The Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami (MOCA) is delighted to reveal its Spring 2024 lineup, featuring the debut of two groundbreaking exhibitions by artist Manuel Mathieu: World Discovered Under Other Skies and Dwelling on the Invisible. These exhibitions mark Mathieu’s inaugural major solo presentation in the United States. The museum will also showcase the group exhibition Collection Focus: Light Play, featuring nine contemporary artists from its permanent collection. The public opening for these exhibitions is scheduled for Wednesday, April 10.
Chana Sheldon, MOCA Executive Director, expressed enthusiasm for presenting these compelling exhibitions to the museum’s community this spring. Mathieu’s works not only captivate visually but also critically reflect the intricate global and local histories. Collection Focus: Light Play, featuring works from the museum’s permanent collection, provides a unique juxtaposition for reflection and progression. Sheldon sees these exhibitions as an invitation for engaging in dialogue with ongoing narratives while moving towards the future.
At MOCA, Manuel Mathieu’s World Discovered Under Other Skies, initially showcased in 2020 at the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery in Toronto, will offer an extended exploration of the artist’s examination of the enduring impacts of the Haitian revolution and the country’s pursuit of self-determination. Curated by Amin Alsaden, this presentation provides a reflective and educational journey. In addition, Mathieu will present a new body of work titled Dwelling on the Invisible, curated by MOCA’s Adeze Wilford, offering various recent works, including large-scale paintings, photography, sculpture, video, and mosaic installations.
Born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Mathieu’s practice is deeply influenced by the complex histories of his familial homeland. His works draw inspiration from Haiti’s global positioning, addressing urgent issues related to state violence. The exhibitions, featuring striking visual oeuvres alongside figurative paintings and ceramics, present a multimedia perspective on the intimate connections between past, present, personal, and political realms.
Manuel Mathieu stated, “In bringing this work to North Miami, specifically, my aim is to share my outrage and discomfort along with my hope and desire for change in my family’s homeland.” He hopes that the audience, both locally and globally, will confront these lived experiences and shared histories and reflect on the contextualization of their homeland and its fractured histories.
Accompanying Mathieu’s exhibitions, MOCA’s group show, Collection Focus: Light Play, explores how artists engage with light as both a medium and source of inspiration. The exhibition features artists such as Petah Coyne, John Espinosa, R.M. Fischer, Nancy Haynes, Julian La Verdiere, Dennis Oppenheim, Joan Robey, Sarah Seager, and Jo Nigoghossian. The exhibition transforms the museum’s entrance rooms with low lighting and an open-floor plan, experimenting with the ambiance to create intriguing juxtapositions and explore the connections between works.
MOCA curator Adeze Wilford emphasized the significance of understanding the institution’s history and its engagement with artists and exhibition types. Collection Focus: Light Play serves as a reintroduction for both Wilford and MOCA’s intergenerational audience, featuring works that haven’t been on public view for several years.
Together, these three exhibitions employ various mediums to convey a full spectrum of emotional gravity. Mathieu’s shows delve into the heavy realities of Haiti’s social and political structures, while Collection Focus: Light Play introduces a playful touch, allowing for fresh reinterpretations of the institution’s robust collection. In conjunction with these exhibitions, MOCA will host various educational and public programs, and more information can be found on the museum’s website.
