Federico Uribe: Objects in a Mirror

Objects in a Mirror

FEDERICO URIBE

Introduction by Adam Adelson Essay by Bartholomew F. Bland

Gladiator (Detail), 2008, Shoelaces and Pins, 60 x 84 inches

Gladiator (Detail), 2008, Shoelaces and Pins, 60 x 84 inches

OBJECTS IN A MIRROR

Federico Uribe (b. 1962) grew up in Bogota, Colombia. After graduating from the University of Los Andes in Bogota in 1988, Federico continued his study of academic painting in New York under Luis Camnitzer. He traveled to work and study in Cuba, Mexico, Russia, England, and landed in Miami, Florida in 2000 where he lives today. After years of struggling to be a painter, Federico realized that his calling was not to draw or paint on canvas, but instead to mold inanimate objects into vibrant images.

Uribe’s shift into new media allowed him to grow into a new subject matter. He stopped rendering the dark imagery that reflected the angst of his youth in Columbia, and turned his attention to the beauty of life. “Celebrating life is better than complaining about it,” says Federico. The potential narratives or supposed meaning seen in his work are not meant to promote any particular ideology; rather, the artist wants to share the imagery of his experience with his viewers. He says that all he wishes to achieve is a smile from those who view his work.

Connected with the Outlet (Detail), 2012, Electric Cables, 14 x 48 inches

The artist’s perspective on the world is that of a child conjuring images in cloud formations. In this mindset, he is constantly redefining the materials that others see as commonplace. He finds opportunity and plasticity in objects, such as shoelaces, computer wires, et al., that are usually only associated with one particular task. Federico repurposes these ordinary things into pictures that question the function of each material that is utilized.

Uribe weaves and attaches intimate emotions into each creation. From a distance, the viewer can clearly see the image that inspired the artist’s vision. Up close, one sees the intricate nature of the creative energy that enabled him to piece together the assemblage. Complementary colors of precisely placed and pinned shoelaces or wires produce chiaroscuro in his work. The conjunction of intricately recycled objects inspires pause and admiration, then self-reflection. Each piece in the exhibition is a self-portrait that invites contemplation from the viewer. Objects in a Mirror was curated to introduce a sample of this world-renowned artist’s oeuvre to Boston.

Adam Adelson Director

Adelson Galleries Boston

Reef (Detail), 2011, Electric Cables, 75 x 106 inches

INTO ART

nder the blinding glare of the Miami summer sun, I first saw Federico Uribe’s installations and was absorbed into his creativity, verve, and capacity for joy. Two years later in 2013, Federico brought his talents to the Hudson River Museum in a extravaganza that became one of the museum’s most popular and successful installations. The creatures in Fantasy River gathered around the “river” that wound through the galleries, transforming them into a tropical paradise.

Fantasy River culminated a seven-year creative journey in which Uribe strove to show objects in new ways: “A screw is a screw and a shoe is a shoe, until it becomes something else,” he said. Connecting objects in fresh ways, Uribe reflects on Nature’s pivotal presence and in the process gives back to Nature what was taken from her - trees made out of books, animals made out of leather shoes. Objects in the Mirror show these same themes that like a river, run through Uribe’s oeuvre.

Creating a fantasy world from materials that exist in the real one is not as simple as it looks. It requires taste, selection, balance, and composition. The grist for Uribe’s art - shoelaces, electric cables, pins, and the color pencil - becomes his tools and his sculpture. Uribe creates his people and animals, some whimsical, some fierce, that show us in works like Gladiator, 2008, the very real qualities of hunter and prey. Artist Uribe like poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson sees and speaks “Nature, red in tooth and claw.”

Installation of Federico Uribe: Fantasy River, Hudson River Museum, 2013

Himself an immigrant, Uribe moved to Miami from Columbia. The warm Florida climate is a steadying creative influence, reminding him of home. Works like Reef, 2011, made from the chilly technology of cables, converts modern materials into a languid tropic pool, its waters alive with colorful corals, fish, and anemones. Uribe’s art is an unusual hybrid that uses the language of pop art to transform the objects of daily life, while acknowledging the traditions of classical art.

Uribe’s talent for heightened visual detail is plain in the frenzied pattern we see in Connected with the Dog, 2012, which refutes Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe’s modernist edict that “Less is More.” In the works of Uribe, More is More. The boy and his dog poised for action accentuate the swirling patterns behind them. In contrast, the patterned background in Self Inquire, 2008 is carefully calculated, mathematically regimented. Both backgrounds are the foils for the foregrounded figures.

Uribe turns often to stories and when he can’t read as he works, he listens to audio books. “I listen to a lot of literature, history, and books on anthropology, and Buddhism, too. My art is full of stories that I read and the drama that I see among animals. ” That drama appears to grand effect in Horse, 2012, where the mane and tail of the rearing animal literally leap beyond the canvas. Uribe creates this hanging wall sculpture, which is not “sculpted” but, instead, constructed and woven in ways, curious and unpredictable, intricate and compulsive. Hand craft is essential to Uribe, who embraces a tradition of exquisitely made objects. “I like the idea”, he says, “of leaving my materials visible as a testimony of my process and how much work I put into it.”

Bartholomew F. Bland Director of Curatorial Affairs Hudson

Installation of Federico Uribe: Fantasy River, Hudson River Museum, 2013

River Museum

f you relate to the objects, good. If it makes you smile, better. If it makes you think, I’m sure you’re not thinking what I thought. I don’t believe this form is to transmit knowledge or ideas, no, just feelings. The process to create any of these things is somehow to translate a feeling into an image. I have the hope that this image that I have created somehow relates to a feeling that I had, and somehow will relate to your feeling.

- Federico Uribe

Your Presence in My Head (Detail), 2008, Shoelaces and Pins, 60 x 30 inches

Connected with the Dog (Detail), 2012, Electric Cables, 69 x 48 inches

Connected with the Past (Detail), 2012, Electric Cables, 29 x 84 inches

Horse (Detail), 2012, Electric Cables, 69 x 48 inches

Brain Wash (Detail), 2008, Shoelaces and Pins, 69 x 48 inches

| WORKS IN THE EXHIBITION

o me, this process of creating objects is all about the senses, it’s not about meaning. It’s not about a message. I’m not trying to say anything specific to you that I want you to understand that I’ve understood about life besides that I have seen it.

”

4

- Federico Uribe

Self Inquire, 2008, Shoelaces and Pins, 69 x 48 inches

Brain Wash, 2008, Shoelaces and Pins, 69 x 48 inches

Your Presence in My Head, 2008, Shoelaces and Pins, 60 x 30 inches

Gladiator, 2008, Shoelaces and Pins, 60 x 84 inches

Connected with the Dog, 2012, Electric Cables, 69 x 48 inches

Silence, 2007, Shoelaces and Pins, 72 x 48 inches

Horse, 2012, Electric Cables, 69 x 48 inches

Grounded, 2012, Electric Cables, 69 x 48 inches

Reef, 2011, Electric Cables, 75 x 106 inches

I Have Been Thinking, 2008, Shoelaces and Pins, 69 x 48 inches

EXHIBITION HISTORY

Federico Uribe was born 1962 in Bogota, Colombia. Graduated from the University of Los Andes in Bogota 1988

MFA in New York under the supervision of Luis Camnitzer

Solo Exhibitions

2013 Hudson River Museum - “Fantasy River” - Yonkers, New York, USA

2013 Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (MAC) - “Dos Hemisferios” - Panama, Panama.

2012 Now Contemporary Art Gallery - “Painting on a Shoe String” -Miami, USA

2012 Art Miami, Miami, USA

2011 BRMA - “The World According to Federico Uribe” - Boca Raton, USA

2010 Wolfsonian Museum - “Slowly but surely” - Miami Beach, USA

2010 Praxis Gallery/ Waterfront Park - “Cyclic” - Palm Beach, USA

2010 Praxis Gallery/ ArtPalmBeach - “Risk” - Palm Beach, USA

2010 Praxis Gallery / MIA - “Risk” - Miami, USA

2009 FUMI Gallery - “Federico Uribe’s Sculptures” - London, England

2009 Praxis Gallery - “Abstract-O” - Miami, USA

2009 Chelsea Art Museum - “Pencilism” – New York, USA

2009 Oratorio San Rocco - “Human Nature” – Padova, Italy

2008 La comunidad - “Animal Farm” - Miami, USA

2007 Chelsea Art Museum - “Human Nature” – New York, USA

2006 PUMA - “Human Nature” - Miami, USA

2006 Annina Nosei Gallery / SCOPE - “Solo Show” - Miami, USA

2005 Design Miami - “Second Nature” - Miami, USA

2005 Jacob Karpio Gallery / Art Basel - “Pencil paintings“- Miami Beach, USA

2004 Art Museum of the Americas / O.A.S. - “Federico Uribe” - Washington, USA.

2004 Jacob Karpio Gallery -“Garden on gardening tools“- Palm Beach, USA

2004 Joan Guaita Art Gallery - “Federico Uribe”- Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

2003 Annina Nosei Gallery - “Comments on Paintings” - New York, USA.

2003 Bass Museum of Arts - “Garden on tools” & “Screwed” - Miami, USA

2002 Annina Nosei Gallery -“Screwed” - New York, USA.

2002 Angel Romero Gallery - “Cactus Garden” - Miami, USA.

2012 Art Platform, LA, USA

2001 Annina Nosei Gallery - “Torsos” - Chicago, USA.

2001 Futurshow - “Cactus Garden” - Bologna, Italy.

2000 Annina Nosei Gallery - “Adam and Eve” - New York, USA.

2000 Instituto Cabañas - “Silfides y Jardin de Cactus” - Guadalajara, México.

1999 Adriana Schmidt Gallery - “Federico Uribe” - Köln, Germany.

Self Inquire (Detail), 2008, Shoelaces and Pins, 69 x 48 inches

Public Lectures

2008 Miami Art Museum – MAM Art Trekkers - Lecture Nov.15 - Miami, USA

2008 Bass Museum of Arts – ArtCrowd - Lecture Jan.15 - Miami, USA

2007 Los Altos de Chavon School of Design-Workshop Oct.10/13-Dominican Republic

2007 FIU Visual Art Department - Workshop Oct. 4 - Miami, USA

2007 Bass Museum of Arts – ArtCrowd - Lecture Sep.5 - Miami, USA

2007 Frost Art Museum - Latin American & Caribbean Art Lecture Series” Apr.17 - Miami

2006 Inside Out – “Pecha Kucha” – Lecture Dec.7 - Miami, USA

2003 Bass Museum of Arts – ArtCrowd - Lecture Aug.18 - Miami, USA

Art Publications

Jan 2010 Wolfsonian- FIU - “ The Wolfsonian presents Federico Uribe” - USA

Jan 2010 Art in America - “ Insight” - USA

Jan 2010 Artinfo.com - “New Miami art fair” - USA

Jan 2010 Artknowledge News - “Mia International art fair” - USA

Jan 2010 Bogamia Art - “Entrevista with Federico Uribe” - Colombia

Jan 2010 Latin American Art - “Groundbreaking exhibition” - USA

Dec 2009 Art Pulse - “Federico Uribe: Animal Farm” - USA

Sep 2009 Miami Art Guide - “Pencilism” - USA

Aug 2009 Artknowledge News - “Federico Uribe’s Human Nature” - USA

Jul 2009 Art News - “Federico Uribe” - USA

Jul 2009 Cantalicia - “Federico Uribe” - Colombia

May 2009 Art Nexus No.72 - “Federico Uribe” - International Edition

Feb 2009 Wynwood The art magazine - “Animal Farm” - USA

Dec 2008 Opera Gallery – “Ma Tse Lin & Federico Uribe” – Catalogue - Monaco

Feb 2008 MiamiArtzine - “Culture Club” - USA

Sep 2007 Art Nexus No.66 - “Federico Uribe/Chelsea Art Museum/International Edition

Jul 2007 Resolve40 – “Human Nature” - USA

May 2007 Artnews – “Federico Uribe” - USA

Dec 2006 Art Basel Miami Beach – “Art in Unexpected Places” - USA

Dec 2005 Art Basel Miami Beach – “Special Event”& “Design05” - USA

Apr 2005 Arte al Dia - “The Artist of the Month” - USA

Apr 2005 Artes en Santo Domingo - “Federico Uribe”- Dominican Republic

Jan 2005 Art Nexus No.55 - “FIAC” - International Edition

Sep 2004 Art Museum of the Americas - “Federico Uribe”- USA

Apr 2004 Art Nexus No.52 - “Palm Beach Contemporary - International Edition

Aug 2004 Arbus - “Push Play” - USA

Aug 2004 Jacksonville Museum of Art - “Push Play” - USA

Apr 2004 Southward Art/Latin American Art review -“The humor of form”- USA

Apr 2004 The Ignatian Center For The Arts - “American Dream” - USA

Apr 2003 Art Nexus No. 48 - “Federico Uribe - International Edition

Jun 2003 Annina Nosei Gallery - “1998-2003”- USA

Aug 2003 Bass Museum of Art - “ArtCrowd” -USA

Mar 2003 Arte al Dia - “Federico Uribe” – USA

Jan 2003 Bass Museum of Art - “Federico Uribe at Bass Museum of Art -USA

Jan 2003 Arte - “Federico Uribe - Classico contemporaneo” – Italy

Aug 2002 Nassau County Museum of Art – “The Latin Century” - USA

Apr 2002 Art Nexus No.44 - “Art Miami 2002” - International Edition

Aug 2001 Art Nexus No.41 - “Art Chicago 2001” - International Edition

Dec 2000 New York Contemporary Art Report - “Annina Nosei Gallery” - USA

Sep 2000 Levante - “Jovenes en Adelantado” - Spanish Edition

Aug 2000 New York Contemporary Art Report - “Annina Nosei Gallery” - USA

Sep 2000 NY Arts No.10 - “Federico Uribe” - USA

May 2000 Art Nexus No.36 - “Art Miami 2000” - International Edition

Collective Exhibitions

2008 Opera Gallery – collective show - Dubai

2008 Opera Gallery – “Ma Tse Lin & Federico Uribe” - Monaco

2008 Praxis Gallery – collective show - Miami, USA.

2008 Luminaire & Christie’s - “Paper Love” - Miami, USA.

2007 Transylvania University/Morlan Gallery-“Inprinted Bodies”- Lexington,USA.

2007 Macy’s East - “Art under glass summer 2007” - New York, USA.

2006 Luminaire & Christie’s - “Poppy Love” - Miami, USA.

2005 Galeria Lyle O’Reitzel - “Contra corriente” - Santo Domingo, Dominican Rep.

2004 Jacksonville Museum of Modern Art - “Push Play: redefining Pop” - USA.

2004 The Ignatian Center for the Arts - “American Dream” - Miami, USA.

2003 Polk Museum of Art - “A Painting over a sofa” - Lakeland, USA.

2003 National Gallery of Cayman Islands -”Fresh” - Cayman Islands

2002 The Nassau County Museum of Art -“The Latin Century” - New York, USA.

2002 ArtCenter/South Florida Gallery -“The Medium is the message”-Miami, USA

2001 Bernice Steinbaum Gallery - “A painting over the sofa”- Miami, USA.

2001 The Babilonia Wilner Collection - “Circos Globulos” - Berkeley, USA.

2000 Luis Adelantado Gallery - “3a. convocatoria internacional”- Valencia, Spain.

2000 Annina Nosei Gallery - “Summer Show” - New York, USA.

Public Lectures

2008 Miami Art Museum – MAM Art Trekkers - Lecture Nov.15 - Miami, USA

2008 Bass Museum of Arts – ArtCrowd - Lecture Jan.15 - Miami, USA

2007 Los Altos de Chavon School of Design-Workshop Oct.10/13-Dominican Republic

2007 FIU Visual Art Department - Workshop Oct. 4 - Miami, USA

2007 Bass Museum of Arts – ArtCrowd - Lecture Sep.5 - Miami, USA

2007 Frost Art Museum - Latin American & Caribbean Art Lecture Series” Apr.17 - Miami, USA

2006 Inside Out – “Pecha Kucha” – Lecture Dec.7 - Miami, USA

2003 Bass Museum of Arts – ArtCrowd - Lecture Aug.18 - Miami, USA

Catalogs

2009 Praxis Gallery - “Pencilism”

2009 Praxis Gallery - “Abstracts-O”

2009 Oratorio di San Rocco - “Human Nature”

2008 Opera Gallery - “Ma Tse Lin & Federico Uribe

2004 The Ignatian Center For The Arts - “American Dream”

2004 Jacksonville Museum of Art - “Push Play Redefining Pop”

2001 Bernice Steinbaum Gallery - “A Painting Over a Sofa”

Grants & Awards

2008 NYF International Advertising Awards – Silver & Bronze medals

2001 Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs - “New Forms Miami”- USA

2000 South Florida Art Center - Miami, USA.

1992 The Delfina Studios Trust - London, U.K.

1991 Ciudad de México - México, D.F.

6 | CHECKLIST

Brain Wash, 2008

Shoelaces and Pins

69 x 48 inches

Connected with the Dog, 2012

Electric Cables

69 x 48 inches

Connected with the Outlet, 2012

Electric Cables

14 x 48 inches

Connected with the Past, 2012

Electric Cables

29 x 84 inches

Gladiator, 2008

Shoelaces and Pins

60 x 84 inches

Grounded, 2012

Electric Cables

69 x 48 inches

Horse, 2012

Electric Cables

69 x 48 inches

I Have Been Thinking, 2008

Shoelaces and Pins

69 x 48 inches

Self Inquire, 2008

Shoelaces and Pins

69 x 48 inches

Silence, 2007

Shoelaces and Pins

72 x 48 inches

Reef, 2011

Electric Cables

75 x 106 inches

Your Presence in My Head, 2008

Shoelaces and Pins

60 x 30 inches

Federico Uribe in front of Reef, Photo courtesy of Steven D. Morse

FEDERICO URIBE |

Objects in a Mirror |

May 2 - June 29, 2014

Photography

Photography of the artwork courtesy of Moris Moreno

Photography of the artist courtesy of Steven D. Morse

Photography on pages 11, 13 courtesy of the Hudson River Museum

Design

Alexander Stevovich - Transomnebulism

Printing

Brookline Print Center, Watertown MA

Fonts

Myriad Pro, Calibri, Century Gothic, Consolas

Thanks to Bartholomew F. Bland, Linda Locke, and the Hudson River Museum.

Federico Uribe is represented by

Our appreciation to NOW Contemporary Art and their director, Pablo Dona.

ISBN: 978-0-692-20107-7

Adelson Galleries Boston

520 Harrison Avenue, Boston MA 02118

617.832.0633

www.adelsongalleriesboston.com

© Adelson Galleries Boston, 2014