Firelei Baez's work is so uniquely regal that it instantly transports you to another world when you view it. Her unconventional usage of objects like hairy fur and flowers to fill familiar silhouettes creates a nostalgic environment that would otherwise not exist. We recently framed one of her massive pieces and we were amazed by her meticulous style.
Erick with the completed Firelei Baez.
We floated this piece using Japanese paper hinges and rice paste over acid free museum board backing. Next we chose a custom gold gothic moulding and finished off with museum glass for the glazing. The gold and yellow tones complemented each other perfectly.
Man Without a Country (aka anthropophagist wading in the Artibonite River) 2012
As a Dominican-American artist, Firelei does make allusions to the immigrant experience in the US. However, her otherworldly aesthetic takes center stage with an explosion of soft translucent colors, flower filled skin and full womanly bodies that carry an air of warm elegance. She creates her multi-genre pieces on paper, often mixing paint washes with hand drawn images. In an Artsy editorial, writer Jared Quinton summarizes one of her many diaspora allusions; "Báez channels the long history of ornamentation and fashion as acts of resistance among women of the African Diaspora. She embodies this connection quite literally through her intensive artistic labor, uniting their struggles with those of today."
Demetrea, 2011
Her emphasis on vehicles of femininity and beauty are clean, moving and refreshing for the viewer. Firelei received her BFA from Cooper Union, her MFA from Hunter College and attended the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in 2008. She had a solo show called Bloodlines at PAMM and is currently showing Bloodlines at The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, PA. Recently, she also had an installation for the Future Generation Art Prize. Currently, Firelei is represented by the Lyle O'Reitzel Gallery in New York City. To see more of her work check out her Instagram and Artsy. To see what else we're working on, follow us on Instagram or stop by the shop for a quote.
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