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18/11/2012

Josiah McElheny

Vizcaya Museum, Miami

From sculptor Alexander Stirling Calder, who created the striking figures that adorn the barge, to painters John Singer Sargent and Gari Melchers, who were extended house guests of James Deering's, Vizcaya has been a source of inspiration to artists since its very inception. Through the Contemporary Arts Project (CAP), Vizcaya continues Deering's patronage by reaching out to the artistic community-both locally and nationally-to offer artists the opportunity to explore our resources and interpret them in new ways.

Imagine a surreal light spa beneath the gardens of James Deering's lush winter home, Vizcaya. That's what New York-based artist and MacArthur Fellow Josiah McElheny has done in his evocative new film, The Light Club of Vizcaya: A Women's Picture, created for the Museum's Contemporary Arts Project (CAP). This commission program invites artists to develop site-specific projects inspired by Miami's popular National Historic Landmark.

McElheny's exhibition references a little-known short story by German writer Paul Scheerbart, The Light Club of Batavia, published in 1912. Architecture, as the means to realize dreams and fantasies, is the main theme of Scheerbart's satirical short story, and Vizcaya's architecture and geographical location almost perfectly echo the setting of Scheerbart's novella.

The characters in Scheerbart's story become obsessed with the construction of an underground light spa built entirely out of Tiffany glass. McElheny substitutes Scheerbart’s main characters with figures from Vizcaya’s history, re-creating a narrative about the promise of modernity and utopia. The film collages footage of historical and archival documents with images of Vizcaya's grounds, interiors and architectural elements today. The narrative unfolds through a series of stills and moving images accompanied by Zoe Leonard's voice-over narration. The script was written by Canadian-born poet Rachel Zolf.

McElheny investigates the overlap between fact and fiction, dominant history, and plausible alternative narratives in his artwork. Best known for his visually compelling glass installations, he draws from a range of disciplines—history, architecture, physics and literature, among others—and works in a variety of media. Trained at the Rhode Island School of Design and glass foundries in Europe, McElheny is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards and commissions, including the MacArthur Fellowship and the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Award.

The Contemporary Arts Project (CAP) reinvigorates Vizcaya with the creative dialogue that characterized its foundation, engaging artists whose practice establishes a discourse or a critique with the physical and cultural contexts of the place. In addition to Josiah McElheny's project, Vizcaya has commissioned site-specific work from Ernesto Oroza, Naomi Fisher and Francesco Simeti throughout 2011 and 2012.

Film viewing is free with admission. Runs continuously during open hours.

Conversation with the Artist
Monday, March 4, 2013 7:00 p.m., Courtyard
Join us for a talk with artist Josiah McElheny, Bill Horrigan (curator-at-large at the Wexner Center for the Arts) and John Stuart (professor and chairman of the Department of Architecture at Florida International University). Stuart will moderate a discussion on Scheerbart’s innovative theories of architecture and their impact on McElheny’s work.

Media contacts:
Elizabeth Cerejido, Assistant Curator / Holly Blount, Marketing Director T 305 8608423 / 305 8608451
elizabeth.cerejido@vizcaya.org / holly.blount@vizcaya.org

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
3251 South Miami Avenue Miami, Florida 33129
open daily except Tuesdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Adult $15
Child 6-12 $ 6
Children 5 and under Free
Seniors 62 and older with ID $ 10
Students with ID $ 10

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