The Adrienne Arsht Center commissions José Bedia

José Bedia is one of the most prominent Cuban artists in the contemporary art world. Major influences in his work include the Afro-Cuban religion Palo Monte, which he studied in Cuba, and the spirituality of the American Indians, which he began to explore after coming to America. Bedia’s works are in the permanent collections of several museums around the world such as, Whitney Museum of American Art (New York), Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York), Bacardi Art Foundation (Miami), Birmingham Museum of Art (Alabama), Pérez Art Museum (Miami), Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Caracas), Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Havana), Indianapolis Museum of Art, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (MARCO) (Monterrey, Mexico), Ludwig Forum für Internationale Kunst (Aachen, Germany), The Rodríguez Collection (Miami), and Museum of Modern Art (New York), among others.

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami- Dade County announces the next installment of its VISUALMIAMI@ARSHT program with works by Miami-based artist José Bedia. The solo exhibition, titled “Watering Past Ground,” features two original works on paper and eight original paintings on canvas, which are on display in the lobby and first tier of the Knight Concert Hall through March 2019.
José Bedia was born in Cuba, emigrated in 1991 to Mexico and settled in 1993 in Miami, where he currently resides. His relationship with the Arsht Center began when Miami-Dade County Art in Public Places commissioned him to create the etched balcony railings and terrazzo floor murals in both the Ziff Ballet Opera House and Knight Concert Hall – now integral visual elements of the Center.
“Watering Past Ground” complements Bedia’s prior artistic collaborations with the Arsht Center and includes the first public exhibition of four new works in a new series of paintings that explore two-dimensional and three-dimensional juxtapositions within irregularly-shaped, large canvases.

The public will have an opportunity to view the art up close prior to performances and during free behind-the-scenes tours, sponsored by American Airlines, offered each Monday and Saturday at noon. “Watering Past Ground” is supported by the Miami Diaspora Fund, made possible in part by a grant from The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation.

 
Launched by the Arsht Center in February 2018, the VISUALMIAMI@ARSHT program puts the spotlight on Miami artists and Miami-based collections. The program was inspired by a collaborative presentation of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts’ esteemed List Art Collection showcasing more than 30 artworks from award-winning national and international visual artists. In October 2012, the Center launched the Knight Masterworks Print Collection, its own permanent art collection inspired by the Center’s diverse programming and Miami’s thriving cultural arts landscape. Created with seed funding from Knight Foundation, the Knight Masterworks Print Collection has featured works by Hernan Bas, Donald Sultan, Kenny Scharf and, most recently, Jen Stark. The commissioned works are individually available as limited- edition prints while supplies last.

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is made possible by the public support of the Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council and the City of Miami Omni Community Redevelopment Agency, as well as the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. The Adrienne Arsht Center also receives generous support from individuals, corporations and local, state and national foundations.

Visit http://www.arshtcenter.org for more information.