Calida Rawles: The Healing Power of Water
Visitors stepped into a world where water symbolized healing, resilience, and transformation. Calida Rawles: Away with the Tides was showcased at the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) from June 27, 2024, to February 23, 2025.
This powerful exhibition blended hyperrealism and poetic abstraction, presenting breathtaking portraits of Black individuals immersed in bright, mysterious bodies of water. Rawles’ work explored themes of spiritual and physical healing, while also confronting historical trauma and racial exclusion.
For her first solo museum exhibition, Rawles connected her work to Miami’s often-overlooked history, particularly the Black community in Overtown—a once-thriving cultural hub that faced displacement due to gentrification and systemic racism. She deepened this narrative by photographing subjects in the waters of Virginia Key Beach, a historically segregated site, reimagining the past while celebrating the beauty and strength of the community.
This evocative and thought-provoking collection at PAMM left a lasting impact on those who experienced it.
📍 Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM)
#CalidaRawles #AwayWithTheTides #Miami #thingstodo /Pérez Art Museum Miami
The upcoming exhibition at PAMM highlights Calida Rawles’ exploration of significant themes through her striking artistry. Known for her hyperrealistic approach, Rawles brings forth the intersection of water's healing properties and the cultural narratives of Black communities. This exhibit captures portraits of individuals submerged in luminous waters, invoking a sense of transformation. Rawles aims to make the audience reflect on Miami's multifaceted history, especially emphasizing the displacement of the Overtown community due to socioeconomic changes. The chosen location of Virginia Key Beach—a site steeped in segregation history—serves as a backdrop that challenges and redefines perceptions of the past. Through her work, Rawles not only showcases resilience but also invites viewers to consider the broader implications of healing and restorative practices within marginalized communities. As art continues to play a crucial role in social commentary, this exhibition is poised to leave visitors with powerful impressions of healing, history, and hope. Don't miss the opportunity to engage with these evocative pieces that celebrate beauty and strength while addressing historical struggles.