MIAMI BEACH, FL.- Oolite Arts new exhibition presents an expansive view of landscapes ranging from literal to the imagined and alternative realities created with artificial intelligence. Through their differing mediums and viewpoints, each of the 15 resident artists featured in Landscape of Realities explores how surroundings leave an imprint on peoples lives.
Our geographies shape our identity, said exhibition Curator Jennifer Inacio, who is the associate curator at Pérez Art Museum Miami. In a city where so many people come from somewhere else, this exhibition is a moment to consider how we as a community are influenced by our current and past landscapes, and how we are in turn influencing them.
Several of the pieces are realistic in nature, including Matt Forehands painting of a sports field surrounded by lush vegetation and Reginald ONeals portrait of an Overtown apartment complex near his childhood home. Diana Eusebio, meanwhile, draws from the South Florida landscape to create her art, turning seeds into natural dyes for clothing that will be displayed in the gallery. In addition, the Love the Everglades Movement is creating an installation titled Archeology of a Prayer, which offers a glimpse of how the organization came about by using ceremonies to advocate for the importance of caring for water sources.
AdrienneRose Gionta uses artificial intelligence technologies to create an entirely new, digital landscape. Giontas work analyzes cultural assumptions around beauty standards and employs avatars to create inclusive, digital worlds for fat-bodied women. For this exhibition, Gionta fed prompts into artificial intelligence technologies to create a series of a woman in a cave, exploring how AI portrays overweight women.
The artists in the exhibition include Gionta, Alberto Checa, Alejandra Moros, Carolina Cueva, Eusebio, Ema Ri, Friday, Liene Bosquê, Love the Everglades Movement: Rev. Houston R. Cypress and Jean Sarmiento, Forehand, Onajide Shabaka, Rose Marie Cromwell, ONeal and Yucef Merhi.
The exhibition opens April 19 with a 6 p.m. press preview, and a reception beginning at 7 p.m. at 924 Lincoln Road. It will be on display through June 25. Also on view will be Oolite Arts Student Art Showcase, highlighting the work from the organizations weekly art classes.
Oolite Arts is one of Floridas largest support organizations for artists. On the same day the exhibition opens, Oolite will begin accepting applications for The Ellies, Miamis Visual Arts Awards, which fuels creative projects that elevate artists and art teachers careers. To apply, visit TheEllies.org.