David Swisstack is a sophomore in the Honors College at Florida International University and a Business Analytics major pursuing a job at a major entertainment company. He enjoys anything he finds interesting at the time, diving deep into rabbit holes of things from coffee and espresso to cruise ships and roller coasters. Art has always surrounded him, but has always looked at it with little detail and in a passive manner. He is excited to learn more about the art world and cannot wait to come back with a new perspective on contemporary art in Miami.
David Swisstack: Art Encounter as Text Spring 2024
I always knew Miami had a diverse art culture. I was surrounded by artistic structures around the city and would always point out when I saw a new one as a kid. However, I’ve never really looked more into it than the surface level. I’ve never seen the walls of Wynwood or gone into the Perez Art Museum, mainly because I was more swayed by things like Zoo Miami or the Frost Science Museum. However, I want this perspective I have on art to change, and look more into it than the “boring surface level” perception I’ve had for most of my life. Miami is one of the most culturally diverse and interesting cities in the world, and its relatively recent incorporation, it is a haven for contemporary art.
However, I was shocked to hear just how much this rang true, considering Miami is considered one of the leading cities in the world for contemporary art. This sparked my curiosity, as I had no idea the extent of Miami’s art scene, and now, with this class, I want to learn more. I had recently taken Professor John Bailly’s Miami in Miami class, and enjoyed the structure and immersion that course had to offer, and would love to continue to expand upon that class with Miami’s art scene, which deserves a class in and of itself.
I always knew that Miami specialized in contemporary art, but admittedly, I feel like in the past I’ve looked down on contemporary art as not being as creative or detailed as art from past centuries, like Michelangelo or Leonardo da Vinci. I felt like my perception of art was that of classic paintings and structures, like the Mona Lisa or the Sistine Chapel, with detail and subjects behind them. When learning about these in history class, they grabbed my attention due to their detail and the processes to achieve them. Contemporary art seemed more to me like reactionary works, based off of life experiences and difficult topics rather than idealism and important figures. In reality, I don’t think I fully understood contemporary art, and now am intrigued to learn about its diversity and creativity, especially relating to topics that affect us now and today, and spark discussions and debate about tough topics that I would be hesitant to talk about otherwise.
In this class, I want to approach these collections with a blank slate, and find new meaning in contemporary art, and hopefully come out with an appreciation and knowledge of Miami’s art culture that I have not had before. I am most looking forward to visiting the Perez Art Museum, mainly because of the recency of its opening, its modern design, and its proximity to the Frost Science Museum, and since I walked right by the Perez Art Museum when visiting the Frost museum, I always wanted to know what was inside. I look forward to taking this class, and cannot wait to see the full extent of Miami’s diverse and world class contemporary art scene.
David Swisstack: Norton as Text Spring 2024
The Norton Museum was all around an amazing experience, and seeing so many influential artworks left and right was absolutely stunning. One of the artworks that captivated me the most was Monet’s Nymphéas painting, which felt more like a window to another world than a stagnant painting. The details such as the color blending, reflections, and the details in the sky that could be made out as you walked further away showed the amount of depth in a seemingly innocent image of water lilies. As I walked up close to the painting, it looked just like strokes of paint, with little coherence between them. As I continued to step back, more and more elements began to blend together, and the image felt like it came alive as the reflections and sky began to move and separate itself from the water, making it feel as if there was a world beyond the frame.
I began to think to myself, “why is it that this painting, of something that just seems small and mundane, feels so distinct by itself?” After seeing many paintings that depicted tall and complex architecture, with mountainous backgrounds and realistic scenes, this one painting of something as simple as water lilies seemed to catch my attention more than the rest. I feel mainly as if there are so many huge events, places, and experiences in life that we go through and we forget all the small worlds that lie in plain sight, and this painting is a perfect example of that. The calmness of the water, the reflections of the clouds and the blue sky, and the colors of the lilies all blend together perfectly, and part of what makes this painting so different from the rest is that it makes you feel like you are actually there, feeling the wind on your face, hearing the water flow, and seeing the small ripples along the water all around the lilies. Obviously, paintings of large and iconic architecture that can only be found in one place on the globe are much harder to experience than what Monet has depicted here, but I feel like that’s one of the reasons this painting works so well. The viewer can not only experience water lilies through Monet’s work, but can then go to a garden or pond near them and experience it for themselves, with the painting having unlocked an opportunity for them to fully be in the moment and enjoying something that hundreds of people pass without a second thought given the rigors of daily life.
I remember when I went on my first walk through the cypress swamp in the Everglades. I was extremely cautious and nervous walking inside, because I had no idea what to expect or watch out for. In addition, walking into the swamp just seemed like a thick and dirty forest of trees, with nothing interesting to see, and it would have been easy to just drive past without a second thought. However, as soon as I walked in, the landscape opened up and I was met with natural beauty unmatched by anything I’d ever seen before. On the outside, it seemed like just another forest, but on the inside, it was a whole new world. I feel like this is a great comparison to both Monet’s painting and the real experience of seeing a pond full of water lilies. As I walked further away from the painting, the seemingly ordinary paint strokes transformed and became full of life and motion, much like when driving past a pond or lake everything goes so fast and seems motionless, but when getting out of the car and just taking a moment to stop and enjoy the scenery, more and more becomes clear and noticeable, whether it’s the sound of the water, the shadows of fish under the water, or the humid wind on your face. This painting not only shows that even the most ordinary thing can become extraordinary, but there is so much more to life that makes everything, even the smallest detail, worth experiencing.
David Swisstack: Marguiles/Locust as Text Spring 2024
The Marguiles collection at the WAREhOUSE was an incredible and interesting experience that definitely left me in awe at just how so many world class works were presented in such an unassuming building. Although many left a lasting impression, the work that stood out the most to me, surprisingly, was L’Hospice by Gilles Barbier. It depicts extremely well known pop culture icons (comic book/cinematic superheroes) and shows them in an elderly state in various humorous positions to show that what they were known for applies no longer, and the heroes that they once were are now stuck in the past.
I feel like more than any other culture, this applies to the “throwaway” and “convenience” culture that consumerism has us trapped in. Things may seem new, shiny, and convenient when we first buy them, much like how superheroes are often depicted- as strong, powerful, and intelligent. But what may not be visible behind the surface are things like cheap materials and sacrifices of mass production. Suddenly what seems new and convenient starts breaking down, becoming less trendy, or becoming completely useless. Social media product trends are more prevalent than ever, and people create use cases for products they don’t need just because of the fear of missing out, which in turn can soon add more to the heaps of waste gathered in our landfills today. We invest more in names than the quality of the product, and it soon becomes a battle of which name can gather the most traction rather than which product will last and work for the longest time. Just like popular culture like what is depicted in the artwork, trends come and go, and it can be extremely destructive to the planet to continue to acquire “the next big thing” only for it to become obscure months later and thrown away, causing more harm in a product that didn’t even last. However, trends and culture help shape our society, and it is important to recognize their place.
Due to popular culture, we have iconic stories, movies, products, and artworks that have transcended generations and do end up lasting. It is possible to continue to appreciate and respect popular culture while respecting the planet as well, without spending needless money on goods or services we don’t need. It is important to remember that our lives are full of investments, both small and large, and the ultimate goal of investments are to improve our lives and to continue to last as long as possible. Much like the superheroes in the sculpture, when things work as intended, they are powerhouses with advanced experimental technology and brand new internals, but much like pop culture icons that have lasted through the years, it is the quality of the product and the work behind it that is ultimately what shines, and not what seems “new.” Focusing on the quality behind the facade and name, the story behind the flashy and trendy colors, and the future of our investments can help reduce our negative impacts on the planet’s ever accumulating waste and continue to live like superheroes and not like the sculpture of people that once were powerful and popular but like all things and trends, have passed with time.
David Swisstack: Art Wynwood as Text Spring 2024
Having had the chance to explore the Art Wynwood event, one thing really stood out to me, which was that although Pablo Picasso held Wifredo Lam’s works in high regards and held a lasting relationship with Lam, until now I had only heard the name of Picasso and have never once heard the name of Lam. It got me thinking, how often does this happen and what separates someone whose legacy is cemented from someone whose name gets forgotten and whose legacy remains widely unknown? Listening to a myriad of different music artists has given me a whole new appreciation for the craftsmanship and planning that goes behind releasing a track and making it available for buying/streaming, but it also gave me a new perspective on how musicians and artists doing revolutionary things can easily get buried over all the popular songwriters and singers and never have a chance to be discovered. This gave me the question on how difficult is it to be noticed in this day and age and how many revolutions go unnoticed day to day? In this digital era where more and more becomes dependent on social media, computers, and digital messaging, how many people perform great tasks or create amazing projects only to be noticed by few and no more? Given that there’s more opportunities than ever before to be creative in more ways than ever before, unique things are being done over and over, but sadly because of this digital age, less of it is becoming noticed, and more of it is becoming replaced by artificial copies or people who have already cemented their names and achieved global fame and attention.
This made me ask another question: that being, “What does fame really entail?” Is fame about people who have the money to be able to plaster their name everywhere on social media or is fame about those who have achieved revolutionary and unique ideas never done before in the history of humanity? Fame, to me, doesn’t seem as clear cut as it may look upon first glance, and although fame can be earned through hard work and sacrifice, the same hard work and sacrifice can also leave someone completely unnoticed, much like how the average person who knows very little about art may know names like Van Gogh or Pablo Picasso, but will never know about many other revolutionary artists because their names aren’t as widespread or well known.
At the end of the day, I believe we are to do what is best for ourselves, the planet, and those around us, and getting caught up in our own popularity and public perception can become something dangerous and unhealthy if we let it consume our lives. Our lives are full of choices that effect everything around us, and it is up to us to choose how our lives are to unfold, whether it is cementing our legacy for decades to come or choosing to silently make the world a better place.
David Swisstack: Art Emerson Dorsch/Rubell as Text Spring 2024
At the Rubell museum, there were amazing and tantalizing works of art that left me thinking about the bigger picture that the art is trying to achieve. However, none had more of an impact on me than what appears to first be an innocent and silly group of sculptures of dogs on stilts. The artwork is named “Dogs from Your Childhood” and this perfectly encapsulates the phrase “there is more to this than meets the eye.” The sculpture of three cartoonish looking dogs walking on stilts surrounding a bowl of food/water at first glance seems playful and innocent. However, after gathering the context of what is occurring, it soon becomes apparent that because each dog is on stilts, they will never be able to reach their food bowl because they cannot bend down enough to reach it. If they do manage to swing their legs inward enough so that they can reach the food bowl, then they will most likely hurt themselves and have difficulty getting back up on the stilts to walk any more. Each dog has a face that seems calm, yet somber, and they may only be starting to realize the gravity of their situation.
Not many works of art that I’ve seen have truly reflected or shown a true “hopeless” situation such as this one, and can be traced back in many ways to situations people may be facing in their day to day lives. People who feel hopeless about the current political climate, their jobs, or their work may feel like they are in the same place as the dogs in this artwork, and never feel like they achieve resolution or the “food bowl” in their lives. Like the dogs, they may not show panic or fear but may feel as if they have a mundane schedule or meaningless life.
I’ve definitely felt this way, especially in the past when dealing with my own depressive episodes. Whether it’s a low point at school or losing a friend, it was easy for life to feel hopeless or meaningless, and thinking about the future was just an empty shell with no plans or goals that I felt like I could physically achieve. Now being in college, those feelings have subsided, and my “stilts” have become less of a burden as I can finally see a clear path towards my future.
I believe it is important for us to embrace the abnormal, the breaks from our daily schedule, and the times that we get to do something outside of the ordinary. Making plans for the future or trying something new was extremely refreshing for me, and made it feel like life wasn’t so hopeless for me.
It is also important to point out that everyone has their own “stilts” that they may be going through at any time, and it is important to treat everyone with respect and dignity, because the human experience is extremely complex and filled with as many hopeful moments as hopeless ones, and that we are, in a way, truly what is being portrayed in “Dogs from Your Childhood.”
David Swisstack: Perez Art Museum Miami as Text
Gary Simmons’ Public Enemy exhibit was an extremely interesting and powerful exhibition that brought up many important questions about the history of racism, social justice, and diversity in our country and our society. One of the most impactful works for me was the boxing ring work, in which two robes labelled “us and them” were ready to be worn in a boxing match. This simple collection of robes, boxing gloves, and a small ring speaks volumes on how we perceive others and how others can perceive us. Sometimes we wear one of these “robes” ourselves without even knowing, and in a flash we can switch to the other one during the following social encounter.
Most of the time, when we’re in our comfort zone, we are wearing the “Us” robe. We live in a community of people we know, who we are used to, and who we respect and share beliefs with. We feel safe around them, and usually always have good interactions with them. However, we may view people who we don’t recognize or aren’t part of our neighborhood as “Them,” such as tourists, people from other countries, people who don’t speak our language, or even those who may not share our same beliefs and ideals. However, this is all from our own point of view. It switches going to their point of view. While you might view that person as a “Them in a group of Us,” they may view themselves as an “Us in a group of Them.”
When we are in a place we are familiar with, we can confidently wear the robe that is labelled “Us”, as we are comfortable with the people and the surroundings. However, that all changes when we go somewhere we don’t know, where we soon change our robe and are viewed as a “Them” by those who see you as an outsider and those who may not share your same views and beliefs. Social situations may become more awkward, and you may not be able to interact with others the same way you interact with those in your own area. This is especially prevalent when you don’t look, dress, or act like those people, and you seem like an outlier. The same thing can happen when someone moves into a place that you consider safe and they suddenly have those same experiences, and soon they are the outlier and are treated as a “Them.”
Personally, I believe that some of these micro judgements we have of others who aren’t part of our comfort zone are subconscious and comes with the comfort of the society we were brought up in, and although we may not notice it, we judge others all the time, whether it be knowingly or unknowingly. It is important, given this, to at all times treat everyone with respect and dignity, especially those who we do not know or who do not share our own beliefs and ideals, as they may feel judged always and may feel uncomfortable visiting a new place or being treated differently because of the color of their skin or the religion they follow. I believe that the real “Us” should be the human race, and knowing we are all part of the same species, in the rollercoaster of life, can help us appreciate that although we may be very different in some aspects, we are still very much the same in others.
David Swisstack: Wolfsonian as Text
In FIU’s impressive Wolfsonian museum, many works depicting important moments in history were showcased. However, a work by Arnold Wiltz named Liquidation stood out to me as an impactful and detailed work depicting industrialization and the Great Depression period. A place of worship is seen being dismantled with a jackhammer as the tattered paint is seen peeling off of it, with power lines being installed in the background as industrialization sets in.
I feel like this work highlights the ever-changing nature of our modern world. Everything that was once new becomes old once more after no time at all, and technological advances continue to happen at an even faster rate than ever before. Things that we once called familiar are disappearing before our very eyes, and childhood locations that we cherished are becoming demolished. This is also highlighted in the painting, as a place of worship, which people once congregated and was a place of familiarity and togetherness, is being taken down by jackhammers and soon to be replaced. During the financial struggle of the Great Depression, many places and businesses were unable to continue, including many places that were once cherished by many. Industrialization spread to more and more places, and many rural areas struggled while others were completely changed. Something that we could compare that to today is the Covid-19 pandemic, where familiar and locally owned businesses closed their doors as they could not continue because of the crisis that was happening. Just as depicted in the work, they were demolished and replaced with something new.
However, in the work, even though dark grey clouds cover the background, sunlight is seen breaking through the clouds. I believe that this light offers a new perspective in our ever changing world, and we can choose to embrace all the unique new places and experiences that come with them. Although we will miss the old places that were once familiar to us, we can still be excited about technological advances and continuing innovation.
I also believe this can be applied to our everyday lives as well, especially as university students. As a sophomore, FIU has become a familiar place where I’ve created my own routine and been to many of the places the campus has to offer. However, once I graduate, I have to leave the familiar setting of FIU and look for a job, where everything will become unfamiliar once again. Each struggle in life, such as financial struggles, moving to a new place, getting a job, and switching schools can be a transition to something that we aren’t fully comfortable with yet, but we can embrace the light in the darkness and see the good in the unfamiliar. This doesn’t mean appreciating our past is something we should not do, but as we appreciate all the things we have gone through to get to this moment, we can look towards the future and see all the things we will continue to experience for the rest of our lives.
David Swisstack: Art Final Reflection As Text
I knew my perspective on the Miami art scene would change after taking this class, but I was not prepared for how drastic this change would be. Upon seeing multiple world class collections in many different spaces, it is evident that Miami’s art scene is among one of the best in the world and is ever changing and vibrant. Even walking around Lincoln Road and Wynwood, I noticed art collections and galleries left and right, with thousands of works. It was amazing to meet artists in residence and have a detailed look at their creative process, and to see the amount of effort and thought that goes into each work- from using screens to molding with plaster or weaving using only natural dyes, each artist has their own process that reflects not only the world around us but the uniqueness of all of us as human beings. There is no “one” approach to art, the endless world of art has been reflected in each of the places I visited in this class.
From the more traditional paintings that were prevalent in the Norton Museum to the modern and rule breaking works at the Margulies warehouse, I soon garnered an extensive appreciation for each artistic medium I was able to see during our classes with Professor Bailly.
However, I think the most valuable aspect of many of the modern works we discussed in class was the relevant issues each of them brought up. The power of art to bring up controversial issues in an interesting and new light is something I garnered a special appreciation for, and it was special to see different time periods and struggles being represented in such creative ways. Not only did these bring up important issues, but they sparked conversation within our class and healthy debate between one another. The power of art to focus on topics that are traditionally considered uncomfortable only gives each piece more impact, seeing a work that shows a topic that makes us uneasy only helps to spark more discussion and show the true impact of these heavy relevant issues.
With all that said, this was an engaging and interesting course that made me want to explore more of Miami’s art scene. There’s an endless variety of engaging and beautiful artworks all around, each reflecting both the artist and the world around them, and through this class, I appreciated just how much art is ingrained in our culture and how creative expression such as art has been such a huge and unique part of the human race. Before this class, I truly underestimated how unique art could be and how many different emotions and discussions each work could bring up. Even something that seemed simple in concept had its own process and unique thinking behind it. Through meeting artists, experiencing exhibitions, making art myself, and learning about different mediums of expression, Art In Miami will forever leave behind cherished memories and a newfound appreciation of the world class art scene in the city that I call home.
Miami in Miami 