Photo taken by Jasmine Arias (Miami, Florida 2023) / CC by 4.0
Maria Matos is a Freshman at FIU currently studying International Relations. In the future she plans on pursuing a mastery in Cybersecurity and traveling as much as possible. While raised in Miami, Florida, she was born in the Dominican Republic and lived there for a few years before moving. In her free time she enjoys listening to music, writing, and learning about history.
Art Encounter as Text
“Unjudging Art”
By Maria Matos of FIU, August 31, 2023
There are no uninteresting things, only uninterested people.
G.K. Chesterson
If you ask me, being ignorant is one of the worst things a person can be. But I’ll be the first to admit that I’m wholly ignorant of the contemporary art scene, especially in Miami. As someone who while not born in, was raised here, I am almost ashamed to say that very rarely do I find myself in an art museum or exhibit of my own accord. Sure, I can drive through Wynwood and see the graffiti on buildings and funky designs and acknowledge it’s referred to as the art district, but never have I truly stopped to soak in and admire the art surrounding me beyond the first glance. When I think of Miami all that comes to mind are the beaches, insane drivers, and expensive restaurants I won’t be visiting in any near future. That there is such a vibrant and lively art scene in this young city that I have yet to explore makes me feel almost irresponsible for having a superficial view of Miami. To me, this class is an opportunity to get to know and experience the art in Miami in a way that I would probably never set out to do on my own.
Throughout nearly my whole life, art was something that in my mind had stopped being valuable by the time Picasso’s Cubism movement came to life. For me, true art lay in the notes of Handel that I would play in orchestra class or the paintings of Rembrandt. Never would I consider the works of Warhol, Taylor Swift, or even Duchamp “Real” art. But with time and age, I came to realize that the value of art did not come with its antiquity (though I still really dislike Duchamp). What I had, beyond youthful ignorance and arrogance, was a lack of understanding of art. Nevermind that I had yet to research it, I had also not truly experienced art (contemporary or otherwise) in any meaningful way. Museum visits would be more of a walk-through than a thoughtful study and analysis of any exhibits. Actually viewing the pieces felt more like a fight to muster up the emotions that I wasn’t feeling (but felt like I should have been) rather than appreciating what I was seeing. The more I grow the more I come to realize that the awe I felt toward what I thought was art was nothing more than an interest in its history, and the effort that it took to create. Today, I know that the Mona Lisa isn’t any more or less valuable to me than anything Pollock created. While that is an improvement from my former way of interacting with art, this is because both of those make me feel Nothing. Ultimately, I feel like art is supposed to make you feel Something. So that’s what I hope to tackle in this class. Finding art that I can genuinely enjoy, or maybe even revisiting art I’ve already seen and finding the ‘Something’ in it that I might have missed.
All I truly expect from this class is the chance to become a more cultured and open-minded person. Like I said, while I’ve come a long way from the pseudo-art-snob of my childhood, contemporary art is not something I’ve ever really given a chance. The gap between art and I is something I believe has to be bridged through my own self-reflection and efforts, not something that can happen spontaneously through exposure to said art. I’m most excited to go to the Perez Art Museum, because it’s another one of those things that I’ve never visited despite being a Miami native. So hopefully throughout this course I can learn more about art, artists in Miami, and most importantly myself.
PAMM As Text
“Ego of man”
By Maria Matos of FIU, September 09, 2023
At the PAMM visit last Friday, my amazement began way before we even made it to the first piece. While I know my knowledge of contemporary art is limited, my expectations for the day were still to walk around staring at frames on a wall, “ooh”-ing and “aah”-ing as a group. Those expectations were immediately blown apart, crushed, and then tap-danced on for good measure when we were brought to a pool and told that it was the first stop. Immediately I felt a little foolish (and it would not be the only time that day) for thinking that this would be an art museum visit like the ones I was used to. I was surprised that the pool I had walked past when I first arrived was more than what it seemed. More than anything I was glad, because like I said in my last post, I had never truly experienced art, and now was my chance.
The rest of the day was spent exploring Leandro Erlich’s ‘LIMINAL’ exhibition, in which he delves into concepts like human mortality and evolution through the use of illusions and empty space. Throughout the course of viewing, we were confronted with seemingly everyday scenarios, but each one had a twist. What looked like an elevator would really be a room leading to nowhere, or a barbershop with mirrors that didn’t reflect. With each impossible situation I was confronted with, I slowly started to question more and more my brain’s ability to decipher reality from fantasy. This constant interaction with liminality excited and confused me as it was my first time ever becoming part of art pieces like this, and I finally began to understand what contemporary art was all about.
Beyond Elrich’s exploration of liminal spaces though, there was a message that formed before me regarding the capability and ego of man. It first came to me when we came to the first surveillance piece; an array of cameras recording an empty waiting room. Our guide commented on the piece’s connection to the digital age we live in, and the amount of surveillance we constantly put ourselves through. Our devices listen to what we say, we follow others online, and we are constantly under watch. But standing there staring at the blank cameras a heady feeling of what I can only describe as omnipotence came over me. But I wasn’t the omnipotent one, I was only adjacent to it, and it felt perverse rather than something I could luxuriate in. In those pieces, I saw how far we had come technologically, and how in some ways it could make us feel like as humans (at least in a first-world country) we had total control over our lives and the world as a whole. However, that didn’t change the fact that we are still mortal. The swimming pool reminds us of this by creating an experience that can turn from whimsical (the illusion of being inside the pool and breathing underwater) to claustrophobic and deadly (the realization that if it were an actual pool, we would drown). An elevator dropping unexpectedly and endlessly another morbid nod to our mortality. While the surveillance cameras were another feat of human ingenuity, the fact that the waiting room was empty made the scene slightly creepy. The people went, but everything else stayed. The reality that the world and everything we’ve created in it will remain even after we’ve gone is not an easy pill to swallow.
With this motif being followed in my thought process, my favorite piece was The Clouds. The idea that man can hold nature under his thumb enough as to enclose clouds within glass cases is laughable, yet Erlich made it possible through the power of illusion. Being presented with this image made me ponder our innate arrogance as people, and how in some ways we do think we are beyond forces far stronger than us. Ultimately, experiencing the Liminal exhibition was fun and incredibly thought-provoking. Both in being fooled by the illusions and in looking into the messages I found within the illusions themselves, the reminder of my humanity and the naivete of my brain was a welcome experience.
Norton As Text
“Purity” by Barry X Ball, Photograph taken by Maria Matos at Norton Museum of Art (West Palm Beach, Florida 2023)/ CC by 4.0
“BENDING AND BUILDING TRADITION”
By Maria Matos of FIU, October 05, 2023
The trip to the Norton Museum of Art felt much more like what comes to mind when I think of an art museum. Unlike our trip to PAMM, this visit was less interactive and more focused on ‘traditional’ canvas art. However, this fact did not diminish the experience. Had I gone on my own, I might have walked around aimlessly for hours, not fully appreciating the immense amount of culture and history surrounding me—two things I value deeply. With the aid and commentary of my extremely knowledgeable guide (Professor Bailly) I learned more about art history and its development in three hours than I had in my 18 years of life.
What I learned as we went through the pieces in the chronological order of which their movement came about was not necessarily information completely unknown to me. That visual art (at least in the west) was something made almost exclusively for the Church, and later the elites of society was something I was aware of. That then something called the “Renaissance” occurred, and suddenly 500 years later Andy Warhol was gaining renown for Campbell soup cans! That was my view of art history, and despite having many many gaps, was not necessarily incorrect. What was incorrect was my dismissal of movements and works created before and after the Renaissance period. Being able to not just hear or read about the developments of the art world, but to see it with my own eyes—how the introduction of detail, light, and color was a direct effect and reflection of the cultural changes of the time. How a different subject or a different technique on how to lay paint down on a canvas echoed the evolving morale of people. Witnessing this in real time gave me a deeper appreciation and understanding that I had lacked before. I now know that a fourteenth-century painting (like the Madonna and Child in Majesty that I saw at this museum) doesn’t look that way just because it’s from the Middle Ages and things are ‘ugly just because.’ I can recognize that concepts I had studied extensively in previous history or ethics classes, like humanism, contributed heavily not just to changing the values of people in society, but also to how those values were translated onto a canvas.
Throughout the tour it felt like I was taking a trip through time, and once again, I was fascinated to see how some of my favorite works came to be. It was a constant repeating tale of artists breaking the mold time and time again to create iconic masterpieces that we adore so much today. And even though I had the opportunity to witness the works of one of my favorite painters in the flesh (Claude Monet), by the end it was not a painting that had stuck out to me, but a sculpture. “Purity” by Barry X Ball, pictured above, is a beautiful sculpture of a veiled woman. To me it resembles those ancient Grecian statues, with the way the stone ‘falls’ and the talent it takes to create that faux sense of softness. But it was a huge surprise to me once I looked it up and found out it was not sculpted through the work of a calloused human hand, but by a machine: “Created between 2008 and 2011, “Purity” by Barry X Ball was actually sculpted using computer numerical control (or CNC) machining. This means that the bust was digitally designed and then programmed into a computer to be cut by machine” (Norton Museum FB Page). The post goes on to say how incredible it is that the sculpture still seems so delicate, and I would have to agree. The piece served as a final reminder to me to reconsider the way in which I consumed art. Here was a combination of modern technology and an art form considered to be more ‘ancient’ or ‘traditional’ being used to create something amazing. Art constantly evolves, and to be able to continually witness the new ways in which people redefine what it means to be an artist and create art is something that this visit truly made me appreciate.
Rubell/De La Cruz As Text
“Bird on Money” by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Photograph taken by Maria Matos at the Rubell Museum (Allapattah, Florida 2023)/ CC by 4.0
We are tryin’ hard to get your attention
The Strokes, ‘The Adults Are Talking’
I’m climbin’ up your wall
“THE NEW ABNORMAL”
By Maria Matos of FIU, October 14, 2023
Unlike the last two museums we have gone to, I didn’t know what to expect from the Rubell at all. Unlike PAMM (which I had heard of) and Norton (which due to the long trip had looked up what’s inside), I knew nothing of who were the Rubells or what awaited me at their collection. So it was extremely surprising to me when we turned a corner and on the far wall hung a painting that I had seen before. It was the album cover for The Strokes’ “The New Abnormal”- or as it actually was called “Bird on Money” by Basquiat. While this wasn’t necessarily the most impactful piece I saw at first, as time went on and the class became more acquainted with the museum a clear message combining the painting, the Rubbell’s purpose, and my love for The Strokes rang clear in my mind.
What I really appreciated about the Rubell’s collection (according to both what I saw myself and what it says on their website) was the dedication to showcase the work of artists (usually “unknown”) that want to bring attention to social issues. As someone who is very passionate about all things social/cultural awareness and dialogue, this was impressive to me and made me appreciate all of the art as well as the effort put into curating the collection even more. Due to the backgrounds of all the artists, alot of the themes I saw across the pieces centered around racial identity, economic inequality, gender identity, and the loss/change of relationships. Karon Davis for example is an artist that I really came to admire, as her Family sculpture really resonated with me. While seemingly simple at a glance, the realization that this family is represented as prey in society for the single fact of being black is a stunning one. It opens an avenue for discussions on what it means to be African-American in the United States and how these various nuanced issues can be expressed through art.
A similar avenue opened in my mind when viewing Basquiat’s “Bird on Money”. Despite the painting itself being made to honor jazz musician Charlie Parker, several elements in the painting and the association I make between it and “The Adults Are Talking” by The Strokes made me think of the painting as an allegory for a stagnant society and unheard youth, just as the song is. The loud colors and jagged lines across the canvas serve the reference to the improvised notes and changing rhythms of jazz music. At the same time, I felt it evoked the staggering feelings that accompany being a youth and wanting to make a difference, but being forced into conformity by those older than you.
Overall, the visit to the Rubell collection made me feel more aware of the contemporary art work. Unlike the Norton, the pieces and artists displayed here weren’t ‘history’, but potential greats in what the art world can become.
Margulies/Locust Projects As Text
“Eyes of the Skin” by Jen Clay, Photograph taken by Maria Matos at the Locust Projects (Wynwood , Florida 2023)/ CC by 4.0
“DELICATE ABRASIONS”
By Maria Matos of FIU, December 08, 2023
If I’m honest, the visit to the Margulies collection didn’t really leave as big an impression on me as our previous visits have. While I could tell the collection itself was very expansive and impressive, there was not really something that I saw that really resonated with me or made me go ‘wow!’. Marguiles’ charity work made me appreciate alot of the work in principle, as it made me see the art world as something that could have a broader positive impact beyond just the installations and exhibits. Rather than just being this ‘closed practice’ for those that have the economic ability to curate and collect, it realized the fact that the art world helps create spaces for charity and conversations on social issues. The works there concerning the Holocaust and its victims come to mind when I say this, as the terrible event is one that people constantly try to downplay and forget. Having art be made about it brings a deep awareness of not just the facts surrounding the event but also the raw emotions we should all feel as we recall it.
The visit to the Locust Projects was surprisingly my favorite of the day. I went in not expecting much, but the work there resonated with me more than anything I had seen so far. It was my first time meeting the artist, and getting to know Jen Clay and her work was an amazing experience. The environment that she created to showcase her work was so expertly done, and perfectly encapsulated and conveyed the theme that she wanted it to. It was ‘Eyes of the Skin’ and it centered around the difficulty of living with mental illness. Clay offerred an interactive experience via game, which is something I had never seen done before- it was not something that had even crossed my mind as being art. But the slightly spooky music and visuals combined with the softness and comfort offered by the textiles in the room juxtaposed created such an emotionally moving experience that there was no way I could call it anything other than pure art.
The game takes you through a forest in which you encounter a monster- the personification of mental illness, or perhaps an abusive relationship- and depending on your choices, you either successfully escape or succumb to ‘being clawed’. The game is almost childish in how it is played (a simple visual novel) and it differs greatly from the dark subject matter lying beneath the surface. As someone who also deals with mental hardships, the game made me feel seen. It also perfectly captured what it feels like to live in that way; feeling lost in your own headspace, not knowing how to help yourself even with ‘escape’ from this forest being so close yet so out of reach. All of it- from the colorful quilts to the soft textures- come together to make a truly horrifying and artful experience. Apart from this, I truly appreciated how committed the space seemed to cultivating the imagination and development of local artists.
Frost As Text
“Le Tour” by Kim MacConnel, Photograph taken by Maria Matos at the Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum (Tamiami, Florida 2023)/ CC by 4.0
“NEAR AND FAR”
By Maria Matos of FIU, December 10, 2023
Being completely honest, what shocked me the most about the visit to the Frost Museum was how close it has been to me the entire time. While this is a motif in the realizations I’ve had throughout the course, unlike the other museums that required over an hour of driving, this one was a simple 10-minute walk away from the classes I attend every day. If there was a moment where I realized my own ignorance concerning art, it was this one.
Like the Rubell, the Frost does an incredible job showcasing and giving a platform to local artists. The piece that stood out to me the most was this quilted one by Kim MacConnel. I know from an elementary school history class the cultural importance that quilting holds for many people. It’s a means of preserving culture, making use of material, and passing down history for future generations. This piece in particular appeals to me because of the different patterns utilized to create that, while customary in quilting, are unified in a way that I find representative of the cultural blending that we are experiencing in our current increasingly globalized world. Each fabric is loud and eye-catching in its own way, yet the patterns blend seamlessly into one another as if it were one unit. Even the icons pictured across it, like the Eiffel Tower, nod to multiculturalism. As an immigrant (especially living in Miami), I relate a lot to this concept, as I hold my own national identity yet am separated into this culture in South Florida, unique in that it’s a blend of different cultures from around the globe merging into one. This quilt becomes a visual metaphor for the multicultural tapestry of Miami, where diverse elements combine into a harmonious unit, much like the patterns interwoven in the quilt. It’s a reminder of the beauty that is created when different cultural threads are woven together, creating a fabric that tells a rich and complex story.
Art Final Reflection As Text
Mariacamila Ospina of FIU in front of Mariano Salvador Maella’s “The Fall of the Rebel Angels”, Photographed by Maria Matos at the Norton Museum of Art (West Palm Beach, Florida 2023)/ CC by 4.0
“UNTITLED”
By Maria Matos of FIU, December 10, 2023
As the semester closes and I look back at all the art I have seen in the past 2 months, I realize that while I know more than I did before about the art world, I have a long way to go. And honestly, I might never fully understand the world of art. I’d like to think that I’ve shaken my prejudices concerning what I consider art, but even still I sometimes find myself looking at a piece or installation and thinking the classic “I could’ve done that” or “This isn’t real art”. Still, the things I’ve experienced and enjoyed throughout the course of this class have planted the seed of curiosity within me to continue growing and exploring my city for the rich contemporary art it possesses. I had allowed myself to think of contemporary art as something only pursued by ‘rich kids’ who didn’t have to focus on work, who could idle and create ‘art’ that was just them exploring newfound social concepts that those in a lower tax bracket had to live daily. I had unknowingly indoctrinated and blinded myself to the countless under-recognized artists all over the world who created works that spoke to their existence, and who broke the mold on what art could be. Living in Miami, as I said in my first reflection, I thought this to be only a city of vice as it is so often referred to. But having experienced so many emotions, and seeing so many different parts of Miami that I had been oblivious to has made me realize how much I was missing out on. But now I can be a guide to others as Professor Bailly was to me, and hopefully I can encourage those around me to explore and discover the rich history and culture in our own backyard.
The final visit to the Untitled art fair is what really cemented this for me. Seeing the art in person obviously helped set me on this journey, but seeing the artists in the flesh, and being surrounded by people united in their love and appreciation for art made it truly Real for me. Ultimately, I can say I reached my goal of becoming a more open-minded and cultured person. While I would not be able to recall exact names of artists and their work, I know that they’re out there and to me, that’s definitely an improvement. All I have to do now is go out there and find more.
Miami in Miami 