EL VACÍO QUE NO ES / THE EMPTINESS THAT IS NOT
The dual exhibition of Marisa Telleria and Andres Michelena
Opening Reception: Thursday, May 2nd, from 6-9 pm
Mahara+Co is pleased to announce the dual exhibition of Marisa Telleria and Andres Michelena, “The Emptiness That Is Not”.
The pursuit of the void and the dematerialization of art has persisted as an enduring quest for artists and philosophers throughout time. Within the fleeting moment lies a transfigured experience where impermanence seamlessly transforms into transcendence. This enlightenment grants us the capacity to gaze beyond the superficial layers of reality, allowing us to discern profound truths and unearth the deeper realities that lie beneath the surface.
“The Emptiness That Is Not” showcases the artistic endeavors of Marisa Telleria and Andres Michelena in this quest. By challenging conventional notions of materiality and form in artistic creation, and art history, these two artists emphasize emptiness, invisibility, deconstruction, and disrupting established norms pushing the boundaries of artistic expression by delving into the hidden depths within the void. Through their innovative approaches, these works dig into sensory perception itself, inviting the viewers to reconsider preconceived notions about the meaning of art, transcendence, and truth.
Renowned for her poetic and ethereal works as well as immersive installations, Marisa Telleria navigates the void as a realm brimming with potential and metamorphosis. Drawing from her own autobiographical experiences, she imbues her artwork with profound depth and emotional resonance, exploring themes of loss and renewal. Telleria seamlessly melds traditional and ephemeral materials in her work, evoking a delicate yet mysterious aura. Her art beckons viewers to contemplate the interconnectedness of existence and the enigmatic nature of life and art itself. Through the interplay of light, color, and symbolic imagery, Telleria constructs temporary immersive environments that dissolve the boundaries between the tangible and intangible, the seen and the unseen. In doing so, she fosters an experience that transcends ordinary perception, encouraging exploration into the recesses of the subconscious.
Andres Michelena’s drawings, installations, and artifacts intricately weave cultural and historical references, challenging the boundaries of representation. Through his exploration of minimalist forms, negative space, and subtle shifts in perspective, Michelena conjures compositions imbued with a sense of emptiness and absence. His work fosters a contemplative dialogue within the void, transcending the boundaries of perception and reality. The constant interplay between absence and presence, deconstruction and reconstruction, generates a meaningful discourse within the proposed structures, transforming them into artifacts of transformative experiences. Michelena’s artistic process involves deciphering the meaning behind preexisting symbols. His elliptical approach to structures and conventions dismantles and reorganizes our consciousness, creating new, open entities that propose broader cultural and historical significance.
Curatorial Text: Janet Batet
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Marisa Telleria. Born in Managua, Nicaragua. Moved with her family to Miami, Florida, in 1978, where she grew up and went to college, receiving a BFA in sculpture from Florida International University in Miami, FL. She holds an MFA in sculpture from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. Solo shows of her work have been held among others at Patrick Heide Contemporary, London, UK; Frost Art Museum, Miami, FL; Baumgartner Galleries in New York, Fusebox Gallery, in Washington DC, and Fredric Snitzer Gallery in Miami, FL. She was included in biennials at Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña in San Juan, Puerto Rico, El Museo del barrio, in New York, the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and the Nicaragua Biennal in Managua, Nicaragua, as well as in group shows at the Perez Art Museum in Miami, Fl and the Albright Knox Gallery in Buffalo, NY. Her work is in several private and public collections such as the Frost Art Museum, Miami, FL; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC; National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC; Weatherspoon Museum, Greensboro, NC; Brown University’s David Winton Bell Gallery, Providence, RI; Fundación Ortiz-Gurdián, Nicaragua; Fundación Rozas-Botrán, Guatemala.
Andres Michelena. Born in 1963 in Caracas, Venezuela, he studied Architecture at the Universidad Central de Venezuela from 1981 to 1986 and then in 1992 he received a Bachelor in Fine Arts at the Federico Brandt Institute of Fine Arts in Caracas. In 2000 he moves to Miami, Florida, marking a turning point on his career. He went from painting to explore new medias, installations and Video Art. In 2006 he won the 4th Prize with his piece No-Thing at the MoLAA Awards, (Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach, California). In 2015 received an Honorable Mention at the Rozas-Botrán Awards. He has also participated in special projects as “Planair d’Ete Randezvous de Tableaux des Caribes”, Germany, 2004; VISION: A, Instituto Cervantes (around the world) 2007-2008; 1ra Trienal del Caribe, Santo Domingo República Dominicana, 2010-2011; 1ra Bienal Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo, Merida, Venezuela, 2010; REMEMBERING / PROVIDING / RESISTING, a tandem project with Eugenio Espinoza at Centro Cultural Español in Miami; El dibujo fuera de si, in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, (with Magdalena Fernandez and Alejandro Otero). In 1987 he was the recipient of the Corpbanca Grant. His works are present in many private and public collections like Estrellita Brodsky’s Collection, Brillembourg-Capriles Collection, Arturo Filio, Arturo Mosquera, Lothar Muller, Miami Dade College’s Collection, JCMAC, and MoLAA’s Permanent Collection, to name a few.