PAMM Pérez Art Museum

Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) is pleased to present Marcela Cantuária: The South American Dream, the artist’s first solo exhibition in the United States featuring all newly commissioned works. The South American Dream will be on view March 23, 2023 through Spring 2024.

The work of Marcela Cantuária (b. 1991, Rio de Janeiro; lives in Rio de Janeiro) often portrays female figures who navigate regional, international, and social boundaries. Highlighting symbols from tarot and astrology as well as themes that reflect political and environmental activism in Latin America, Cantuária weaves together narratives of social spheres, political associations, and ethereal wishes. Cantuária’s vivid and colorful works are evidence of her versatility and investigations through various mediums and techniques, including painting, textile, and ceramics.

In her exhibition at PAMM, Cantuária invites the viewer to ponder the nature of the South American dream. Explored within the three main paintings, she accents the narratives of critical South American activists and environmentalists, such as Chico Mendes, Dorothy Stang, Maria do Espírito Santo da Silva, Túpac Amaru, and Juana Azurduy de Padilla—all of whom pursued their dreams through resistance and by fighting for their countries and land.

The South American Dream features three large-scale oil paintings, a vibrant textile map of South America, a wood piece resembling an altar, as well as various panels along the walls of the gallery framing the exhibition. Throughout the space, an arched vinyl wallpaper encloses the paintings while recessed lights illuminate the paintings, creating a halo for each. Overall, the exhibition extends a feeling of sanctitude, inviting the viewer to reflect upon corporeal narratives, ambitions, and the potential of achieving each through faith.

“Marcela Cantuária has transformed the double-height gallery into a magical space of remembrance, hope, and dream by combining activism with her interests in tarot through vibrant colors and strong symbolisms. I am excited to bring her voice to the US and share with a global audience not only her practice, but the many Latin American narratives that she captures within her work,” said PAMM Associate Curator Jennifer Inacio.

While Cantuária’s research underscores where struggles and injustices lie, her paintings point to the beauty of the fight that often persists in these stories; thus, the paintings become monuments for iconic South American figures who, despite dangers and devastating odds, fought for their visions. In The South American Dream, Cantuária elevates and revives these histories, ideals, and battles, sharing with viewers the richness of South American natural resources that so many struggle to protect.

This exhibition is a reflection of PAMM’s mission to showcase works that consider Miami’s diverse cultural landscape and unique position as the nexus between North and South America. In honoring its commitment to spotlight artists from the Caribbean, Latin America, and the African diaspora, PAMM offers a platform for genuine human interaction and exchange.