idea y naturaleza es algo impuro. Así el Simbolismo es un compromiso y el Romanticismo.

El Cubismo fue al superar el Impresionismo, en el que se considera ya la noción de la relación (relación tonal), la primera expresión del arte puro, pues rechazó los medios auxiliares y buscó la relación equilibrada de posición y proporción de planos y colores.

Los Cubistas llegan al núcleo de los medios expresivos clásicos (permanentes) del arte en general

posición-proporción-número=armonía

El arte no tiene que emocionar sino que tiene que poner al espectador en equilibrio con el Universo, que la emoción tiene justo efectos contrarios, es un perturbación (tanto la de dolor como la de alegría), las emociones son el resultado de una representación de la vida confusa y no armónica, que se fundamente en e dominio de nuestra individualidad.

La Diagonal supone que nuestra consciencia accede a una nueva polaridad pero en un plano más alto que la clásica polaridad naturaleza-espíritu.

Esta nueva polaridad tiene que estar formada por la unidad de naturaleza y espíritu teniendo como polo opuesto el mismo principio superior de la vida. El Elementarismo encuentra en el desorden espiritual y social la colaboración de su principio fundamental. Referencia la total diferencia entre naturaleza-sociedad y espíritu humano-individuo. Apoya toda fuerza destructiva que contribuya a la liberación esencial y a elevar el espíritu humano.

Gracias a los anteriores intentos de renovación de la Vida y el Arte (Futurismo, Cubismo, Expresionismo, Dadaísmo, Neoplasticismo..). El Elementarismo ha unido en sí todos los elementos esencialmente modernos.

El Elementarismo sólo ve en la vida una transformación perpetua y en el sujeto creador un fenómeno contrastante.

El Elemntarismo prepara un contra-plástica elemental, por eso ha de destruir este eje estático (mundo euclidiano) que lleva al mismo inmovilismo y a la paralización de la potencia creadora.

Frente a la negación de Tiempo y del Espacio, el Elementarismo intenta establecer el equilibrio entre lo estático y lo dinámico (reposo y movimiento) y también sintetizar el Espacio y el Tiempo en una nueva dimensión.

El Elementarismo postula una forma heterogénea, contrastante, inestable, gracias a los planos inclinados respecto a un eje estático perpendicular a la gravedad.

La relación equilibrada no es el resultado último. El Elementarismo rechaza la armonización de los colores entre sí y de cada color con el todo. El Elementarismo reconoce el color como material y como energía autónoma.

El Elementarismo no sólo se dirige hacia el arte y la arquitectura sino también hacia el hombre vivo y la sociedad. Quiere renovar la concepción individual y colectiva de la vida y una renovación de nuestra mentalidad. Esta agitación más psicológica que política requiere una espiritualización heroica. Como movimiento de agitación psicológica el Elementarismo se llama Profundismo. La experimentación de la realidad ha de ser considerada como el resultado que se deduce de la vieja y ya obsoleta dualidad de espíritu y materia. En esta experimentación las dos cualidades se neutralizan y se presuponen como Unidad.

El Elemtarismo pretende la total destrución de la visión ilusionista del mundo en todas sus formas y al mismo tiempo la construcción de un mundo elemental, de una realidad bella y exacta. Tiene la tarea de demoler poco a poco el relieve decorativo que cubre nuestra imagen del mundo, los restos de la religión, y de las restantes tradiciones formales.

El Elementarismo ve la vida como una enorme extensión en donde estos factores (bueno-malo, hombre-mujer..) vitales se alternan continuamente. Las diferencias son solo simbólicas, conceptuales o imaginarias, pero como realidades están totalmente superadas y homogeneizadas. Frente a esta Unidad el Elementarismo postula el concepto absoluto de movimiento universal, que incluso comprende a la propia personalidad.

Mientras la consciencia ocupe un lugar elemental no plasmará un punto fijo, no como fin de la vida ni como objetivo (perfeccionar la consciencia).

Molamicasa.com

Creada en 2015 desde una inquietud por descubrir más sobre la actual estética visual y filosófica de nuestro contexto.

Creamos molamicasa.com con la intención de compartir todo lo relacionado con nuestras inquietudes creativas relacionadas con el Arte y sus expresiones, desde todas las disciplinas con las que se manifiesta.

Fernando Garcia: Calendars & Gradation Systems 

Fernando Garcia: Calendars & Gradation Systems 

Curated by Isabella Marie Garcia 

Opening exhibition: Saturday, May 31st from 6—9PM

Laundromat Art Space
185 NE 59th Street
Miami, FL 33137

Fernando Garcia: Calendars and Gradation Systems is a posthumous solo exhibition celebrating the life and work of the late Cuban artist Fernando Garcia. In partnership with the Miami-Dade Main Library, who will be loaning the majority of the artwork in the exhibition, the showcase considers how Garcia, as an educator and interdisciplinary artist, utilized time in his practice and brought artmaking to the masses. Recreating a site-specific installation by the artist, the exhibition will present archival materials and ephemera of the late artist in vitrines placed throughout the space, reflecting on the deadly impact AIDS had on Miami’s artists and art scene in the 1980s and 1990s.
The curatorial debut of Isabella Marie Garcia, an interdisciplinary lens-based artist, writer, and photographer based in Miami, Fernando Garcia: Calendars and Gradation Systems builds on the research conducted by Isabella through the 2024 Visual Aids Research Fellowship, which financially supports writing and scholarship about artists who have been lost to AIDS. Each year a cohort of fellows works with Visual AIDS to develop a piece of original writing for the Visual AIDS website. Research fellows work with primary sources in the Visual AIDS Archive, as well as interviews with estates, families, and friends, and other materials in private and public collections. An accompanying exhibition catalogue with an essay on the artist will be available for the duration of the exhibition, along with special programming during the month of June. Steeped in calculated translations of mathematics, Fernando Antonio Garcia’s journey from Cuba to Miami to Atlanta and back reflect an artist who needed the distance for his roots to begin. Born on November 1st in the ward of La Vibora in Havana, Cuba in 1945, Garcia emigrated from the island to Miami at the age of sixteen through Operation Pedro Pan. Arriving in Miami, Garcia would go on to study at Belen Jesuit Preparatory School and Miami-Dade College, North Campus before relocating to Athens, Georgia to complete a Bachelors of Science in Physics and Mathematics from University of Georgia in 1968. He finished his secondary education in 1976 with a Master’s Degree of Fine Arts from Georgia State University in Atlanta.

From releasing weather balloons for the inauguration of the Miami Art Museum (MAM) to passing a Cuban flag mirror that clarifies a chalkboard wall bearing Jose Martí’s La edad de oro drawn in reverse, Garcia wielded  the manipulation of time and space during his lifetime. Normalizing the simultaneity of multiple exhibitions at once and across sites in Miami, he represented pushing the extremes of what was already possible in an emerging arts community. Challenging the status quo in incorporating his studious background in mathematics and physics through the visual arts and the transitory, Garcia immortalized the present as once-in-a-lifetime, suspending time eternally through his symbiotic participation and artistic contributions.

“I hope the exhibition brings honor to who Fernando Garcia was and how his work was the first of its kind in the city. From archives I’ve had the honor of working with and visiting in Miami, Atlanta and Athens, Georgia and Washington, D.C., I’ve realized how much about him remains out of sight for the general public, which is the antithesis of what Garcia practiced through his public performance work and installations. May this be the first of many future opportunities to shed light on those lost all too soon,” states Isabella Marie Garcia.

About Isabella Marie Garcia
Isabella “Isa” Marie Garcia is an interdisciplinary lens-based artist, writer, and photographer living in her native Miami, Florida. Interested in alternative educational spaces, holistic aftercare, and supporting visual artists in the American South in her practice, Garcia is a recipient of a 2025 Oolite Arts Ellies Creator Award and the 2024 WOPHA Research Fellowship for The Photography Care Matrix: Teaching Traditional and Experimental Photo Techniques within Prison Environments, Residential Rehabs, and Alternative Schools, the recipient of a 2024 Visual Aids Research Fellowship, and the 2023 Locust Projects Wavemaker Research and Implementation Grant Recipient for What Happens When the Dust Settles?. Currently a 2024-2025 ProjectArt Miami Resident and O, Miami Lead Sunroom Teaching Artist, Garcia graduated summa cum laude with her Bachelor of Arts in English from Florida International University. More information on her work can be found anywhere and everywhere through @isamxrie and at isamxrie.com. 

About Visual Aids
Founded in 1988, Visual AIDS is the only contemporary arts organization fully committed to raising AIDS awareness and creating dialogue around HIV issues today, by producing and presenting visual art projects, exhibitions, public forums, and publications—while assisting artists living with HIV/AIDS. We are committed to preserving and honoring the work of artists with HIV/AIDS and the artistic contributions of the AIDS movement. We embrace diversity and difference in our staff, leadership, artists, and audiences.

Gaudí, Hadid, and Gehry Redefining Architectural Form

Gaudí- Hadid- and Gehry

Titans of Transformation: Gaudí, Hadid, and Gehry Redefining Architectural Form

Architecture, at its most potent, transcends mere shelter; it becomes an art form that reshapes our perception of space and challenges the very notion of what a building can be. Three figures stand out as exemplars of this transformative power: Antoni Gaudí, Zaha Hadid, and Frank Gehry. Though separated by time and style, they share a radical approach to form, pushing the boundaries of architectural expression and leaving an indelible mark on the world’s landscape.

Antoni Gaudí: Nature’s Architect

Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926), the Spanish architect, remains synonymous with the vibrant, organic forms of Catalan Modernism. Gaudí’s work is a celebration of nature, with buildings that seem to grow from the earth rather than being imposed upon it. His designs are characterized by flowing curves, intricate details, and a masterful use of light and color.

The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, his unfinished masterpiece, is perhaps the most iconic example of his style. Its towering spires, inspired by the forms of trees, create a sense of awe and spiritual transcendence. Park Güell, another Barcelona landmark, showcases Gaudí’s playful integration of architecture and nature, with colorful mosaics and undulating benches that conform to the landscape. Casa Batlló and Casa Milà (La Pedrera) demonstrate his innovative use of stone and ironwork to create facades that are both sculptural and functional.

Gaudí’s genius lay not only in his visual imagination but also in his structural innovations. He developed unique systems of arches and supports that allowed him to create complex, self-supporting forms, freeing his buildings from the constraints of traditional architecture. His work continues to inspire architects to explore the relationship between nature, form, and structure.

Zaha Hadid: The Neo-Futurist Visionary

Zaha Hadid (1950-2016), the Iraqi-British architect, emerged as a leading figure in deconstructivist architecture, known for her dynamic, fluid designs that defy gravity. Hadid’s buildings are characterized by sweeping curves, sharp angles, and a sense of movement that challenges the static nature of traditional architecture.

Her projects range from the Guangzhou Opera House in China, with its flowing, organic forms that seem to rise from the landscape, to the Aquatics Centre for the London 2012 Olympics, a structure that captures the dynamism of water. The MAXXI Museum in Rome showcases her ability to create complex, multi-layered spaces that encourage interaction and exploration.

Hadid’s work is not merely about aesthetics; it also reflects a deep engagement with technology and materials. She embraced digital design tools to create complex geometries and pushed the boundaries of engineering to realize her ambitious visions. Her influence has been profound, inspiring a generation of architects to explore new possibilities in form and space.

Frank Gehry: Deconstructing the Ordinary

Frank Gehry (born 1929), the Canadian-American architect, is renowned for his deconstructivist style, characterized by fragmented forms, unexpected juxtapositions, and a playful disregard for conventional architectural rules. Gehry’s buildings are often sculptural and expressive, challenging viewers to reconsider their expectations of what architecture can be.

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, with its swirling titanium forms, is arguably Gehry’s most iconic creation, credited with revitalizing the city and sparking a phenomenon known as the “Bilbao effect”. The Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles showcases his ability to create dynamic spaces with exceptional acoustics. His private residence in Santa Monica, with its seemingly unfinished and unconventional additions, exemplifies his willingness to challenge domestic norms.

Gehry’s work is notable for its use of unconventional materials and technologies. He has experimented with titanium, corrugated metal, and chain-link fencing, transforming everyday materials into extraordinary architectural elements. His approach to design is intuitive and artistic, often beginning with sketches and models that evolve organically into finished buildings.

A Lasting Legacy

Gaudí, Hadid, and Gehry, each in their unique way, have expanded the vocabulary of architecture. They have demonstrated that buildings can be more than just functional structures; they can be works of art that inspire, challenge, and transform the way we experience the world around us. Their legacies continue to shape contemporary architecture, encouraging architects to push the boundaries of creativity and explore new possibilities in form, space, and material.

The Sculpted Space: Architecture Between Utility and Art

is architecture art?
is architecture art?

The Sculpted Space: Architecture Between Utility and Art

The question of whether architecture qualifies as art is one that sparks lively debate. On one hand, architecture undeniably serves a functional purpose: providing shelter, facilitating movement, and defining spaces for human activity. Yet, to reduce it solely to its utility is to overlook the profound impact it has on our senses, our emotions, and our cultural landscape.

Consider the architect’s vision. It often transcends mere practicality, aiming to create an experience, to evoke a feeling. The manipulation of form, light, and materials can stir emotions ranging from awe and serenity to excitement and intimacy. Think of the soaring vaults of a grand cathedral, designed to inspire reverence, or the harmonious proportions of a Palladian villa, intended to embody classical ideals of beauty and order. These are not simply buildings; they are deliberate artistic expressions in three dimensions.

However, the constraints inherent in architecture – the need to adhere to structural integrity, budgetary limitations, and the demands of clients – distinguish it from more purely expressive art forms like painting or sculpture. Yet, these very constraints can become a catalyst for creativity. Just as a sonnet’s rigid structure can inspire poetic brilliance, architectural limitations can push designers to find innovative and aesthetically compelling solutions. The art lies in elevating the necessary to the extraordinary.

To further explore this intersection, let’s consider the diverse tapestry of architectural styles that have shaped our world:

  • Classical: Rooted in ancient Greece and Rome, characterized by symmetry, columns, arches, and a sense of balance and order. Think of the Parthenon or the Roman Colosseum.
  • Gothic: Flourishing in the medieval period, defined by pointed arches, ribbed vaults, flying buttresses, and an emphasis on verticality and light, as seen in Notre Dame Cathedral.
  • Renaissance: Reviving classical principles with an emphasis on proportion, harmony, and humanism. The architecture of Filippo Brunelleschi exemplifies this style.
  • Baroque: A dramatic and theatrical style of the 17th and 18th centuries, featuring elaborate ornamentation, curves, and a sense of grandeur, such as the Palace of Versailles.
  • Art Nouveau: Emerging at the turn of the 20th century, characterized by organic, flowing lines, inspired by nature, as seen in the work of Antoni Gaudí.
  • Bauhaus: A modernist movement emphasizing functionality, clean lines, and the integration of art, craft, and technology.
  • Art Deco: Popular in the 1920s and 30s, featuring geometric shapes, bold colors, and luxurious materials, evident in the architecture of Miami South Beach.
  • Modernism: A broad movement characterized by a rejection of ornamentation, an emphasis on function, and the use of new materials like steel and concrete.
  • Postmodernism: A reaction against the austerity of modernism, incorporating eclectic references, ornamentation, and a playful approach to design.

Each of these styles represents not just a way of building, but a distinct artistic and cultural expression. They reflect the values, technologies, and aesthetics of their time.

Ultimately, whether architecture is “art” may depend on one’s definition. However, it is undeniable that the best architecture transcends mere utility, becoming a powerful form of artistic expression that shapes our experience of the world.

Let us know: What architectural styles resonate most with you, and why? Do you see a clear distinction between building and art in architecture?

ArtServe Celebrates the Opening of “WILD: Invasive Species of South Florida” 

Bo Pettersson and Co-Chair of WILD Exhibit Christina Pettersson
Bo Pettersson and Co-Chair of WILD Exhibit Christina Pettersson

ArtServe Celebrates the Opening of “WILD: Invasive Species of South Florida” 

ArtServe welcomed guests to the opening night of its new environmental art exhibition, “WILD: Invasive Species of South Florida,” earlier this month. The free public reception featured a special screening of the PBS documentary, “Battleground Everglades – War on Invasive Species,” setting the stage for the multi-media exhibit, which runs through June 20.

Supported by grants from the Broward Cultural Division and Funding Arts Broward, with sponsorship from Topo Chico, WILD blends artistic expression with ecological education to explore the impact of non-native species on South Florida’s unique ecosystems.

Exhibition highlights include works by Debbie Scott-Queenin, whose photography captures the delicate balance between native and invasive species, and LuRu, a mixed-media artist who challenges viewers to reflect on their own role in nature. 

Other featured artists include Alette Simmons-Jiménez, Alex Nuñez, Bruno Esposito, Diane Arrieta, Eric Beare, Feza Madenli Aktan, G.man, India Foster, Jasmin Genao, Jason Aponte, Josh Aronson, Julia Outland, Kim Heise, Maitejosune Urrechaga, Malcolm Lauredo, Russell Beans, Robert Colón, Sterling Rook, VanShun Brown, Venessa Monokian and Veronica Cabrera.

The evening also included a reading by Coconut Creek Poet Laureate Laura McDermott Matheric, who shared her original poem titled “Invasive.” Dr. Matthew Hoch, a professor of environmental sciences at Nova Southeastern University with a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolution, also spoke during the event.

ArtServe is located at 1350 East Sunrise Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale and is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Daily admission is free. For more information about these events, or to become a member, volunteer, or support ArtServe’s mission, please visit www.artserve.org or email [email protected].

About ArtServe 

Named a “Top-Rated Nonprofit” by GreatNonprofits, the leading provider of user reviews of charities and nonprofits, Fort Lauderdale-based ArtServe is an award-winning arts incubator that is advancing the arts for social good as a creative laboratory and hub for experimental artists committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. Now in its 36th year, ArtServe has won several awards for innovation in the arts and is supported in part by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and the Community Foundation of Broward. Most recently, ArtServe was named 2025 Non-Profit Organization of the Year: The Arts at the Community Care Plan Non-Profit Awards, hosted by 211 Broward. Each year, ArtServe programs contribute tangibly to the region’s economy, helping 2,000+ artists sell their work, build businesses and engage the community. To do that, ArtServe secures financial support through donations, sponsorships and memberships. 

Samantha Van Nuys

Vice President

O: 954.776.1999  ext. 115 |C: 954.648.9132

6451 North Federal Highway, Suite 1200 |Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33308

CGAF Awards $45,000 in Scholarships to Miami-Dade’s Rising Art Stars

CGAF Awards $45,000 in Scholarships to Miami-Dade’s Rising Art Stars

CGAF Awards $45,000 in Scholarships to Miami-Dade’s Rising Art Stars

The Coconut Grove Arts Festival (CGAF) Board of Directors announced the 2025 recipients of its prestigious student scholarship program, awarding $45,000 in scholarships to 15 outstanding high school seniors from Miami-Dade County. Each student received a $3,000 scholarship in recognition of their exceptional artistic talent and dedication.

The private scholarship ceremony was held on Sunday, May 18, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Courtyard Miami Coconut Grove, located at 2649 S. Bayshore Dr., Miami, FL 33133. Only friends and family of the honored students were invited to attend the event, where they could view some of the students’ artwork.

As one of the most celebrated outdoor fine arts festivals in the country, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival had long recognized that the future of the arts rested in the creativity and passion of the next generation. “Supporting our vision is at the heart of the festival’s mission. These young artists are truly extraordinary,” said Dave Hill, Chairman of the CGAF Board of Directors. “Recognizing their contributions to our creative community and helping them pursue their dreams through education is one of the most meaningful things we do each year.”

The $45,000 awarded this year was part of CGAF’s broader $75,000 annual scholarship fund, which also supported students currently enrolled in Florida International University’s art programs.

Camille Marchese, CGAF’s Executive Director, emphasized the transformative power of art in young lives. “We were deeply committed to fostering new talent, and our scholarship program was a vital part of that,” said Marchese. “By supporting these promising young artists, we not only helped them develop their craft—we helped them find a voice, a purpose, and a creative future.”

This year’s recipients used a variety of mediums to explore their relationship with culture, religion, family, and self. The 15 students represented the very best of Miami-Dade’s young creative talent. They included:

CGAF Awards $45,000 in Scholarships to Miami-Dade’s Rising Art Stars
  • Alexandra Guerra (Design and Architecture Senior High)
  • Anacarolina Paz (Barbara Goleman Senior High School)
  • Anisia Mike (New World School of the Arts)
  • Brianna Vargas (Miami Lakes Educational Center)
  • Emma Chala (New World School of the Arts)
  • Gabriela Cabrera-Flores (Arthur and Polly Mays Conservatory of the Arts)
  • Janae Crespo  (New World School of the Arts)
  • Konstantina Papadaki (Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High)
  • Layla Hanfland (New World School of the Arts)
  • Leonna Anderson (Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High)
  • Lucia Adrianzen (Design and Architecture Senior High)
  • Megan Diaz (Miami Senior High), Nyle Jones (Design & Architecture Senior High)
  • Rome Negas (Design and Architecture Senior High)
  • Sofia Lataczewski (New World School of the Arts)

The CGAF scholarship program was available to graduating seniors from Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Finalists were selected through a rigorous review process. This year’s recipients were chosen by the founding members of the Fund for Design & Art Education, who originally established the scholarship. Marlen Kohn, Marilyn Traeger, and Cathi Rivera assessed students’ art portfolios, artist statements, and teacher recommendations. The CGAF Board expressed gratitude to these retired art educators for their continued dedication to arts education and support of visual arts students in the community.

Beyond scholarships, the CGAF remains committed to nurturing young talent year-round through a variety of educational and engagement initiatives. These include the Emerging Artists Program, a two-year mentorship designed to help artists build a strong foundation for their careers; Visiting Artists Workshops held in local schools; the Young Collectors Club, which was hosted during the annual festival to encourage young attendees to start collecting art; and regular donations of art supplies to area schools.

3390 Mary Street Suite 260
Coconut Grove, FL 33133

ARTIST INQUIRIES
[email protected]

Phone:
305-447-0401

About CGAF

The Coconut Grove Arts Festival® is presented by the nonprofit, 501(c)(3), Coconut Grove Arts
and Historical Association. Proceeds help fund
year-round arts programs.

TEAM

Our team is comprised of a professional staff and a volunteer board of directors with a diversity of experience in the arts, non-profit and business world. Highly motivated by the desire to showcase the highest caliber of arts and entertainment, our team produces a festival especially designed for our visitors and collectors.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

DAVE HILL, JR
Chair

Pam Mayer
Chair- Elect

Marshall Steingold
Secretary

Flavio Carrillo
Treasurer

Michelle Barton King
Past Chair

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Nathan Kurland

CURTIS CRIDER

JACK EADS

LILIA GARCIA

LOLA GARCIA

THOMAS KORGE

BENEDICT KUEHNE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Camille marchese
[email protected]

ATTORNEY

MARK NEUBERGER
Foley and Lardner, L.L.P

EMERITUS BOARD MEMBERS

MONTY TRAINER

DAN EGGLAND

JANE BLAKE

CARLOS CHIALASTRI

DARYL GRICE

DAVE HILL, SR

JOSE MATUTE

DONNA SWEENY

HONORARY BOARD MEMBERS

TODD CARPENTER

TEOFILO CHAPA

PAT DAHNE

THELMA GIBSON

JUDGE JEFFREY ROSINEK

La Danza Inconsciente: Pintura Automática e Intuición en el Arte

El arte intuitivo como meditación en movimiento.
El arte intuitivo como meditación en movimiento.

La Danza Inconsciente: Pintura Automática e Intuición en el Arte

Pintar lo que se siente, no lo que se ve.

El movimiento de la pintura automática surge como una exploración fascinante de la psique, un intento de liberar la creatividad de las ataduras de la razón y la premeditación. En su núcleo reside la convicción de que la verdadera fuente de la expresión artística emana del inconsciente, manifestándose directamente sobre el lienzo a través de la intuición.

La pintura automática, estrechamente ligada al Surrealismo, buscaba romper con las convenciones artísticas tradicionales, aquellas que dictaban la planificación y el control consciente de la obra. En cambio, proponía un acto creativo más visceral y espontáneo, donde la mano del artista se convierte en un vehículo para las pulsiones internas, los sueños y los pensamientos que fluyen libremente desde las profundidades de la mente.

La técnica en sí varía, pero la esencia radica en la ausencia de una guía intelectual predefinida. Un artista practicando la pintura automática podría comenzar con una línea, una mancha de color, dejando que la siguiente acción sea dictada por la respuesta visual a lo que ya existe en la superficie. Es un diálogo entre el artista y el material, una conversación que se desarrolla sin un guion previo. Se permite que surjan formas inesperadas, texturas imprevistas y composiciones que escapan a la lógica consciente.

La intuición juega un papel central en este proceso. Es la brújula interna que guía la mano del artista, la voz silenciosa que señala el siguiente movimiento, el color a elegir, la dirección de una línea. En la pintura automática, la intuición no es vista como algo misterioso o irracional, sino como una forma válida y poderosa de conocimiento, una conexión directa con una sabiduría que reside más allá del pensamiento lógico.

Artistas como André Masson fueron pioneros en la exploración de estas técnicas, permitiendo que el azar y el flujo libre de la energía guiaran sus composiciones. Sus obras a menudo presentan una sensación de dinamismo y una cualidad orgánica, como si hubieran brotado directamente de un paisaje onírico. Otros surrealistas también experimentaron con diversas formas de automatismo, buscando desvelar las ricas imágenes que yacían ocultas en el subconsciente.

La belleza de la pintura automática reside precisamente en su imprevisibilidad. Cada obra se convierte en un registro único de un momento de flujo intuitivo, una ventana a un paisaje interior que de otra manera permanecería inaccesible. Nos invita a contemplar formas que no necesariamente “representan” algo concreto, sino que evocan sensaciones, atmósferas y quizás incluso vislumbres de nuestro propio inconsciente.

¿Qué te parece esta idea de dejar que la intuición guíe tu mano en el arte? ¿Alguna vez has experimentado esa sensación de crear sin una planificación consciente? ¿Qué surgió de ello?

Where Form Meets Feeling: Is Architecture Art?

Is Architecture Art?
Is Architecture Art?

Where Form Meets Feeling: Is Architecture Art? & Miami’s Unique Palette.

Where Form Meets Feeling: Is Architecture Art? & Miami’s Unique Palette

The age-old question of whether architecture is art often sparks debate in gallery openings and academic halls. On one side, pragmatists emphasize architecture’s essential functionality – shelter, utility, and structure. On the other, romantics view buildings as large-scale sculptures, expressions of vision, culture, and emotion. To explore this, let’s consider whether architecture meets key criteria of art: the intentional use of form to evoke an aesthetic or emotional response.

Perez Art Museum PAMM

The architect’s process offers a compelling argument for architecture’s artistic merit. It typically begins with a concept, a feeling, or an abstract idea that evolves into tangible form through sketches, models, and detailed plans. This process mirrors the journey of a painter or sculptor. Architects manipulate space, light, and materials to evoke a response, creating an experience that transcends mere shelter. Consider the soaring grandeur of a Gothic cathedral, designed to inspire awe and spiritual reflection. Or the serene harmony of a Japanese tea house, crafted to foster tranquility and connection with nature. These structures communicate, move us, and tell stories, arguably fulfilling the essence of art.

However, architecture undeniably faces constraints – gravity, budget, and client needs. Does this inherent practicality disqualify it from being considered “pure” art? Perhaps not. Great artists often thrive within limitations, using them as a springboard for innovation. Just as a poet adheres to the structure of a sonnet, architects can find creative freedom within the parameters of their projects. The artistic challenge lies in elevating the functional to the sublime, imbuing necessary structures with artistic intent.

Transitioning from this broader discussion, let’s examine how this artistic intent manifests in the vibrant architectural landscape of Miami. This city serves as a living testament to how architecture can define a place.

Miami’s architectural identity is a dazzling fusion of influences, reflecting its history and tropical environment. The Art Deco of South Beach, with its pastel hues, geometric motifs, and whimsical details, evokes a sense of playful glamour connected to its past. These buildings are more than just places to stay; they are iconic visual statements that contribute significantly to Miami’s cultural identity by representing the glamour of the past.

The “Miami Modern” or MiMo style, emerging in the post-war era, features clean lines, dramatic angles, and integrated lush landscaping. MiMo embraced the subtropical climate with breezeways, jalousie windows, and shaded patios, exuding a sleek, futuristic optimism that reflected the era’s aspirations.

More recently, Miami’s skyline has been punctuated by daring contemporary designs: sleek glass towers defying gravity, organic forms that twist and curve, and bold expressions of color and light. Architects here push boundaries, creating structures that are not only functional but also sculptural elements in the urban landscape, contributing to Miami’s evolving identity as a hub of innovation.

Miami’s architecture compels us because of its embrace of vibrancy and innovation. The city isn’t afraid to be bold, to experiment with form and color, mirroring its thriving contemporary art scene. Architectural designs here transcend mere shelter; they create a visual feast, a unique sense of place reflecting Miami’s energy and spirit.

Ultimately, whether architecture is art may best be answered by experiencing spaces that move us, spark our imagination, and become integral to our cultural identity. Miami’s architecture undeniably achieves this, demonstrating the artistic potential inherent in the very buildings that shape our daily lives.

We invite you to share your thoughts: When you observe the buildings around you, particularly in Miami, do you perceive art? What elements elevate a structure beyond mere functionality? Share your insights in the comments below!

Is Architecture Art?
Is Architecture Art?

Source:

Postcards From the Artist

The Contemporary Art Modern Project
The Contemporary Art Modern Project

Postcards From the Artist

May 23 – June 27, 2025

The CAMP Gallery

791-793 NE 125th St.

North Miami, FL 33161

United States

(786) 953-8807

The Contemporary Art Modern Project announces its May exhibition: Postcards from The Artist with a group exhibition featuring works from: Milton Bowens, Laetitia Adam and Oluwatomisin Olabode. Each of these artists creates work explaining their journeys through life and the art world brimming with lived experience, ancestral and historical experiences inherited. The history of an individual is deeply connected to the stories passed down, the experiences encountered and witnessed and the interpreter of all of the above. Identity is a condition constantly influx, due to not just the external world and its ever revolving revolt of both history and perception, but also due to time, and the experiences that come with time. The optimistic child full of imagination and dreams can often become the bogged down adult witnessing not only the loss of innocence in imagination, but also the burden of an imposed identity. What is left is a quagmire of opinions, voices, disagreements, all swarming to remove the identity one lives, the history one lives. Responding to this, these artists lay before the viewer both history lived and inherited, as evidence of how that history, that postcard from the moment effects the artist and becomes the inspiration behind the work. 

Milton Bowens is an artist and a preservationist of both the history and the present of African Americans. Often using paraphernalia from archives of American history he reminds the viewer, informs the viewer of the treatment, history and experience of people enslaved in the U.S. His focus looks at the beginnings and explores how they still effect the present. Laetitia Adam Rabel exposes her reality as a woman in America, and how her race and ancestry mark her, and give her the ability to navigate, as best as she can, the labyrinth that is modern society. Deeply feminine her works bring forth and shine on her experiences with her life, her body and her artistic voice. Oluwatomisin Olabode based in Lagos, often toys with ideas of the grotesque, not only in his artistic voice, but also in his subject matter. Over stylized subjects confront the viewer usually in a one dimensional depiction, suggesting that the social eye can only perceive what is on the surface.

The art world is overflowing with rules and ideas of what is art, often from the perspective of the financial, which typically results in trends on what is unique, new, and catchy. Naturally this is fine, but it can overlook artists responding from an internal that cannot be limited or ignored by ‘market demand.’ Artists as the above make works that resonate with a myriad of shared aspects of the human condition – where the exact depictions may be different, they all do speak on being human with both lived and inherited history and how we all carry that weight.

Julie Peppito Chooses Hope

Julie Peppito Chooses Hope
Julie Peppito Chooses Hope

Julie Peppito Chooses Hope

April 11 – May 17, 2025

Statement and curation by Melanie Prapopoulos

The CAMP Gallery

791-793 NE 125th St. North Miami, FL 33161

The solo exhibition, Julie Peppito Chooses Hope, suggests a guide on how to navigate life through mixed mediums of fiber, paint, found objects and her own innate belief in preserving the positive. Peppito tackles the daily distractions of life by creating multi layered works exploring where she is in the present as a means of establishing order in a life that is chaotic. Chaos can be found in any segment of life where reality clashes with self imposed expectations, where time flies uncontrollably out of ones’s  grasp, and much more. Peeling back life as we cross the social landscape, Peppito responds to the world she inhabits by offering hope. Coming into her own in an ever  changing art world and practice, Peppito spends a great deal of time with not only  the work that evolves, often from one object, but also with her thoughts on the piece. Her thoughts can travel through the everyday and mundane, through her own life,  and through the climate she encounters. This multifaceted looking around her is clearly seen in works such as; Growth 1 & 2 (2025). The works offer the concept of  growth in many ways. For example, it can be seen as two unequal stages of growth, two direction for growth—or a limit to growth because of the different sizes. But in both  there lies hope, simply because the works are bordered by a literal blank canvas, thereby giving one the freedom to move out of the work and into a new stage. 

Peppito often creates a tableaux both overflowing with action and thought, but also  one open and dependent on interpretation. Dividing for example, Holding Pattern (2025) into two sections, one is able to skip through the left portion only to attentively explore the right side. The piece is divided by color, historical references, the artist, and elements of culture. Once you travel through the labyrinths Peppito creates, you may  enter into the unformed, the unknown. The work holds an intentionally ambiguous landscape, one with a shadowy figure lurking in the window, an empty chair, and less—but even through this almost ‘void,’ Peppito places her bird, a muse, a symbol of the  imagination—fully formed, fully identifiable—showing that come what may, there is  always hope and somethings can never be erased. This is the key in Peppito’s philosophy—there is always hope, and we can all work towards the beautiful  tomorrow of our imagination.  

In all of Peppito’s work one can witness her artistic practice as her search for  materials rises from both conscious choices to something that catches her eye. This ‘eye-catching’ object is usually the idea of a work in its moment of becoming, akin to an unconscious stage, but as more than one idea holds space in anyone’s mind— new ideas often come hurdling towards her, calling her to listen to the ideas, and thus  one idea evolves into many. These ‘many’ are then masterfully composed by Peppito to tell the story that she wishes to tell, as well as to listen to the stories that come from her works when viewed. Her work stands on the precipice of optimism forever leaning towards hope. The hope lies in the future, what she likes to envision for a ‘beautiful  tomorrow,’ and the hope that her work stimulates, awakens and leads into  conversations and connections bound in the hope for caring connections amongst all.  

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