Colonial Florida Cultural Heritage Center presents THE SPACE BEYOND: The Art of Maria Cristina Carbonell

MIAMI - March 11, 2019 - PRLog -- Maria Cristina Carbonell is the first artist invited to exhibit at La Merced Chapel in Miami, with her solo installation The Space Beyond. Carbonell is a contemporary artist who expresses herself freely through drawing, painting, photography, sculpture and video to materialize illusions, fears and desires. She is moved by the fragility of our existence, the enigma of the psyche and dreams, and the idea of lightness and suspension.

FINAL EXHIBITION DAY: MARCH 17, NOON–2PM
La Merced Chapel at Corpus Christi Church • 3221 NW 7 Avenue • Miami

She began sculpting pillows out of her interest in the Renaissance Period; she is not concerned with representing the conventional meaning of the pillow but rather creates pieces that defy gravity and levity. Carbonell uses her versatility to create forms that appear to belong to the ether. Upon touch, however, the perception of the senses is altered by her use of materials that include marble, aluminum, brass or steel.

The search for The Space Beyond is accentuated by the gold leaf decorated Baroque venue of La Merced and its superb permanent collection of Spanish Colonial paintings and sculpture. The actual fabric of selected, exquisitely embroidered vestments – also from the permanent collection - contrasts with the fabric depictions and the hard-surfaced fabric representations in marble and metal.  The overall effect is of a spiritual search that spans time and space, reality and imagination. Well-known local Carol Damian curated both this inaugural exhibition and the permanent collection.

About Maria Cristina Carbonell
Carbonell, a Venezuelan born in Puerto Rico, in 1964, studied Drawing at The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (1982-1984) and at the Art Student League, in New York (1985-1987) where she also obtained a BA in Fashion Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Between 1991 and 1997 Carbonell spent long periods in the Amazon jungle and in Italy. Since 1989 Carbonell has exhibited in museums and galleries in Caracas, Barcelona, Sao Paolo, Madrid, Mexico City, London, New York, Miami, Taipei and Basel.  She has lived and worked in Miami since 2010.

About the Colonial Florida Cultural Heritage Center
The Cultural Center at Corpus Christi Church includes a remarkable collection of Spanish colonial art featuring works from throughout South and Central America and the islands, particularly the art centers of Cuzco and greater Peru, and Mexico City. Dated from the late 16th to the 18th centuries, paintings and sculpture express the unique heritage of Latin America with their Baroque aesthetic. Installed in the beautiful La Merced Chapel, the art compliments its hand-carved, gold leaf embellished decor. There is also an original and wide-ranging document and memorabilia collection focusing on very early Florida-related material, as well as historical references from Cuba from its beginnings through the early 20th century; extensive digitalized documents related to the early Americas, particularly Cuba; original books emphasizing the social and political history of Florida, the islands and the Americas, with specialized areas, such as the Spanish American War and Black America. Early religious vestments made or used in the Americas expand the visual beauty represented in the collection. www.colonialflorida.org