IN MY MIND'S EYE: PART TWO | GIANNA DI BARTOLOMEO
March 29, 2018 – April 13, 2018
Miami Beach Urban Studios
As the second solo exhibition of the series, FIU MFA ’19 candidate, Gianna DiBartolomeo explores memory through affect. Through her vivid use of color and labor-intensive repetitious processes, DiBartolomeo creates a whimsical world of delectable sweets, glimmering sequins, hair ribbons, and paper planes suspended in flight. In her Touch from Above series, DiBartolomeo takes “that sweet feeling” we get from an unexpected act of kindness and brings it to life with paintings that resemble piped frosting and merengue treats. These mixed media panels are tempting to taste and meant to sweeten the viewer’s day like a much-needed hug or a selfless act of kindness. The artist contrasts this sweetness with her other series All that Glitters, which reflects on the curious way that things are not always as they appear. These shiny, glittery works play on the beautiful distractions we construct for ourselves.
Home Sweet Home: Pixelated Sunset stands as an anchor for the exhibition, combining a contemporary image of one of Miami’s breathtaking sunsets with the traditional sewing technique of half-stitch using ribbon. With every groove and puff of color, the viewer is transported back to simpler times of mobile uploads and pixelated imagery. In the final viewing room, DiBartolomeo creates Paper Planes, a time sensitive installation meant to embody the act of getting hopes off the ground. It recalls a certain childhood state of mind where the grass is tall and aspirations fly unfettered. In this display, aspirations are in a state of suspension—not yet foiled, but not yet soaring through the sky.
