FACE 2 FACE @ Miguel Rodez Art Project Space

Face 2 Face is a contemporary artists' reassessment of the self-portrait genre. The artists participating in this show use their outward appearance to reflect their inner world through drawings, paintings, installation, ceramic, digital art, art video and mixed media.

Usually artists create self-portraits only for themselves, intimate friends and family members to enjoy. Consequently, collectors, critics and the public rarely see how artists portray themselves during the artists' lifetimes. It was not easy to convince some of them to do this, but Miguel Rodez managed to gather some of Miami's most promising emerging, mid-career and established artists to show themselves, artistically of course. Several of the artists have created or are presently creating self-portraits specifically for this show,which promises to be an exciting exhibit.

Artists have been known to depict themselves in their artwork since art's early history. However, it was not until a greater emphasis on individualism developed in the Renaissance that self-portraits gained popularity as a vehicle of self-expression. Perhaps the earliest example of auto-depiction after antiquity is a piece known as "Portrait of a man in a Turban," a 1433 self-portrait by Jan van Eyck. Since then, vast numbers of artists have turned to themselves as a source of inspiration and communication. Some artists have, in different levels of discretion, placed themselves in a populous painting, such as Sandro Botticelli's self-insertion in "The Adoration of the Magi," 1475. Others, like Diego Velazquez, boldly placed themselves in a prominent spot on the canvas, such as when he incorporated himself into a Spanish Royal Family scene in his quite famous masterpiece "Las Meninas," 1656. Other artists, like Rembrandt, Vincent Van Gogh, and Frida Kahlo explored their inner emotions by portraying themselves on their canvases at various periods of their lives.

The Miguel Rodez Art Project Space brings you Face 2 Face with contemporary self-portraits the likes of which you have never seen. A mini-bio of each of the participating artists is being posted at the Miguel Rodez Facebook Wall. The Face 2 Face exhibit documents where this fine group of participating artists are today from their own perspective. It is hoped that, perhaps, this show may inspire other gallerists and museums to support this genre among living artists, bringing self-portraits out of the closet.

Participating Artists:

E.F. "Eddy" Angel
Aleli Egues
Laurence Gartel
Barry Gross
Frank Izquierdo
Pablo Lazo
Rafael Lopez Ramos
Laura Luna
Mano
Orocoro
Jesse Paz
Miguel Rodez
Abdon J. Romero
Jorge Santos
Yampier Sardina
Fredy Villamil

See the show Face 2 Face during the January 19th, 2013 Bird Road Art Walk or afterwards by appointment by phoning Miguel Rodez at 305 799 3898