by Onajídé Shabaka 21 Dec., 2007

  Casa Lin Yard Not for the Birds

    by Onajídé Shabaka

Every year during Art Basel Miami Beach on a quiet Wynwood street a number of local artists display work in an unusual location, the yard of a local resident. That location is called Casa Lin. This is one of the finest local projects in the area in that is offers the potential to create, or site, work that is temporary yet lasting in memory.

Again this year was a brunch with the artists in the shaded area on the side and rear of the house. Having an opportunity to work outside of the gallery is, one would think, an opportunity many artists would relish. Earlier in the year a number of artists displayed works in a number of Miami-Dade County parks that were sited on a temporary basis. But, in a private residence such as Casa Lin, an artist would have more leeway in terms of the works as the access is more restricted than in a park where anyone, especially children, could possibly hurt themselves. And, having a bit more ability to explore in the private location would lift some of those same governmental restrictions.

This simple sculpture (above) has a monumental scale made from simple materials, dirt. Earthworks are more associated with the wide expanses of the western states. Florida's thin crust and hard coral rock foundation discourage temporary works.

If you are a gardener, or a lover of horticulture, you know the signage used to identify species, full of cryptic latin text but, how about a series of small painted images? I found these had a great deal of potential that I would personally love to see more of. And, outdoors, not indoors. Discover them around a place like Fairchild Tropical Garden. Wouldn't that be a treat.

My timing could have been better but, these textiles by Pip Brant are richer and more nuanced than was possible to photograph at the time I was there. Finally leaving the property I noticed a shiny object embedded in the ground. Similar to a series of mirrors shaped to create a polygon, this work actually reflects not ones face but, all the peripheral plants and sky in a unexpected way to force viewers to search for their own reflection and not easily find it.

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