Marlow Moss: Consciousness of the Universe
Exhibition by Rafael Montilla
Opening Reception: Thursday, July 24 • 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
July 18th to October 2nd, 2025.
Westchester Regional Library, 9445 Coral Way, Miami, FL 33165
This exhibition presents a series of two-dimensional (2D) artworks by Rafael Montilla, created in response to the writings and artistic vision of British constructivist Marlow Moss. Through geometric abstraction and conceptual form, Montilla explores Moss’s core belief: that art expresses the profound relationship between human consciousness and universal order.
In 1932, Moss wrote:
“Natural forms contain, in effect, an element of an unchanging and universal truth… Their true value is therefore not found in their visible form but in the relation that exists between this form and the universe… [I aim] to construct pure plastic art that will be able to express in totality the artist’s consciousness of the universe.”
For Moss, art was not simply emotional or decorative—it was a mental and spiritual act. Art, she believed, reflects the artist’s awareness of the world, acting as a bridge between the self and the cosmos. Art is uniquely human; it does not exist outside of us, but emerges from our inner engagement with existence.
Rafael Montilla’s 2D works in Marlow Moss: Consciousness of the Universe continue this line of inquiry. His artworks are meditations on harmony, transformation, and humanity’s evolving identity within the cosmos. The cube, a recurring motif in Montilla’s work, symbolizes balance, interconnection, and the fundamental structures of reality.
Montilla views his art as a conscious pursuit of humanity’s evolution—both spiritual and social. He draws inspiration from the philosophies of Native American cultures around the world, as well as his own ancestral heritage. By integrating both natural and technological elements, including artificial intelligence, Montilla explores the shifting relationship between humanity and its environment, and expands the boundaries of thought and expression.
The connection between Moss and Montilla lies in a shared purpose: both seek to uncover universal truths through abstraction. Both use art as a means of understanding, transforming, and reshaping human experience.
