Cristina Lei Rodriguez and Paul Morrison
Steering clear of her usual gooey weeping willows, the homegrown artist has tapped into the central nervous system of Sixties minimalist and junk art in her new show. Rodriguez deserves kudos for avoiding her comfort zone. New paintings and sculptures by British artist Paul Morrison are ripe with botanical roots and resonate with muffled gloom. They are gorgeous, immaculately executed works that tweak perception with a skull-humping finesse. Carlos Suarez De Jesus Through May 24. Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, 194 NW 30th St., Miami; 305-573-2130, www.galerieperrotin.com.
Botero, Chihuly, and Lichtenstein
With the sculptural works of Fernando Botero, Dale Chihuly, and especially Roy Lichtenstein at every turn throughout its 83 acres, there's widespread whimsy at Fairchild. Chihuly's glass pieces resemble plants and flowers boosted by alien DNA; Botero's languorously bulbous sculptures of people and horses seem pridefully overfed. But it's Lichtenstein who steals the show with works such as Coup de Chapeau II, Airplane, and House II. Frank Houston Through May 31. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Rd., Coral Gables; 305-667-1651, www.fairchildgarden.org.
Wifredo Lam: One-Man Show and Frank Stella: Studio
Late in life, Lam incorporated sculptural media into his art. These statuesque, totemlike forms illustrate Lam's association with Picasso and friends, and prove to be the collection's novel elements. Nader is also showing Fernando Botero and Muñoz Vera, but "Frank Stella: Studio" on the second floor steals the spotlight. The work is beautifully organized chaos and the perfect exhibition to fill the high ceilings and vast white space. The garish Day-Glo colors and monumental streamlined forms are pure fun and funk. Steph Hurst Through May 31. Gary Nader Fine Art, 62 NE 27th St., Miami; 305-576-0256, www.garynader.com.
Under the Radar: Nine Chinese Artists Interpret the Figure
This exhibition features eight artists making their U.S. debut: Liang Haopeng, Li Jia, Wang Limin, Liu Qi Ming, Zhu Yan, Liao Yibai, Liao Zhenwu, and He Zubin. Many of the works exude an undeniable political veneer. Jia's The Mind of the Rose #2 depicts a lollipop-headed girl whose tears suggest her crush on socialism has hit a dead end. Carlos Suarez De Jesus Through June 2. ArtSpace/Virginia Miller Galleries, 169 Madeira Ave., Coral Gables; 305-444-4493, www.virginiamiller.com.
Stay-at-Home Dad
For his current project at Hardcore, Juan-Si Gonzales literally put his balls on the line. The 47-year-old Cuban artist underwent a vasectomy reversal operation, allowing him to create "Stay-at-Home Dad," featuring several digital prints of his infant daughter along with religious toys and text that reflect a virulent strain of fundamentalist marketing plaguing the heartland. Other exhibits on display at the gallery include Aisen Chacin's "Secluded," Andres Michelena's "Time-less Time," and an untitled site-specific project by Pepe Lopez. Carlos Suarez De Jesus Through June 6. Hardcore Art Contemporary Space, 3326 N. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-576-1645, www.hardcoreartcontemporary.com.
Quisqueya Henríquez: The World Outside
From the Bronx Museum comes the widely acclaimed survey of 17 years of work by Cuban-Dominican artist Quisqueya Henríquez, a design-oriented intermedia artist with impeccable craftsmanship. The exhibition showcases the artist's proclivity for self-determination and versatility through photography, sculpture, drawing, sound, video, and installation. From her early photographic documentation of seaweed arranged in honeycomb sculptures to found sounds from the streets of Santo Domingo installed in a sofa, her works engage the viewer in a fresh multisensory experience. Steph Hurst Through July 20. Miami Art Museum, 101 W. Flagler St., Miami; 305-375-3000, www.miamiartmuseum.org.
