Unveiling “Heart of Community” An Immersive Exhibition by Anabella Bergero at the Faena Art Project
This captivating exhibition reveals artist Anabella Bergero’s colorful “Latinx Pop visual universe” through an array of artworks, including textile art, fashion design pieces, collages, and digitally printed murals. The exhibition transforms the Faena Art Project Room into a vibrant gathering space, celebrating creativity and fostering communal joy.
Photo by Sol Alonso
Anabella Bergero’s artistry boldly challenges and deconstructs stereotypical notions of “Latinidad,” while using the experimental art space as a thriving community center. As part of the exhibition, Bergero is engaging with visitors through a series of interactive events. Visitors can partake in tie-dye workshops, participate in podcast recordings, and join an enlightening art panel, amongst other events, creating a vibrant hub of creativity and collaboration.
Within the exhibition, colorful collaged images reconstruct narratives of Latin American life, and seamlessly interweave kitsch religious and pop culture iconography. A particularly striking feature in the exhibition is Bergero’s fashion design pieces, which transform the room into an atmospheric party-like scene. An innovative translucent window mural projects the art experience into the public sphere, extending an open invitation for collaboration with passersby.
The exhibition is on view at the Faena Art Project Room located on 3420 Collins Ave, Miami Beach until October 14 (ww.faenaart.org/programs/project-room). Check out the Faena Art website and Instagram for updates on this fall’s exhibitions and programming.
In an interview with Miami Living Magazine, Bergero provides insights into her artistic vision, inspirations, and the significance of “Heart of Community”.
In your exhibition, you blend pop culture and religious iconography in your work. Could you tell us about your use of collage and other mediums in this exhibition?
In my exhibition at the Faena Art Project Room, “Heart of Community,” I blend pop culture and religious iconography to explore the visual languages of Latinx culture. The gallery features dresses, textiles, film, and photography, encouraging engagement and celebration of culture, art, identity, and creative expression. My references to the space come from exploring the construction of womanhood in Contemporary Latin America, drawing inspiration from cultural phenomena like the Quinceañera celebrations and the profound symbolism of religiosity that shapes our community’s identity.
At the core of this exhibition lies collage, the chosen medium through which I weave together diverse visual elements from my research. Each carefully selected piece becomes a part of a larger narrative, allowing me to recreate an authentic experience of Latinidad that resonates with my personal upbringing and my diverse migratory moves across various Latin American countries and the United States.
This exhibition is designed to engage and connect with the audience on a deeper level. Interactive elements and public activations breathe life into the space, inviting visitors to actively participate and contribute to the ongoing story. The gallery transforms into a living, evolving canvas, where culture, art, identity, and creative expression come together.
Photo by Sol Alonso
Could you share more details about the community-based events you are hosting, such as the tie-dye workshop and others? Can you tell us more about the community engagement aspect of the exhibition?
In “Heart of Community,” a series of public activities transform the Faena Art Project Room into a living, breathing, creative organism. The core of this program lies in seeking art in our day-to-day lives and finding beauty and creativity in our everyday rites, traditions, and urban spaces. It’s a captivating journey where the audience becomes an integral part of the installation, completing the space through their participation as creators.
I’ve scheduled a range of creative workshops as part of the exhibition, each designed to inspire and empower the community. From vibrant tie-dye workshops that infuse colors into our lives to recording podcast episodes that invite the community’s voices to be heard, there’s an engaging and inclusive atmosphere that permeates the space. I also have the pleasure of hosting fashion lessons for my university students, fostering their creative growth and exploration of self-expression.
But it doesn’t stop there; we are creating a new segment of activities starting this September at the gallery. I’ve titled it “Heart Opening” sessions, where I collaborate with diverse professionals and organizations to curate public activities that nurture wellness and creativity. These sessions offer visitors valuable tools, fresh perspectives, and a creative framework they can carry into their daily lives.
“Heart of Community” is a living expression of our collective spirit. As a creator, the connection with each visitor is profoundly fulfilling, knowing that the art we create together extends beyond the gallery walls and becomes an integral part of our lives. I am grateful for the opportunity to foster a sense of togetherness and creativity within the community.
Photos by Oriol Tarridas and Sol Alonso
What inspired you to create this Latinx Pop Visual Universe?
My inspiration for the exhibition stems from my personal journey as a woman within the Latinx community, both in Latin America and the USA. It all began in a quest going deep into my own Quinceañera experience, which sparked a profound curiosity about this rite of passage and its significance in a broader cultural context.
Having grown up in Argentina and later migrating to Mexico during my transition from girlhood to womanhood, these experiences have deeply influenced my artistic inquiries. Over the past 8 years, my creative practice has been driven by questions revolving around culture, identity, womanhood, community, and the essence of Latinidad.
In this installation, I aim to integrate the myriad of questions that have guided my research and creative journey so far, offering a unique exploration of the rich tapestry that encompasses the Latinx experience. The exhibition is a culmination of my personal reflections and a celebration of the multifaceted nature of our cultural heritage.
How does your background as a visual artist and fashion designer influence your artistic style and the pieces featured in the exhibition?
This installation merges fashion and art, reflecting my background and training in both fields. Drawing inspiration as well from architecture, my creative process explores concepts through a diverse range of media and perspectives.
Each project I’ve developed carries a unique identity, residing in its own universe. The common thread binding them is the content, rather than the form. Throughout my creative journey, I’ve consistently delved into the intricate relationship between identity, the environments that shape us, gender, and culture.
My migratory experiences have had a profound impact on this exploration. Encountering different cultural frameworks has challenged and enriched my sense of self, leading to constant introspection and self-discovery. Through my art, I seek to delve deeper into these layers of identity and meaning.
Can you give us a glimpse of any other exciting updates coming up for you this year?
My purpose is to create and nurture spaces within the community where acts of creation are not only valued but also celebrated and acknowledged, whether it’s at an individual level or as a collective endeavor. This mission is at the heart of my creative practice, evident in interventions like the “Heart of Community” installation, as well as in my role as a coach and facilitator.
The “Heart of Community” project is particularly special to me as it brings together all the different layers of my professional development: art, design, curating public programming and community engagement.
It’s thrilling to witness how this endeavor continues to evolve and make a significant impact on the community. The experience has been truly rewarding and transformative, and I’m grateful for the unwavering support of Faena Art and the incredible long-standing collaborators, including Mimaki, as well as the local supporter Economy Sign.
As I move forward on this journey, I’ll be sharing regular updates about upcoming workshops, exhibitions, drops, and news through my online platforms: www.anabella-bergero.com and @anibergero. I invite you to join me in this inspiring exploration!
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