GRAMMY-winning vocal group Roomful of Teeth performs works inspired by the exhibition at special event co-presented with IluminArts

MIAMI BEACH (Jan. 8, 2020) — Starting Jan. 22, Oolite Arts will present artist Diego Gutierrez’s first solo show, “Hypersensitive Romantic,” an immersive and playful exhibition that questions the function of painting in today’s world.

Stepping into the exhibition at Oolite Arts, curated by Amy Galpin, the viewer moves seamlessly between the brightly painted floor, walls and canvasses, experiencing Gutierrez’s nostalgia and self-described tendency to over-romanticize experiences both real and imagined.

The paintings vary from humorous ruminations on childhood to more social and political topics. In each, Gutierrez pushes the canvases’ boundaries by tearing the surfaces, adding sculptural elements from wood to small ceramic dolls, and constantly reworking each so that the paintings reflect the energy of his creative process.

“Through his work, Diego is asking, what constitutes a painting? Are they even relevant in today’s world? How do they change when they go from being in a studio to being on display?” Galpin said. “These are questions posed by the artists who influence him, yet he answers them in a distinctly different manner.”

Oolite Arts will celebrate the exhibition opening with a reception from 7 to 9 p.m. Jan. 22 at 924 Lincoln Rd.

Jan. 26: Roomful of Teeth’s Miami debut takes inspiration from Gutierrez’s work

To complement the exhibition, Oolite Arts is partnering with IlluminArts to bring GRAMMY-winning vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth for its first Miami performance, “Diego Gutierrez: Open Up,” an unforgettable exploration of music, art, process, romance and freedom.

At the event at Faena, Roomful of Teeth – an ensemble dedicated to reimagining the expressive potential of the human voice whom The New Yorker said is “revolutionizing choral music” – will improvise a piece based on Gutierrez’s works, which will be projected in the room. The curated program will also include selections from Caroline Shaw’s Pulitzer Prize-winning piece, “Partita for 8 voices.”

Tickets for the Jan. 26 performance are $15 a person, or $35 for the performance and brunch, and are available online.

Event Listings:
Oolite Arts Presents Diego Gutierrez’s Hypersensitive Romantic
Gutierrez’s first solo show is an immersive and playful exhibition that questions the function of painting in today’s world.
Opening reception 7 to 9 p.m. Jan. 22
Oolite Arts, 924 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach
Free
RSVP

Diego Gutierrez: Open Up with Roomful of Teeth, presented by Oolite Arts and IlluminArts
10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 26
10:30 a.m.: brunch
11 a.m.: performance
Faena Theater, 3201 Collins Ave.
$35 for brunch and performance, $15 for performance
Tickets

About Oolite Arts
Established in 1984, Oolite Arts advances the knowledge and practice of contemporary visual arts and culture. Oolite Arts creates opportunities for experimentation and encourages the critical exchange of ideas through residencies, exhibitions, public programs, education and outreach. Exhibitions and programs at Oolite Arts are made possible with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council; the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; the Miami Beach Mayor and City Commissioners; the State of Florida, Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs; the Florida Arts Council; the National Endowment for the Arts; and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. For more information, visit oolitearts.org.

About IlluminArts
Founded in 2013 by Artistic Director, Amanda Crider, IlluminArts understands Miami’s desire to experience innovation in the arts. IlluminArts collaborates with museums and galleries to present world class, site specific, curated programs of music that are inspired by the current exhibitions of visual art. Following a desire in programming to highlight social issues, IlluminArts recognizes the power of the arts to inspire thought, dialogue, and action by exposing audiences to performances that not only entertain, but also engage. IlluminArts has collaborated with the de la Cruz Collection, Oolite Arts, ICA Miami, Pèrez Art Museum Miami, Lowe Art Museum and the Bakehouse Art Complex among others, and has received funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Miami Dade County, Awesome Foundation, City of Coral Gables, Miami Salon Group and New Music USA to support its work.

About Diego Gutierrez
Born in Los Angeles in 1982, Diego Gutierrez currently lives and works in Miami. He received his bachelor’s in fine arts from California State Fullerton in 2009 and a master’s in painting from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2012. Gutierrez’s work has been included in multiple group exhibitions including “Welcome to Miami” at The Fountainhead Residency, Miami, “Doers Doing at Gesamtkunst Werkshop,” in Brooklyn, N.Y., and “Spheres of Meaning: An Exhibition of Artists’ Books” at the Frost Art Museum. Gutierrez is a studio resident at Oolite Arts.