We find ourselves in an ecological battle—simultaneously for and against the earth around us. There are tradeoffs we’ve made in the industrialization and modernization processes, and some may have been worthwhile. But we’ve reached a point where the damage being done cannot be justified and solutions or alternatives must be taken seriously. To this end, Pérez Art Museum Miami’s (PAMM) exhibition, Spirit in the Land, opened on March 21st and will run through September 8th. On display are over sixty works by thirty artists, all speaking to contemporary ecological concerns through distinct cultural lenses, illustrating the connection between personal identities and natural environments and the essential roles of both bio and cultural diversity in our collective existence.
Spirit in the Land brings together a diverse array of media, including paintings, drawings, textiles, sculptures, video works, and photography. Notable artists like Carrie Mae Weems, Terry Adkins, Peter Williams, Maia Cruz Palileo, Firelei Báez, and Hew Locke contributed to the exhibition. Their works explore the stresses on natural environments and emphasise the potential and need for transformation and regeneration.
One of the standout pieces in the exhibition is Hew Locke's Mosquito Hall (2013), an acrylic work on chromogenic print inspired by the artist's experiences growing up in Georgetown, Guyana. The image depicts a dilapidated wooden home with a woman and child floating above it in vibrant colours, symbolising the erosion of both physical land and personal memories due to environmental degradation and colonial influence.
Maia Cruz Palileo's The Way Back (2018) reimagines pre-World War I photographs from the Philippines, reclaiming the imagery to create a new vision of her ancestors and culture. Monique Verdin's Burial Grounds (2000) documents the impact of climate change on Indigenous peoples in coastal Louisiana, capturing the resilience of her extended family amidst environmental disasters. Spirit in the Land aims to foster ecological awareness and action through underscoring the intertwined nature of cultural and environmental stewardship, urging visitors to see nature as a repository of anthropological memory and a vital source of healing.
Allison Janae Hamilton, Floridawater II, 2019. © Allison Janae Hamilton. Courtesy of the artist and Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York and Aspen
Monique Verdin, "Burial Grounds", 2000. Courtesy of the artist. © Monique Verdin
Peter Williams, Birdland, 2020. © Estate of Peter Williams. Courtesy of Luis De Jesus, Los Angeles. Photo by Peter Paul Geoffion