Exploration of freedom in contemporary art permeates with a new exhibition based on a lived experience
The Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami (MOCA) will progress through its winter season with the presentation of Faces of Freedom by Haitian-born artist Jean-Claude Legagneur. Curated by Jorge Luis Gutierrez, the exhibition will be on display from February 7 to March 5, 2017. Admission to MOCA is $5, and it is free to MOCA members and North Miami residents. The artist’s reception will be held Thursday, February 9, 7-9 p.m. with admission of $10 to the general public, free to MOCA members and North Miami residents.
Faces of Freedom is a collection of over 60 works of art, including paintings, drawings, videos and tridimensional objects that constitute a part of a room installation.
Central to the exhibition are Legagneur’s oversized portraits. The representation of the face, as related to the idea of freedom from slavery, is linked directly to the identity humans are given by the narratives of their past. These works speak for people who are no longer silenced.
Faces of Freedom is a collection inspired by a vision I had more than a decade ago. These paintings are a reflection of that inspiration. Each expression conveys the emotion and intelligence of a subject once repressed, but no longer,” states Legagneur. “The power in each gaze sends the audience into a deep reflection, not only of the subject’s life experiences, triumphs and tragedies, but also of their own journey. The portraits encourage viewers to consider freedom, past and present, personal and civic, as they progress through the exhibit. The emotions evoked resonate with the human experience whether in the Caribbean, America, Latin America, Africa and Europe.”
“Legagneur is a painter, and this must be understood to value the hard work and permanent effort put into all of his creations,” said Natasha Colebrook-Williams, Interim MOCA Director. “He has a keen eye when it comes to figurative painting, bringing out the emotion, flaw and beauty creating a masterpiece. MOCA is proud of the international outlook it is able to present and the unique exhibitions it shares with our audience.”
Legagneur, born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, traveled to the United States in 1971 to pursue his calling as an artist. He studied visual arts at the Students Art League in New York. Today, he presents himself as a painter who has a predilection marked for figurative art. Legagneur’s work has been featured in exhibitions all over the globe including the Florence Biennale, Smith Village Gallery in Winston-Salem, Art Fusion Galleries in Miami, Arador Gallery in New York, Harlem Fine Arts in Martha’s Vineyard and Gallery Nader of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.
About Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) is dedicated to making contemporary art accessible to diverse audiences – especially underserved populations – through the collection, preservation and exhibition of the best of contemporary art and its art historical influences. The Museum is located at 770 NE 125th Street, North Miami, FL 33161. It is open Tuesday–Friday from 11 a.m.–5 p.m., Saturday 1–9 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. (closed Mondays and major holidays). Admission to the museum is $5, but is free to MOCA members and North Miami residents. For more information, visit mocanomi.org or call 305-893-6211.
