Notably, "Godmother of Miami's Art Scene" Mira Lehr's vibrant yet haunting multimedia masterpieces have hung since February in the last show Lehr personally planned before her recent passing. It's been an honor to commemorate this trailblazer who transcended the plane of artistic significance to make an impact on the climate impact as a whole with her cause-driven art, in which she drew inspiration from the conflict of life and destruction in nature. Her usage of flame and sculptural elements infuse her work with a rich earthiness and rare textural character; woven throughout the vibrant colors and botanical-inspired geometry of Lehr's art is a sort of foreboding shadow, a smoky contrasting roughness for each whimsical burst. She's explained in interviews how her work is inspired by the slow destruction of our natural world, and the juxtaposition of these conflicting elements underscore that message masterfully, invoking in the viewer the same sort of spine-tingling, chilling awe as a shadowy wood, or a massive wave. It's a masterful unity of artistic passion and ideological intentionality, and a rare feat.
Following Mira's exhibition, we will welcome photographers Paul Nicklen and Christina Mittermeier to the gallery the weekend of May 5th. This photographic exhibition will follow them across the globe, from Antarctica to Brazil to the American Plains. The team captures the wonders of our natural world in piercing viscerality; in their work, barren Antarctica is startlingly vibrant, and animals we know from stories take on a whole life of their own. It's impossible not to feel tiny and humbled by the awe-inspiring adventures of Nicklen and Mittermeier, standing in the face of phenomena which have long outdated us and will far outlive us. And yet, with particular mastery of contrast, the pair manages to bring us closer than ever before to the natural world, which can feel so distant in a land of highways and skyscrapers; it's a breathtaking realization of our oneness with the awe-inspiring feats of nature, and a remarkable grounding experience. We are delighted to exhibit their incredible works of conservation photography and provide an opportunity for them to share their message as Protectors of the Sea and about their foundation SeaLegacy.
It's no secret that we are at a critically important moment in our planet's history, a moment steeped with anticipation and fear for the millions who would be affected in decades to come by impending climate disasters. However, we are also at a singularly promising moment; the rallying cry of environmentalists is echoing through bodies of government, corporate suites, and the walls of art studios and galleries across the world. As much as the climate crisis is a terrifying phenomenon to be faced with, it is also a testament to the collective action and human spirit which allows for us to make large-scale change, and our artists' work speak to the role that artistic expression can play in both furthering and reflecting human causes and crises. As in Lehr's work, where there is shadow there is light; Nicklen and Mittermeier's photography confronts both the humility of our existence, and the rarity of being in a world so full of wonderment as this one. Through their works, their voices and advocacy they remind us of our beautiful, yet fragile world and our responsibility and call to action. And thus, the power of art lies in its ability to express what we could never say, to allow us to feel through mediums separate from ourselves. It's something we at the gallery are proud to be a part of, and are always grateful for the opportunity to share.
