Cracking Stereotypes

This exhibition identifies the common threads among established and emerging Miami artists. Bas's The Aesthete's Toy -- depicting a carapace filled with trinkets that sits on a Persian rug, above which hang three lamps -- was a well-suited homage to French author Karl Huysmans.

Conceptually closer to Bas was Cristina Lei Rodriguez's commemorative installation -- cinder blocks, a pole, a fence, bird toys, and flora topped with a tiny sailboat. I found Mark Handforth's bike (filled with colored candles) to be a poetic statement, akin to something from Roger Corman's The Wild Angel.

In addition there was Bert Rodriguez's cleverly framed series of identical self-portrait photographs in which he poses as an executive-like model (Rodriguez is truly a Miami Duchamp). Naomi Fisher offered some of her color-saturated -- and visually enticing -- series, Assy Flora; while Jiae Hwang (the youngest of the bunch) displayed a collection of pencil drawings titled I'm the Real Princess of the Magical Land -- delicate, witty, and humorous.

Coetzee points out some recurring images connecting the artists, such as a boat that appears in different guises throughout works by Bedia, Bas, Lei Rodriguez, and Young -- perhaps symbolizing an epic journey each has endured. The altar is another symbol present in the works of Handforth, Lei Rodriguez, and even Fisher, with her self-portraits displayed as mounds of flora. Then there's the horse -- seen in Young's paintings, Cooper's works, and Bedia's assemblages.

Miami and its art scene are relatively young, and with an eye on the future, one easily understands why shows like this are needed: They bring to light historic points of reference for tomorrow's artists and historians.

Boasting a newly refurbished art house in addition to legendary art holdings, the Rubell Family Collection is one of America's best (privately owned) contemporary venues. Its current exhibit suggests, beyond its themes, that Miami artists are internationally respected.