International Women Artists’ Salon is pleased to announce that Salon member Amanda Serrano is participating in Art Basel Miami Beach, with her piece Wave featured in a group exhibition at CANDO Arts in Miami Beach, December 1st - 5th. Her work will stay on exhibit through January 10th, 2011 at CANDO Arts.
A message from Amanda:
"Art Basel is an entire season here in Miami. Artists gear up and art fairs pop up all over the city like so many mushrooms. As we local artists scramble to be seen (in case this is 'our year' to be discovered) and find an exhibition opportunity, it's easy to forget about The Reason for the Season: Art Basel itself and all the galleries and artists of acclaim (mostly from otherwhere than here)! If for no other reason, though, no local will forget...because of the traffic and flood of people from all over who descend on our Magic City; Culture Vultures, of the very best kind, we hope, who will explore not only The Fair, but also some of the numerous satellite fairs and local galleries!
It's an exciting time to be an artist in Miami, during Art Basel. A season that in my opinion seems to dwarf Christmas in these parts!"
Wave, 2010, natural sea glass, stainless steel, wire, 62x48x6 inches
Artist Statement for Wave, by Amanda Serrano
Using unlikely material—sea glass and jump rings—I create intricate and ambitious sculptures and installations. Weaving thousands of stainless steel jump rings into lacy chain maille and sea glass designs which are then suspended from the ceiling, giving it a floating, fluid, luminous quality suited for large spaces and a profusion of light.
The obsessive, additive process of weaving jump rings into chain maille is appealing to me as the most direct way to build a connective tissue that best complements the glowing, translucent quality of natural sea glass.
Incorporating chain maille, a technique associated with medieval armor and battle, suggests battle for the environment against littering, pollution, dumping garbage in the ocean, and ultimately global warming. My work is intended to draw attention to the gravity of these issues, but my overall message is one of hope. The environment is capable of healing and cleansing itself of contamination that results from human activity. I am engaged in creating art that raises awareness about nature and it’s processes and the environmental problems we
face, focusing on the potential for rejuvenation of the ocean and Earth.
Nature’s formulation of sea glass from something discarded to something beautiful, speaks to the possibility of growth and transformation within each of us. Incorporating sea glass in sculpture presents an opportunity to evaluate my cultural perspective of disposable items, creating objects of beauty and celebration about hope and redemption, a reminder that the ocean is resilient and there is still time to save it.
Wave, detail
Amanda Serrano is a visual artist and sculptor. Born in the United States, she has lived and traveled extensively throughout Europe, Mexico, as well as the U.S. She earned a bachelor of arts and a master's degree, and has studied at Academy of Art in San Francisco. Inspired by the ocean's ability to transform discarded glass into perfectly and uniquely formed sandblasted gems, she turned her attention to developing eco-friendly contemporary sculpture that celebrates transformation, redemption, and beauty in everyday objects that are commonly
thrown away.
Amanda's studio is in the Wynwood Arts District, Miami, FL.
CANDO Arts Co-op is an artist run gallery in Miami Beach
(about a block away from the Bass Art Museum)
Reception for WET: December 1, 7-11 PM
Group Exhibition runs through January 10, 2011
Juried and curated by Diane Camber
Address: 309 23rd St., Miami Beach, FL 33139
Hours: Thursday & Friday, 4-7 PM; Saturday & Sunday, 12-6 PM;
First Saturday of each month, 6-10 PM
