Allegories of the Real and the Supernatural

An exploration of the boundaries between the tangible and the intangible, the everyday and the mystical

MoCAA presents “Allegories of the Real and the Supernatural,” featuring Caridad, Morón, & Cañas. Sept 20-Oct 31. Explore the boundaries between the tangible & intangible through powerful artworks.

Exhibition Highlights:

• Venue: Museum of Contemporary Art of the Americas (MoCAA)
• Dates: September 20 – October 31, 2024
• Featured Artists: Marco Caridad, Milixa Morón, and Elkin Cañas
• Curator: Jorge Rodriguez Diez (R10)
• Theme: The intersection between the real and the supernatural, inviting viewers to contemplate the liminal space where these realms intertwine.

Exhibition Overview:

“Allegories of the Real and the Supernatural” is a thought-provoking exhibition that delves into the complex relationship between the tangible and the intangible. Through a diverse range of artistic expressions, the show explores the boundaries between the everyday and the mystical, inviting viewers to question their own perceptions of reality. The featured artists, Marco Caridad, Milixa Morón, and Elkin Cañas, each bring their unique perspectives to the theme, creating a rich and multi-layered experience for the audience.

Key Themes and Concepts:

• Liminal Spaces: The exhibition explores the in-between spaces where the real and the supernatural coexist, blurring the lines between the known and the unknown.
• Symbolism and Visual Narratives: The artworks utilize a complex interplay of symbols and visual storytelling to create immersive experiences that invite viewers to explore their own interpretations.
• The Power of Myth and Mysticism: The show delves into the enduring power of myth and mysticism, highlighting their continued relevance in contemporary society.
• The Human Experience: The exhibition ultimately reflects on the human experience, exploring our innate desire to make sense of the world around us and our place within it.

Don’t Miss This Captivating Exhibition!

“Allegories of the Real and the Supernatural” promises to be a captivating and thought-provoking exhibition that will challenge your perceptions and invite you to explore the mysteries that lie beyond the everyday. Mark your calendars and prepare to be transported to a world where the real and the supernatural intertwine.

‘Allegories of the Real and the Supernatural’ invites a deep philosophical reflection, as it is situated at the threshold of two fundamental dimensions of human experience: the tangible, what we perceive through the senses, and the intangible, that which transcends empirical logic and enters the realm of the spiritual, the mystical, or the metaphysical. ‘Allegories’ suggests that art, in a case like this, proposes symbolic representations that are not limited to the literalness of things, but transcends them to offer deeper meanings. Allegories are vehicles through which hidden truths, complex realities, and invisible connections between different planes of existence are communicated.

‘Allegories of the Real and the Supernatural’ invites a deep philosophical reflection, as it is situated at the threshold of two fundamental dimensions of human experience: the tangible, what we perceive through the senses, and the intangible, that which transcends empirical logic and enters the realm of the spiritual, the mystical, or the metaphysical. ‘Allegories’ suggests that art, in a case like this, proposes symbolic representations that are not limited to the literalness of things, but transcends them to offer deeper meanings. Allegories are vehicles through which hidden truths, complex realities, and invisible connections between different planes of existence are communicated.In the framework of philosophy, the real is often associated with the concrete, the immediate, and the verifiable. Philosophical traditions such as empiricism hold that the real is what we can know through the senses and experience. However, philosophers like Kant have argued that reality is also mediated by the structures of our mind and perception. Thus, art can reinterpret the real, revealing hidden or ignored aspects of the everyday.

The supernatural, on the other hand, challenges the limitations of the real and moves into the realm of the ineffable, the inexplicable. From Plato to the Neoplatonists, philosophy has explored the idea that there is a ‘beyond’ the sensible world: a realm of pure ideas, spirits, or transcendental forces that shape the material world. In this sense, the supernatural is not simply ‘that which cannot be explained,’ but what, at least in theory, lies beyond the reach of direct experience yet is essential to understanding reality in its entirety.’

The Dancing Spirit, 2022. Oil on Linen | 40 x 28 Inches. By Milixa Morón
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In Milixa’s community, there is a tradition of dressing up like monsters and performing a ritual dance to ward off evil. Her painting portrays “The dancing spirits” participating in this tradition, and through it, Milixa expresses her beliefs and identity. Milixa’s artwork captures the essence of the phrase “Holy water!” which highlights the significance of something when it is scarce, particularly something as fundamental as water. The struggle for access to clean water in Latin America is a daily reality, and people can truly appreciate its value when it becomes available. In her piece, Milixa portrays her father taking a bath using the water he was able to collect, demonstrating his optimistic outlook on life despite limited resources. Milixa’s artwork “Yara,” portrays the goddess of nature, also known as Maria Lionza, who is a mythological figure with roots in reality as the daughter of a Cacique, or native Indian chief. This piece is part of Milixa’s self-portrait series and serves as an allegory for her connection to nature and the spiritual world.

MILIXA MORON

Milixa Morón is best known for her mystical, allegorical and symbolic pieces, where depicts characters or symbols of different eras, centuries and believes. She is a Venezuelan born but ItalianAmerican too. She is figurative realist artist with residence in USA, born in 1977 and her interest in drawing and painting began early in childhood. In 1997 graduate in Graphic Design at the Design Institute of Valencia. In 2000, enrolled to the Giovanni Battista Scalabrini Academy of Art, where received the basics knowledge in the great traditions of western art and also had the opportunity to work for few months at the studio of the director, the artist Francesco Santoro. In the summer of 2006 went to the Academy of Realist Art (ARA) in Toronto-Canada where did few workshops as well as the first level of the program. At the beginning of 2007 began at the Angel Academy of Art in Florence-Italy where finished her studies in December 2009. In August 2013 they moved to Miami-USA and founded an academy called Chiaroscuro Atelier, 5 years later it evolved to a bigger project, that is today MIFA. Today they paint and teach there. During all these years she has participated in various salons, competitions and exhibitions in different countries, like the ARC salon competition in USA and Figurativas in Barcelona-Spain; and won some prizes and honorable mentions. Also has some pieces in public places like the Museum Dibujo y la Estampa de Valencia- Venezuela.

(Work by Elkin Cañas)
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Elkin Cañas’ installation delves into the rituals of energetic cleansing through objects and sensory interaction. STAND 1 showcases traditional cleansing tools, with graphite drawings on the walls symbolizing the purging of negative energy. STAND 2 incorporates incense and palo santo, appealing to the sense of smell. The drawings depict figures covering their noses, avoiding the purifying aromas. STAND 3 features a Tibetan bell, focusing on sound. Here, the figures cover their ears, symbolizing a retreat from external noise into inner silence. STAND 4 presents a rosary, evoking spirituality. The figures shield their eyes, alluding to blind faith and the tension between belief and perception. The installation reflects how our senses shape the experience of the invisible, highlighting the connection between physical objects and spiritual practices.

In an ambivalent manner, Cañas invites us to engage with cosmic energy and the multiple existences that, according to him, coexist within the vast fabric of the universe. His work offers a sensory experience that challenges our perception of reality. The installation unfolds a series of ritual altars, each associated with the purification of energies, while the graphite drawings on the walls evoke the expulsion of negative energies. Through these symbolic objects—incense and palo santo, a Tibetan bell, and a rosary—Cañas leads us to reflect on the intersection of the physical and the metaphysical. Each piece challenges a sense: the smell of incense urges us to cover our noses; the sound of the Tibetan bell prompts us to block our ears; and the rosary, in an act of spiritual blindness, suggests closing our eyes—thus addressing the limitations of sensory perception in the quest for the sacred.

ELKIN CAÑAS

Elkin Cañas, a Colombian-born, Venezuelan-raised artist based in Miami, has been recognized and celebrated for his exceptional contributions to the arts. In 2019, he received a prestigious Certificate of Recognition for “outstanding contribution to the arts in the United States of America” from Urbe University in Miami, Florida. In 2020, he was honored as the Portrait Society of America P.S.O.A. Ambassador for Miami and Latin America, highlighting his expertise and influence in portraiture. His talent as an artist also led to him being invited as a Speaker at the Figurative Art Convention (FACE) in 2018, where he engaged in a conversation with Peter Trippi, the Editor of Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine. His international acclaim includes being a Portrait and Still Life Category finalist in the 2011-12 ARC Salon competition and a Drawing Finalist in the 2010-11 ARC Salon competition. He also received an Honorable Mention at the Faber Castle Salon in Caracas, Venezuela, demonstrating his dedication and talent. Elkin Cañas holds an Arts degree in graphic design from the Caracas Institute of Design and is a former Arturo Michelena School of Art student. As the executive director of Miami International Fine Arts, Elkin Cañas continues to inspire the art community with his exceptional skills, impressive awards, and significant contributions to the world of art.

Reflections of the Impossible, 2024. Video Performance by Marco Caridad
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Meanwhile, Marco Caridad expands his artistic practice in “Reflections of the Impossible,” a video performance that, along with his installation of assemblages of electrocuted books and candles on an altar, questions the boundaries between the possible and the impossible. Here, the mirror becomes a device of introspection and confrontation, while the interaction with books and candles deepens the tension between knowledge, faith, and desire. The lights and shadows projected in his work symbolize the eternal ebb and flow between the visible and the invisible, suggesting that in each reflection, new realities emerge that challenge established certainties. Ultimately, Caridad invites the viewer to reconsider the notion of belonging and the inherent foreignness of our existence, as we are all, in essence, foreigners within our own reflections.

MARCO CARIDAD
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Marco Caridad was born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, and lives and works in Miami, Florida. Caridad received a Master’s in Arts from The Art Institutes, Miami International University of Art & Design (2016), a Bachelor’s in Arts from the University of Zulia (2008), and an Associate in Fine Arts from the School of Fine Arts Neptalí Rincón (2003). He celebrates the complexity and diversity of human identities and feelings by exploring the intricate nuances of his experiences as an immigrant, queer, and a descendant of indigenous peoples. Selected solo exhibitions include “A Particularly Vicious Tongue” (2024), Mundo Arte Gallery, Miami, Florida; “Sin Estereotipos” (2022), Centro de Bellas Artes de Maracaibo, Venezuela; and “Sans Stereotypes” (2022), Miami International Fine Arts, Miami, Florida. Selected group exhibitions include the Hartvest Project at Pinecrest Gardens, “Art in the Gardens” (2023); Doral Contemporary Art Museum’s “Take This. Take Me” (2022); and Miramar Cultural Center’s “Roots of an Identity” (2019). Caridad received the Knight Foundation Art + Research Center Fellowship (2022-2023), the Loop Art Critique Fellowship (2023), the Fort Lauderdale Art & Design Week Artist-In-Residency Fellowship (2021), and the Miami-Dade Arts Support Program award (2020).

This exhibition is made possible thanks to the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Cultural Affairs Council, the Mayor, and the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners.