Four Moments of the Sun II By: T. Eliott Mansa

T. Eliott Mansa is a Miami based visual artist who specializes in creating assemblages, paintings, and sculptures. His artwork is characterized by the fusion of styles reminiscent of visionary Southern vernacular sculpture. Mansa's primary objective is to stimulate the imaginative faculties of his audience, urging them to challenge prevailing norms and discover their own socio-political agency within their communities. He draws on a diverse range of influences, including West African, Caribbean, and Southern religious and vernacular sculptural traditions. Mansa received a BFA from the University of Florida (2000) and an MFA from CUNY-Hunter College (2018). Recent exhibition venues include LnS Gallery and David Castillo Gallery in Miami, FL, African American Museum of the Arts, DeLand FL, and Miami Museum of Contemporary Art of the African Diaspora, Miami FL. Mansa is a recipient of the 2019 and 2022 Ellies Creator Awards, Green Space Initiative Grant, and the YoungArts Microgrant.

Host: Rosie Gordon-Wallace Recording Producer: P.S. Social | Sound Design/Editing: Raymel Casamayor T. Eliott Mansa IG - @Teliottmansa

More Artwork by T. Eliott Mansa:

"Dirge blues III" by T. Eliott Mansa

Art in Public Places Father Marquess Barry Apt in Historic Overtown by Nicole Salcedo

Nicole Salcedo is a Cuban-American multi-disciplinary artist based in Miami, Florida. She works in sculpture, fibers, performance and film, with a foundational practice in drawing and pattern design. Nicole’s drawings open up pathways that offer a deeper understanding of consciousness and the various connections between our bodies and the environment.

Using repetitive marks to create patterns and webs of energy within her work. Incorporating human-elemental hybrid figures that reflect various scales of ecosystems and natural phenomena that exist within and around us. Salcedo’s influences include botany, fractals, the physics of electromagnetic energy, and her animistic spiritual practice. By delving into her personal experiences and cultural heritage, Salcedo creates art that speaks to universal themes of identity, transformation, and interconnectedness. Salcedo’s work draws us closer to the mystery of existence and invites us to embrace the beauty and complexity of the world around us.

Host: Rosie Gordon-Wallace Recording Producer: P.S. Social | Sound Design/Editing: Raymel Casamayor

Links: nicole salcedo, oolitearts, artefuse, cubanartnews

@nikkidreaming

More of Nicole's artwork:

Pressure Release by Nicole Salcedo 2023

Superorganism by Nicole Salcedo 2023

Giants of the Fields 2023, photographed by Melody Timothee

It's rigged, I told you, photographed by Melody Timothee

by Mark Delmont

Mark Delmont, born in 1990 to Jamaican and Haitian parents, is a dynamic multidisciplinary artist known for his innovative mixed-media creations. Hailing from the vibrant heart of Miami Gardens, more formally recognized as Carol City, Mark's artistic journey has been shaped by his diverse cultural heritage and rich life experiences.

From a young age, Mark found solace in the world of music and film, where he felt seen and heard. These mediums, ranging from the evocative sounds of Outkast, Curtis Mayfield, Kendrick Lamar, to thought-provoking films like "Equilibrium," "Boyz n the Hood," "Memento," and epic sagas like "Lord of the Rings," became his companions in exploring the complexities of identity, blackness, and masculinity. Through these art forms, he discovered an escape from forced archetypes in a world that often felt antagonistic. Art provided an opportunity for otherworldly uniqueness.

Mark's artistic journey was further enriched by his father, a mechanical contractor and fabricator. Their backyard wasn't your typical playground; it was a treasure trove of tools, hydraulics, pumps, motors, steel pipes, and electrical components. While it may have posed hazards for most kids, it was an intriguing playground for Mark. He'd take things apart to understand how they worked, quietly observe his father, and occasionally break things out of sheer curiosity. As a teenager, he began working alongside his father, learning the intricacies of the trade. Yet, Mark chose to channel this mechanical expertise into the arts, transforming warehouses into performance venues, working on construction, stages, lighting, and sound equipment.

Around the age of 25, Mark decided to take a profound leap into the world of art. He became a self-taught artist, weaving together his experiences, influences, and skills into creations that are a testament to his mastery of construction. His works encompass dramatic portraiture and expansive imagery of black iconography, utilizing paints, construction materials, and fabrics meticulously set on wooden frames.

Mark Delmont's art is more than a mere creative expression; it is a reflection of a lifelong quest for self-discovery and an exploration of the intricate layers that define us. Through his art, he invites us to join him on this journey, where construction, deconstruction, and rebirth coexist, creating a space where belonging and uniqueness thrive.

Host: Rosie Gordon-Wallace Links: markdelmont, harpofoundation, miaminewtimes, miamitimesonline

@artlovetrap