Kristen Beck was inspired by her father for her solo show “Before I Forget,” opening Aug. 1 at the Coral Springs Museum of Art.
“My dad has dementia, and as I’m caring for him, I was struck with this notion of, how could I represent this visually to people? What this is like for him, what this is like for me as a caregiver,” said Beck, a South Florida artist and writer.
Beck uses quilting and photos to focus on the effects of memory, identity and dementia in “Before I Forget,” which opens along with a Main Gallery exhibit featuring Edison Peñafiel’s “Bario Alto,” Mitzi Falcón’s “Sementerxs” and Amanda Linares’ “Dialogue Across Walls.” The works will be on display through Oct. 5.
Gulie Carrington, marketing and communications coordinator, said the exhibits are mainly about construction in several different ways.
“Construction seems to tie everything together, whether constructing memory, ‘Barrio Alto’ with the buildings and how easy they come down as far as being made from cardboard, and ‘Dialogue Across Walls,’ ” Carrington said. “Mitzi, as well, with the great work with ‘Sementerxs.’ ”
“Barrio Alto,” which translates to “Uptown Neighborhood,” is a showcase of black and white photographs featuring cardboard dioramas of cityscapes. Peñafiel said the works illustrate social-economic dynamics. Originally from Ecuador and now living in Broward County, he was surprised at how fragile the housing is in the United States.
“Each diorama unveils a unique scene portraying disparities and the construction cost of housing,” Peñafiel said. “‘Barrio Alto,’ the title, plays with ambiguity signifying both affluent neighborhoods and also poverty-stricken favelas .”
“Sementerxs” is a series of photographs of transgender construction workers from the state of Veracruz in Mexico. The workers’ boots and helmets will also be on display. Through “Sementerxs,” Falcón advocates for LGBTQ+ and labor rights.
Falcón said in Spanish that a huge earthquake in Mexico in 1985 led her mother to become a construction worker. Like her mother, the construction workers she photographed had to move to Mexico City to find jobs.
Falcón exhibits in the United States through The Ant Project, a Miami-based nonprofit founded by Guadalupe Garcia. Garcia first met Falcón in Mexico and was impressed with her work.
“The series is about making visible, not only that there are transgender people in the construction field, but also the beauty that these people embrace to their gender identification,” said Garcia, who also translated for Falcón. “They’re not just workers, they’re people, they’re human beings. They have a personality, dreams, and it’s incredible that many of them have transitioned within the construction sites.”
“Dialogues Across Walls” is part of “In the Midst of All,” an exhibition Linares started last year. Linares uses concrete, clay, wood, graphite, color pencils, cracks, insects and shadows to illustrate how our surroundings can reflect our past. “Dialogues Across Walls” will also have an interactive element, allowing museumgoers to depict their own memories.
Originally from Cuba, Linares has lived in Miami for 11 years. She said she uses concrete because of its duality, and the connection to the colonial architecture of Cuba.
“It is a material that can be very sturdy and durable, but it becomes very fragile as well. Within my work, because of the way that I use it, I create these plates that are kind of thinner, and somehow, you see the fragility of the material,” Linares said.
Museumgoers will be able to participate in different stations as part of “Before I Forget.” You could write your favorite memories on a quilt or record something you would you like to remember in the moment. There will also be a bus station that signifies people with dementia or Alzheimer’s wanting to go home.
“You’re seeing this bus stop, but you’re also going to be asked as an audience to write down what you think home is, what home is to you,” Beck said. “I really am interested in not only sharing what these ideas of memory and identity are, but learning from other people what their memories and identities are.”
The opening reception for the exhibitions will be on Thursday, Aug. 1, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Peñafiel and Linares will also lead a free conversation about their works on Thursday, Aug. 29, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
IF YOU GO
WHAT : “Before I Forget,” “Barrio Alto,” “Sementerxs” and “Dialogues Across Walls”
WHEN: Aug. 1 – Oct. 5. Museum hours 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Saturday
WHERE: The Coral Springs Museum of Art, 2855 Coral Springs Drive, Coral Springs
COST: Free
INFORMATION: Call 954-340-5000, email museuminfo@coralsprings.org or visit coralspringsmuseum.org .
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