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As a contemporary movement artist, my favorite part of my artistic method is the creation process and the journey rather than the final product. Because of this, I feel a great connection with Charles Deering’s fascination with the creative impulse and the significance and beauty of unfinished artwork that I discovered when researching this residency program. Although it may be easier to visibly distinguish an unfinished visual art work, I am yearning to explore how that translates to performance art through physicalization, guided improvisation, and spontaneous multidisciplinary collaboration with other creatives. My creative impulse has been driven by the unique nature and climate of Miami in general. Being surrounded by the lushness of over eight different South Florida ecosystems and the untouched Biscayne Bay grass beds and mangroves that exist in the Deering Estate brings a sense of home, community, divine power, and environmental awareness to my movement research.
On July 23, 2023, I was able to lead a movement and technology workshop at the Deering Estate’s Visitor Center for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities in collaboration with my technical director Trish Gutierrez. The goal of the workshop was to connect creatives in our community to the joy of nature, research, movement and exploration in a safe and welcoming space. It was beautiful to see a diverse group of people from all walks of life coming together to move and create at the Estate. This was also many participants’ first time visiting Deering Estate, which brought me great joy. As a child from an immigrant family, my parents were always too preoccupied with work and survival to take my brother and I to these wonderful places; therefore, it means a great deal tome to introduce such a beautiful historic ecological gem to fellow community members.
Part of an inspiring creative process to me means being derailed and pushed into another unforeseen artistic journey, which led me to begin creating a dance film. This idea was sparked when I was gathering dance recordings on the Wishing Stone by Richard Medlock on the Deering Estate Boat Basin, which subtly references cycles of nature in the imagery inscribed on the top surfaces. By collecting and incorporating the audio clips of a group of young adults who grew up in Miami, my current collaborative dance film “Caracoles en Cemento” hopes to begin humanizing Miami’s reputation. Taking inspiration from the Fibonacci sequence, the dance film steps into the repetitive response the city is taking to climate change, and references Naomi Klein’s “The Shock Doctrine” to acknowledge the agency human society has in exacerbating climate change. Ultimately, we hope the audience walks away with a better understanding of what residents are already experiencing in the face of climate change, inspired to get involved.Learn more about the Deering Estate’s Artist in Residence program online.
About the Deering Estate
Deering Estate, located at 16701 SW 72 Ave. in Miami, is a 21st Century house museum, cultural and ecological field station, and a national landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places, owned by the State of Florida and managed by Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department. Deering Estate is designated as one of seven Miami Dade County “Heritage Parks” which have a vital role in our community’s history, environment and in providing recreational and cultural experiences.
Cultural Arts Programming at the Deering Estate is made possible with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, and The Deering Estate Foundation, Inc.
