Calida Rawles envisions water as a space for Black healing, offering a reimagined perspective on the African American community that extends beyond the narratives commonly recognized within the United States’ collective history. Combining hyperrealism, poetic abstraction, and the cultural and historical symbolism of water, Rawles crafts distinctive portraits of Black figures submerged in or interacting with luminous and enigmatic bodies of water. In her work, water serves as more than a backdrop; it becomes a character in its own right, symbolizing both physical and spiritual healing, while also evoking the historical trauma and racial exclusion tied to its presence. From June 27, 2024, to February 2, 2025, for her first solo museum exhibition, Rawles connects her distinctive artistic style to a lesser-known and often overlooked chapter in Miami’s history.
Image above: Calida Rawles, “Away With The Tides” (2024). Acrylic on canvas, 120 x 96 inches. Courtesy the artist and Lehmann Maupin, New York, Seoul, and London.
Rawles explores the unique experiences of Black residents in Overtown, a Miami neighborhood that transitioned from a vibrant cultural and commercial center for Black people to a community deeply impacted by gentrification, systemic racism, and widespread displacement. The subjects of Rawles’s paintings include a diverse range of Overtown residents, from young children to senior citizens, with the exhibition focusing on their stories and lived experiences within this historic neighborhood. Expanding her practice, Rawles photographs some of her subjects in natural waters for the first time at Virginia Key Beach, a historic site that was once racially segregated. By capturing Black figures in the ocean for the first time, Rawles addresses the Atlantic’s complex history as a central site of the transatlantic slave trade. Her completed works engage with Miami’s water-centered environment while reflecting on the interwoven histories of beauty, oppression, and resilience in Overtown, a community neighboring PAMM.
Organization and Support
Calida Rawles: Away with the Tides is organized by Maritza M. Lacayo, Associate Curator, with the support of Fabiana Sotillo, Curatorial Assistant. Calida Rawles: Away with the Tides is presented with lead individual support from Allison and Larry Berg and supporting sponsorship from Goldman Sachs. Additional support from PAMM’s International Women’s Committee, Leslie and Greg Ferrero, and Rebkah and Desmond Howard is gratefully acknowledged.
WHEN?
Exhibition dates: Thursday, 27 June 2024 – Sunday, 02 February 2025
WHERE?
Perez Art Museum Miami
1103 Biscayne Blvd
Miami, FL 33132
United States
