ELBISREVERRI 100 Most
Norelkys Blazekovic Limited Edition Catalog
Irreversible an International art project gratefully acknowledges the partnership and support of the following contributors, whose commitment enable both the group exhibition and the catalog 100 Most: The Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation (cifo)—a non-for-profit organization has been fundamental to the realization of this project. cifo’s mission to foster cultural and educational exchange among the visual arts finds parallel in IRREVERSIBLE’s goals of transnational dialogue through contemporary art and contribution to the rise of our city—Miami as a crossroad of cultures and destination for articulation of our common humanity. Babacar MBow, International Programs & Exhibits Coordinator for the Broward County Libraries Division in Fort Lauderdale, whose advice and suggestion played an important role in the development of the catalog.
Michele Frisch, Founder/Director Galerie Marassa Haiti Sue Irion Ping Pong Gallery Art Basel, Switzerland –Ping-Pong Miami, FL USA Aldo Castillo Aldo Castillo Gallery Chicago, USA Cristobal de la Rosa Croissier Area de Cultura, Patrimonio Historico y Museos TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes Tenerife, Spain Carmensa de la Hoz Curator Las Palmas, Spain Alejandro Mendoza Artist/Curator Giants in the City Rocio Martire DespertARTE Gallery Argentina Tina Cornely Assistant Director of Operations & Special Projects Miami Art Museum Rick Erens Aplus Printing Jorge Parra www.jorgeparra.com Carlos Suarez de Jesus Santa Barbara Airlines Omar Bosque Buschbeck
Contemporary Art: New Frontlines, Old Battlefields Speaking on March 19th 1966 in Dakar, Senegal at the opening of the first Black World Festival, Leopold Sedar Senghor, a founder of the Negritude movement said: "One must be aware of the fact developing before our very eyes, by a civilization that embraces all continents, all races, and all peoples of the Earth. The progress of science, the development of methods of transportation and information, the exchanges of people, goods and ensuing ideas have resulted, in this second half of the "Each generation must, out of relative 20th century, in the fact that people are no longer strangers. We are thrown together. This leads to obscurity, discover its mission, imperialistic greed of some, to resistance of others, and fulfill it, or betray it.” to tensions and conflicts. However, despite hatred and — Frantz Fanon wars, we must enter into talks, negotiate and organize together, among people, our region, our continent and our planet Earth. Therefore, a Universal Civilization has been developing since the start of the 20th century, in which each continent, each race and each people make As we stroll through IRREVERSIBLE 100 MOST—the a positive contribution." magnificent exhibition dedicated to the third anniversary of this publication which has now grown indispensable to The speedy progress of sciences and methods of the art scene, our minds can’t help but recount the long information, the exchanges, tensions, conflicts, dialogue, history of art from the symbolic, classic, to the romantic, negotiation, contestation, rejection, appropriation from the modern with its various phases—impressionism, and the organization of the planet we live on would futurism, expressionism… to the neo-modern and its have probably led Senghor to summarize: globalization! grandiose moment—Cubism. However… Our era—the contemporary also engages its There is no progress in art. There is a history of art and battles—of a celebration of montages of materiality there are phases, periods and battles. Cubism dismantled the of “balliage of mineral, vegetal and animal detritus, until then mono-perspective way which rendered the of dust and sand” as Dubuffet recounted, of mixing object from one angle alone, to present the visage for a sight as to the point of residue which once applied to the true from the side we see than the one we don’t. Hence- canvas, gives an apparently grayish ensemble. But, at a forth, representation is no longer singular. The object is closer look, this broken material reveals a kind of total in the simultaneity of all its faces. It exits the plan of liturgy, a kind of resurrection of things, it contains representation to give us its completeness. It moved us out marvels! We can see butterflies, unknown flowers, of the prison of a stereotyped gaze to present rather than vegetation, vitality, exuberance, the unimaginable represent. It pushed us to enter the object no longer limited “texturology”! The fingerprint! There is a sample of by its front-view—a segmented vision. We exited the canvas! the expressions of our era-contemporary art.
Here, noble, natural and solid materials such as gold, marble, stucco, stone! They are no more! “I went to take mud, I went to take the most despicable materials, the most inexistent, those that were taken back to the state of amorphy and tried to pull a texturology from them, to lift life, the deaf but infinite life they contain which I am evidencing for you.” (Dubuffet) What our contemporary artists offer for our gaze to linger upon are remedies to our frustrations, certainties and psychoses that impose a fuzzy rationality; a challenge to the spirit that manipulates things. These artists have escaped our cannons and norms, our rules, precepts and mis/conceptions to point toward the path of art thus rescuing us from a world that seems not to contain anything, anymore. While the past had only to throw bridges toward the real, contemporary art embraces it for itself; here, we are in reality! Isn’t it in total darkness that one can better see the light? Extraordinary reflections ranging from a subtle violet to yellow, blue, etc., making it so that there is mobility. This art then becomes an optical instrument that allows deconstructing light and revealing its specter. This is a physical as well as metaphysical experience. Materiality has always been exploited by the human. It has been devoted to various usages but is still unknown. Contemporary art takes materiality in itself, by itself, for itself. It is no longer about representation of something else; it is itself, for itself. Everything before was representation having to do with image, now, there is no more image, there is montage—an ensemble of the real. The canvas is no longer the frame; it is a piece of cloth that can be turned upside down; there is no more sense because sense would mean that we are still in an optic of spatiality of Cartesian type. Contemporary art is somewhat like the transposition of what has been the renewing of physics and the cosmos at the beginning of the twentieth century. It has once again undone the representation we’ve had of the world to show us that all works of art don’t hang on a wall. Contemporary art has its own fundamental laws: no one has the right to make again what others have already done: here is its sovereign and eminent principle: Innovation! Welcome to a new world. We can’t redo experiences; change must come for this generation to fulfill its mission. —Babacar MBow is the International Programs & Exhibits Coordinator for the Broward County Libraries Division in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Managing Editor of the Encyclopedia of the African Diaspora: Origins, Experiences, and Culture, ABC-CLIO, (2008) and editor, The Idea of Modernity in Contemporary Haitian Art, Deschamps Educa-Vision (2008).
Since its inception in 2002, the Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation (cifo) has played a vital role in the South Florida area, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural life of our community. When Ella Fontanals Cisneros first founded the non-profit organization, few might have envisioned the immediate and lasting impact cifo would have on the local landscape. Indeed, the gorgeous cifo space, located in the heart of downtown Miami, became an instant landmark when it opened in 2005. With its jewel-like tile mural covering the exterior and reminiscent of a sparkling urban oasis, cifo quickly became the place where local residents and visitors alike could enjoy world-class art.
Since then, the space has become a destination for art lovers who flock to the destination for stellar exhibitions, concerts, lectures performances and provocative conferences for one and all to enjoy. Its expansive calendar of activities has become well known for programming that challenges the boundaries defining contemporary art today, as well as for the organization’s unwavering support of emerging Latin American artists through its generous grants and commissions culminating in yearly multidisciplinary group shows showcasing the hemisphere’s top talent.
Therefore it gives us great pleasure in commending cifo and its staff for their support of our Irreversible 100 Most event, and to express heartfelt appreciation to Ella Fontanals Cisneros and her family on this Needless to say, cifo has, and continues to occasion, not to mention cifo’s tireless inspire Irreversible’s endeavors to succeed as a Marketing Manager, Javier Ollarves, for his cultural portal joining creative voices from Miami meaningful contributions. to Tokyo, from Spain to Switzerland and beyond. If a community can be measured by the Just as cifo has served as a clearinghouse bringing quality and generosity of its institutions, renowned curators and artists together under one than Miami’s hallmark for cultural growth in roof, we at Irreversible also strive to broaden the recent memory can be summed up in a global understanding of contemporary art and to word. Simply stated, that word is cifo, and, the f o s t e r c u l t u ra l e xc h a n g e b y c r e a t i n g n e w long shadow it has already cast on the local and paradigms through our own creative initiatives. international art scene remains irreversible.
Philippe Dodard Haiti
Represented by Galerie Marassa The Leading Contemporary art Gallery of the Caribbean For over 32 years, Galerie Marassa of Pétion Ville, Haiti has been at the avant garde of Caribbean art. A matrix for exploration of Haitian and Caribbean visual expressions, a site for articulation of responses to new Caribbean aesthetic questions, an incubator for new talents and support to established masters, Galerie Marassa has been present to more than 175 national and international exhibitions. Proud of 28 years of great collaboration, Galerie Marassa congratulates Philippe Dodard—one of its master artists for Memory in Motion—an installation at the 2009 IRREVERSIBLE 100 MOST. For more information, visit us at www.galeriemarassa.com or contact Michele Frisch, Founder/Director, Galerie Marassa, 17 Rue Lamarre, Pétion Ville, Haiti, Telephone: (509) 22 57 54 24, (509) 22 57 19 67 or at galeriemarassa@hotmail.com
Philippe Dodard's Site Memory is an imaginary space designed to store and preserves the collective knowledge of humanity. It must be read as an architectonic model of and for human history, to exist in and occupy the mind. Philippe Dodard's mnemonics generate the semantic dynamism and social construction of Haitian historical thought. Recollection as practiced by Haitians is neither an account nor a pedigree such as genealogy, but a meaningful configuration of selected, negotiated events around "loci memory".
Philippe Dodard Haiti
Site Memory , 2009 detail of Ink installation
In the first panel, Mickey Mouse leads boldly into the conflagration. He is reduced in form to action components, but still recognizable as a hand and legs. There is no thought or emotional commitment. This absurd action can only result in disastrous consequences. Who would be so imprudent to follow him into the flames?
In the second panel, the flames consume the entire image, but Mickey's confidence is rewarded. A column of water cuts through the fire and protects Mickey f r o m t h e f l a m e s . Wa s t h i s foresight, just his good fortune or magic? The viewer must decide.
Lorna Marsh South Africa
Like Magic, 2009 Acrylic on Canvas Diptych 8” x 9”
Cristobal de La Rosa Croissier Coordinador General de Cultura, Patrimonio Hist贸rico y Museos del Excelentisimo Cabildo Insular de Tenerife ~ Espana Jose Manuel Bermudez Vice Presidente Primero Turismo de Tenerife ~ Tenerife, Espana TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes Javier Gonzalez de Durana Director Artistico IRREVERSIBLE 100 MOST /Canary Islands Artisits Carmensa de la Hoz Curator Sandra Gonzalez Alexis W Montero Jose Ruiz
Alexis W’s work is essentially focused on the use of photography as a support and means of discourse, and as a starting point from which he investigates the reality that surrounds him, showing a recurrent concern for sociological orders and cultural anthropology. His work is based on the complexities, paradoxes and virtues of global model of culture, where democracy and the real rejection of minority groups jeopardise the paradigm of social correction and pacific living.
Alexis W
El Hierro, Canary Island Spain La Ventana Indiscreta, 2003 Photograph
"Political clip" is a video made with electronic compositions carried out with the voices of the most cruel dictators in the history of mankind. This video was originated as part of the video installation "Top Manta" in which the artist sold cd's voices of those dictators in the same way as street merchants, who trade in large cities with discography material. The work shows a frivolous attitude with the power of tyranny and appropriates it to generate a product to trade with. Made in a modern and capitalist way, it is demonizing our historical mistakes.
Jose Ruiz
La Palma, Canary Island, Spain Political Clips
Sandra Gonzalez
Tenerife, Canary Island Spain My Notes, 2009 Digital Art
“Ping-Pong Hong Kong” a 1977 work by Aldo Bonato was shown at the Project Ping-Pong of Basel Switzerland in 2009. The work arose from truth facts. In 1968, Sue Irion and two friends went to mountain Titlis in Switzerland for a Sunday outing. They were welcomed with gifts of sunglasses and posed in for a shot. Sue Irion showed the shot to Aldo Bonato in 1977 thinking of herslf as the girl on the left side. Aldo Bonato made a portrait from the shot only this time, Sue was on the right side.
Years later, in a work titled Is the grass always greener the same photo reapears as inspiration. At IRREVERSBILE 100 MOST, Ping Pong is re-presented after Ping-Pong Basel Switzerland. Ping Pong Art Basel –Art Miami: www.ping-pong-basel.ch www.ping-pong-miami.us —Anthony Thomas
Aldo Bonato Switzerland
Hong Kong, King Kong, Ping Pong, 1977, Ink on Cotton, 96 in. x 96 in.
Sue Irion Switzerland
Is the Grass Always Greener, 1994 Copy on Paper 1/3, 67”. x 45”
Liusa Elena Betancourt Venezuela Identity, 2009 Oil on Canvas
Identity series penetrates the soul of Venezuela thereby of Latin America, a universe with a philosophy of life that has much to say about what we are and what we will become. The myths and rites have a magical logic that reinterprets reality and takes on a dynamic relation with it. Luisa Elena Betancourt’s proposal is not only aesthetic, but also examines and reflects a reality where many of the keys to what makes us Venezuelans are hidden, as well as the roads we are travelling and the symbolic codes that describe the causes for our present and possible future.
Irrational forces give magical-religious explanations for everyday occurrences. Myths and rites placate the pulsations of the sub-conscious and anchor the Venezuelans in a reality that allows them to survive in a conflictive situation, under the cloak of magic. Incredibly, there are similarities between these historical political dynamics and the spiritual realities since both are moved by irrationality, explaining thereby a similarity to surrealism and the theater of the absurd, as can be seen in “Baño y Despojo Garrapata,” which, together with the reading of cards and magical potions, is used for changing a person’s destiny and for facing everyday problems ranging from lack of love to finding a job. Artists, such as Luisa Elena Betancourt, create risky experimental proposals through contemporary art to express a new sensibility and a new sense of the ecstatic and the syncretic. —Eduardo Planchart L.
Born in Havana, Cuba in 1961, Pablo Cano was on the last flight out of the country before the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. He has since been a resident of Miami's Little Havana, and is regarded by art patrons and critics alike as one of Florida's premier contemporary fine artists.
Since childhood, marionettes have fascinated Pablo. At the age of ten, he was mounting elaborate plays for his family featuring puppets constructed of household bric-a-brac. His primary work today continues to center around the marionettes that he fashions from found objects, and the performance pieces he composes to showcase these protagonists.
Pablo Cano Cuba
Artist’s Studio
Giants in the City were born out of Alejandro Mendoza’s desire to express art in a giant scale and to create a massive interaction of member the world community. The Giants are contemporary visual devices and the results of an unbelievable mastery of technique. A gigantesque ambition and a deep understanding of narratives weave an expressionist force in which oceans of bursting energies unleashed by out of size proportions reinforce the idea of power. But, beyond the proportions, one can see as through a confession, human fragility, our hopes and dreams, our tears and bursts of laughter.
Tomas Esson Inflatable Talisman, 2008 Urethane Coated Nylon
Gustavo Acosta Organic, Patriotic and Ceremonial Lighthouse, 2008 Urethane Coated Nylon
Giants in the City Miami, 2008
Urethane Coated Nylon Maximum 30’
Alejandro Mendoza Milk, 2008 Urethane Coated Nylon
Jose Bedia Moby Dick is Back, 2008 Urethane Coated Nylon
Giants in the City Miami, 2008
Urethane Coated Nylon Maximum 30 Ft
DespertARTE articulates a vision of reality in which both the visible and invisible emerge as possibilities for seeing beyond what is shown. Through a multimedia presentation, despertARTE rescues us from the ‘obvious’ and insufflates a power of sight in awakening other realities. The proposal is to open the process outside conventional rules and to approach works of art and visual expressions out of the lenses of trends, styles, or limiting categorizations. Despite socially established cannons and ‘settled’ questions, we know…something is just not working for us. Hence the need for an approach—a whole new approach for re-entering the spirit of things, to see our options and modalities in a closer light, in another language-- of the arts in which what we have in common emerges as far greater than that which divides us. Revolution has then to provide art, the necessary time to awaken! Thus, we reach universality … despertARTE
Rakel Zone Renacer 2009, Photograph 14.25” x 15.75”
Gabriel Barna Continuum 3, 2009 Mixed Media on Linen 81.5” x 56.75” Daniela Boo Que Hay Detras de la Luz? 2009, Acrylic on Canvas 39.25” x 47.25 in” Nora Rcepter XLM, 2009 Oil on canvas 31.5” x 31.5”
Karen Starosta-Gilinski Cotton Candy, 2009 Mixed Media & Plush on Acrylic 10” x 7.5” Juan Doffo Substancia Fugitiva, 2006 Acrylic on Canvas 39.3“ x 39.3” Gabriela Aberastury Herbolario, 2009 Mixed Media on Canvas 15.75” x 17.75”
despertARTE
El Arte es una manera de Vestir al ojo
By Rocío Martire
The idea for this project originated from Amendment 2. A pair of worn out yellow leather chairs. An art project created by Luis Valenzuela titled 100 Chairs for Habitat for Humanity during last year’s Art Basel. A collaborative joint venture between my friend, Cuban Conceptual artist, Ruben Torres Llorca, and I. . The end result, two sculptures that invite you to sit on them and to take some weight off. One chair has the lettering, “Aren’t you tired yet?”. The other sculpture beckons “¿Estas rendido ya?”. The translation of estas rendido ya is, are you ready to give up. You peek into curiously positioned
mirrors behind the two sculptures and you read the lettering, Amendment 2. This project from beginning to end was a simplistic osmosis and coming together between people, objects, and events. An intertwining of paths delivering a single message… Hope.
Tina Cornely & Ruben Torres Miami
Amendment 2, 2008 2 Chairs, Frosted Chrome, Leather and Plastic Vinyl 28” X 21” X 20”, each
The rebellious art of Gary White borders ‘anarchic’ tones in a search for an out of norm aesthetic he begun the quest at the age of twenty through experimentation with wood, paper and canvas and how different paint formula’s interact with them. In the early 1980s, Gary White studied the works of Jackson Pollock and other artists of the American abstract expressionism. Raised in South Florida, Gary White interprets our socio-cultural landscape in a careful planning, implying ideas of the subconscious. What comes out is an almost spiritual presentation of the mind which can be view from various angles. In the work, distance and light create a controlled distortion process with concrete result on the brain.
Gary White Miami
Memories in Blue, 2009 Oil on Canvas 36 in x 24 in
Scott Ashley and Lorna Marsh are represented by the Aldo Castillo Galleries
Scott Ashley Chicago
The Elephant, 2008 Carpet and Mixed Media, 66” x 72” x 60”
Carlos Cruz Diez Induction Du Jaune Serie Nov 06 5 Paris 2006
To my son Nathaniel Jones To my friends Rick Erens—for teaching me the business of the art… Yuri Jai and Alfonso Vasquez—for their talent and unconditioned endless hours of work Carlos Cruz Diez & Family—believing in me from the early beginning… Grimanesa Amoros—her great advice and respect for all… Philippe Dodard—for crossing magic paths… Babacar MBow—for his wisdom… Irreversible Butterflies… Molly Damsky & Guiulianna Cespedes —for their talent & loyalty Especially to all the WOMEN of the world whose tragedies, sadness but above all strength inspire me every day to become a better woman, a better human being. – Norelkys Blazekovic
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S’ELBISREVERRI
100 Most