Press Release
September 21, 2003
Arturo Correa, a Venezuelan artist whose work reflects his
ongoing quest for spiritual enlightenment, will open a one-person
exhibition of his work at ArtSpace/ Virginia Miller Galleries
from 7-10 p.m. Friday, October 3rd.
The exhibition includes new paintings, works on paper, and
an installation. Called “The Most Precious Gift,” the installation
consists of a labyrinth with a series of paintings of the
various items that seemed most important to the
artist at different times in his life.
As he acquires each coveted item–starting with his childhood teddy bear, then
a toy fire truck, then a bicycle and a car, the paintings continue to a college
degree, wife, family and home–the artist asks himself, “Is this the most precious
gift?” Ultimately, viewers interact with the art to find the answer to that
question for themselves.
Recent Coral Gables Mural
One of Correa's recent public projects, a 120-foot mural in the heart of the
Coral Gables business district, was completed in early August. Thought to be
the first outdoor mural in Coral Gables, it was commissioned by Hines, developers
of the retail and office complex at 2525 Ponce de Leon Blvd. The monumental
mural depicts one of the artist's favorite subjects, carousel horses.
“I view carousels as a metaphor for life itself,” Correa says. “You enter the
carousel of life, and if you really want to badly enough, you will choose the
horse you like the best—or you can resign yourself to take whatever horse is
available. When your carousel starts going around you get excited and emotions
are high, but then it winds down and finally, it stops.
“Then the next generation of boys and girls climb up onto the carousel of life,
decide whether they want a particular horse badly enough to grab it or wait for
it, and decide whether they dare to stretch out for the elusive brass ring of
success or just ride around in circles with all the others.”
Delray Beach Sculpture
Another of the artist's public projects completed in early August was a colorful
house sculpture on Delray Beach's Pineapple Grove ArtWalk. The outside walls
of the house depict the pride and desperation of the poor and homeless. Its
interior walls are white, so visitors can complete the work with their comments
on poverty and homelessness.
“ We all see homeless people, and after a while, we hardly notice them any more,” Correa
says. “This simple house represents the basic shelter everyone needs and that
we are failing to provide for some people. This sculpture is intended to remind
people that the problem persists.”
The sculpture is similar to one Correa created last year at the town hall in
his home town of Valencia, Venezuela, where hundreds of people wrote their
views on the problem of poverty. The city is documenting their statements in
a catalogue. Born in Valencia in 1967, Correa received his BFA at Central Florida
University and his masters of fine arts at New York University. He recently
was chosen to represent Venezuelan visual arts in the Third Annual International
Arts Festival of Valencia.
Correa also has had solo exhibitions in the Museum of Fine Arts in Maracaibo,
the Museum of Barquisimeto, the Salazar Museum of Art in Valencia, and several
private galleries in Venezuela, as well as Washington Square Windows at New
York University; and the University of Central Florida, Orlando, along with
numerous group exhibitions.
Located at 169 Madeira Ave., ArtSpace/Virginia Miller Galleries is
Greater Miami's longest-established fine art gallery. Gallery hours are 11
a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and by appointment. The Correa works
will be on exhibit until Nov. 28th. For more information, call 305-444-4493.
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