Miami-Dade Public Library has been an important part of the cultural life of the county and S. Florida in general. Their art collection contains both local and internationally known artists. For this exhibition, artist Gary L. Moore brought together a wide range of works that not only speak to the African American presence, but to a multi-cultural heritage that all of us are a part of.
Mr. Moore spoke on the opening night about how the work of Carlos Alfonso, “untitled,” 1987 paint-on-paper, summed up his overarching view of Miami’s short history with Alfonso’s infusion of African, Caribbean (Cuban), and US American flavors. Participants at the opening event also expressed their views of how individual works spoke to a similar history.
One of the beautiful circumstances about this exhibition is its predominace of works-on-paper (prints and painting) that also is carried over to the current exhibition at Artlab33 Art Space (Miami Art Exchange) in nearby Wynwood.
The “seven dreams” of the exhibition’s title refer to seven ways that Gullah/Geechee culture has survived and manifested itself. Moore uses dreams as a metaphor (for earth, water, speech, colors, music, materials and time) because of his belief that the culture has a metaphysical, magic quality. He writes, “Blacks living in the low country areas along the eastern seaboard (or as my Uncle Foster used to say, “salt water negroes”) possess a mystical world view. The spirits of our ancestors who were denied full lives then are available now to complete their cycle of life through celebrating the visual culture they created.”
[Wall drawing, Gary L. Moore, “Untitled,” © 2010]
[Wall drawing, Gary L. Moore, “Untitled,” © 2010]
Dates: Thursday, January 28 — March 31, 2010
Venue: Miami-Dade Public Library System – Main Library
Address: 101 West Flagler Street Miami, FL 33130