We visited the Contemporary and Modern Art Project to check out the works of Laetitia 'Laeti' Adam-Rebel. The Haitian American mixed media artist is shaping contemporary art in latest exhibit 'Origin Not Found'.
As we walked through the gallery, we saw works that were influenced by her Haitian American background. Her works have a delicate touch of the Caribbean and speak to common themes of the immigrant experience and assimilation. During the discussion, one of the pieces caught our attention and reminded us of the common theme of parenthood and beauty. Pictured above, Mother and Child Three reminded me of our Blackness and the bond we share when getting our hair done.
The exhibit was absolutely beautiful. Featuring over 15 of her curated pieces, the Miami-based artist uses her art to address the portrayal of beauty, social issues, and personal concerns. My personal favorite piece was Awaiting Consciousness.
Laeti says, " . . . it's a reflection of the complex intersection of identities, and all of their moving parts, in the immigrant experience. It's so much more of a celebration of the worlds you've had to go through in order to get to where you are now rather than this anguished looking back at where things have gone wrong."
This brings me back to my roots of repurposing all items in my home in order to save money, but, also, reduce waste in our home. Laeti uses repurposed shopping bags, produce bags, and packaging to create a structure that speaks volumes to the plight of womanhood. During our gallery visit, we experienced the artist interview where Laeti shared the inspiration and background of this piece. Spoiler alert: the sculpture tells a story of protagonists in her life, mermaids. She says, "The mermaid is my chosen icon. No… rather, the mermaid has chosen me to tell the story of how we humans are destroying her beloved home, the ocean."
About The Artist
Laetitia Adam-Rabel is an artist who immigrated from Haiti to the states at the age of 12. She uses various art media to address social and personal issues such as global warming and rising sea levels, Blackness, feminism, patriarchy, and acceptance. Using mixed media including painting, textile arts, photography, illustration, fashion design, videography, sound art, she portrays beauty while conveying the painful emotions associated with these issues. Laeti's works can be seen at the Contemporary and Modern Art Project.
About The Gallery
A solo exhibition of Laetitia Adam-Rebel's works is featured as part of the Contemporary Art Modern Project. 'Origin Not Found' evokes the social and personal issues faced by immigrants, specifically the artist's exploration of assimilation, motherhood, and Blackness. CAMP exists at the intersection of higher thought and aesthetics, turning the classic gallery model on its head in principle and practice. Founded by Melanie Prapopoulos only a little over a year ago, The CAMP’s approach to curation and criticism is equal parts academic and experimental, resulting in a robust exhibition program that spotlights a range of experiences and media in roster and staff. Coupled with a deep-seated aversion to artist exploitation and an insistence on nurturing the relationship between artist, collector and gallery patron, The Contemporary Art Modern Project's reactionary approach is intentional, designed to disrupt the exploitative norms of the art industry and safeguard the relationship between artistic expression and appreciation (source: CAMP official website, about page).
