CALIDA RAWLES

Rawles delves into the particular experience of Black people in Overtown, a Miami neighborhood that went from a thriving cultural and commercial hub for Black people to a community dismantled by gentrification, systemic racism, and mass displacement. The figures in Rawles’s paintings are residents of the Overtown community—from young children to senior citizens. The exhibition’s focus is on the stories and experiences of those who live in this historic neighborhood. Rawles takes her practice a step further by photographing some of her subjects in natural waters for the very first time, at the historic Virginia Key Beach, which was once racially segregated. By photographing Black subjects in the ocean for the first time, Rawles is able to probe the Atlantic’s history as the site of the supremely exploitative transatlantic slave trade. The finished work critically engages with Miami’s water-borne climate and mines the history of beauty, oppression, and resilience in PAMM’s neighboring community of Overtown.

Organization and Support:

Calida Rawles: Away with the Tides is organized by Maritza M. Lacayo, Associate Curator, with the support of Fabiana Sotillo, Curatorial Assistant. Calida Rawles: Away with the Tides is presented with lead individual support from Allison and Larry Berg and supporting sponsorship from Goldman Sachs. Additional support from PAMM’s International Women’s Committee, Leslie and Greg Ferrero, and Rebkah and Desmond Howard is gratefully acknowledged.