MIAMI [ ABN NEWS ] — ArtCenter/South Florida, the cultural epicenter of South Beach’s Lincoln Road that welcomes more than 100,000 visitors per year, announces the opening reception for its new exhibition titled Multiplicity on Wednesday, March 27 from 6:00 -10:00 p.m. at the Richard Shack Gallery, 800 Lincoln Road (and Meridian Avenue). Multiplicity will remain on view through May 26th.

Multiplicity is defined as the quality or state of being multiple or various. The artists in this exhibition do not work with the quantitative notion of the word but rather examine the multiple uses of materials and their transformative quality to take on a range of meanings and functions. Whether they are found objects, recycled trash or simple materials utilized in daily life, the artists challenge, re-use and re-invent them in the creation of sculptural pieces, paintings, installations and photographs that reveal their aesthetic qualities and reference the personal context in which they were made.

Miami-based artist and designer Laz Ojalde (LMNOQ) creates refined and functional design pieces, many made from objects found throughout the city. For his Bale “Pepe” Benches, the artist rummages through discarded clothing and material from second hand stores and transforms them into monochromatic, functional and modern benches. On the other hand, Russian-born Miami ceramicist Gerbi Tsesarskaia’s pieces reference functionality but challenge the viewer to see beyond the ordinary use of her porcelain vessels.

Artists Regina Jestrow and Kerry Phillips also explore this notion of personal history. Skilled in traditional crafts such as quilting, stitching and sewing, Jestrow gives new life to recycled fabrics from objects of sentimental value such as her grandmother’s wedding dress and her grandmother’s house robes. Originally from Texas, Miami-based Kerry Phillips’ practice of collecting found objects has its roots in the belief that everything has a history and a story to tell. Her site-specific installation, which she is creating from collected materials specifically from the ArtCenter/South Florida, explores this idea of perpetuating and reinventing the life of objects with new narratives.

Other artists in Multiplicity aim to transform ordinary materials to facilitate an aesthetic experience that is visually pleasing.

Miami and New York-based artist, Michelle Weinberg’s Shelf-Life cabinet installation recalls a store display filled with plastic bottles and containers associated with cleaning products and household items. Browsing in this case, however, is elevated to purely visual experience as she transforms these objects by painting them in vibrant colors and patterns. Another artist working with color and material is Babette Herschberger, who creates minimalist compositions from cardboard and paint. The spontaneous process of landing a piece of cardboard, large or small, combined with her precision and calculated choice of color result in subtle paintings that take on a sculptural quality.

Argentine artist Eugenia Calvo’s photographs from the Iniciativa Privada (Private Initiative) series are images of home furnishings such as tables, chairs, bed frames and mattresses that are assembled to create geometric compositions. These images, however, look beyond the aesthetic and are an investigation into the disorder of domesticity. By dissociating these objects from their formal and practical use, they lead to the examination of roles in domestic life and one’s place in the home.

Contrary to all the works in the exhibition, which are very much about the final image and the aesthetic object or experience, Frances Trombly’s Canvas generates a very different sensation. It is a hand-woven blank canvas that focuses on the process of making this object and challenges the viewer to examine its blankness, admire the craft but also to seek out its imperfections and appreciate its beauty.

About ArtCenter/South Florida – The cultural epicenter of South Beach`s Lincoln Road, ArtCenter/South Florida welcomes more than 100,000 visitors every year. Since its founding in 1984, ArtCenter has been home to more than 1,000 resident artists. Counting down to its 30th anniversary in the Spring of 2014, the organization provides subsidized studio and exhibition space, plus teaching opportunities for emerging and career artists. ArtCenter also offers over 100 studio and artist development classes per year at its South Beach location and satellite venues. The mission of the ArtCenter, a non-profit 501(C)(3), is to advance the knowledge and practice of contemporary visual arts and culture in South Florida while providing affordable programming and work space for professional artists. 305.674.8278 www.artcentersf.org.

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Edited by Jose H Oliveira Jr / BRAZILIAN NEWS AGENCY – ABN NEWS

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