The Zuckerman Museum of Art opened its doors on Aug. 29 to its latest exhibition, {UNDER}flow, which celebrates the works of five Afro-Caribbean Diaspora artists under themes of power, diasporic communities, perceived histories and sexuality.
The artists with works on display are Firelei Báez, Didier William, David Antonio Cruz, Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons and Josué Azor. There are a total of 16 works on display until Dec. 9.
Curator and museum director Cynthia Thompson chose the term ‘underflow’ to represent the visual fluidity that follows through each work in the exhibition. The term represents an undercurrent of struggle that occurs below a surface, which the artist and their respective communities in identity grapple with.
The Project Wall of the ZMA has also been renewed this semester with three newly commissioned works from two artists. The East wall features a large wooden and acrylic panel created by artist Ato Ribeiro. Ribeiro states in this artist’s statement that this work “provides educational opportunities to seek out new points of reference while preserving layers of African cultural heritage and varying ethnic perspectives.”
The second artist with two commissioned pieces for the North and West walls is Leandra Urrutia. Her works, Evening Star and Rosette are molded from unfired clay in her personal movement towards sustainable art forms. Both reflect her Mexican-American identity with a focus on the female experience in body and mind.
Báez has three works on display which each depict a fluid female form with intense, defined eyes gazing through the viewer. Her works are titled “You, my country and my border,” “Fragrant with dawn and dew” and “A place of respite.”
Azor is a queer photographer from Haiti that has one digital print, “Gason Solid” on display. Azor began his work in photography when the 2010 earthquake devasted his Haitian community. He worked alongside documentary photographers at the time and fell in love with the art form.
Cruz has six works on display, two of which dominate the space as a two-panel work. Cruz is also a queer artist who comments on the concept of a chosen family in his work. His works are titled “icutfromthemiddletogetabetterslice,” “suddenly,lastsummerweweren’tyounganymore,” “theresnootherlove,” “becausethat’swhereiwanttobe,alonewiththeonlythingthatilove,” “thosetreasuresthatyoukeepjustoutofreach,theycomeandgointruckloads,butnoonestopstoseethem” and “andwe’llbetheluckyones-waitingforthesummertoend.”
Cruz will be giving a visiting artist lecture on Oct. 8 at 1 p.m. in Morgan Hall to discuss the themes of his works on display. The lecture is free for all to attend.
William has five works on display. His work leans more into abstractions and a delineation of the figures in his work. With eyes carved across the figures into the wood medium he uses, he discusses the concept of the gaze upon the Black body.
Cuban artist Campos-Pons has one work on display from 1999, titled “Untitled (The Right Protection).” Thompson had a part in the creation of the work, making the paper used in it. The work depicts the bare back of the artist herself with eyes projected across her frame.
For a full list of events this semester at the ZMA, visit their website.
