Jose Garcia

ART 5939C-­U01

Graduate Art Seminar I

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

Vizcaya was created as James Deering’s subtropical winter home in the 1910s and today

it is a National Historic Landmark and accredited museum. We invite you to learn about

Vizcaya’s fascinating history and the individuals responsible for the unusual estate’s

origins, evolution and ongoing management.

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a National Historic Landmark that preserves the Miami

estate of agricultural industrialist James Deering to engage our community and its visitors

in learning through the arts, history and the environment.

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is recognized internationally for its cultural and historic

significance, exemplary preservation, and dynamic visitor experience – inspiring broad

participation in advancing the organization’s mission.

Contemporary Arts Program (CAP)

The Contemporary Arts Program (CAP) commissions artists to develop site-­specific

work inspired by Vizcaya. The program, initiated in 2006, draws on the spirit of creative

dialogue that characterized Vizcaya’s founding, provides our visitors with new ways of

seeing the historic estate, and strengthens relations with contemporary artists.

Public CAP Event on 11/30/15

Private CAP Event on 12/05/15

Written Reflection

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a National Historic Landmark that faces the same

problem that many institutions throughout the country face. The problem being how to get

visitors through the door to experience everything they have to offer. This is an especially

relevant dilemma in the case of the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens since the estate’s

main attractions are architectural and botanical elements that aren’t subject to much

change. Vizcaya addresses this problem in their mission statement with efforts to

preserve the Miami estate while offering opportunities for diversification through the arts

and learning.

The Vizcaya staff is primarily responsible for finding innovative approaches for

audiences to engage in dynamic visitor experiences. The introduction of the

Contemporary Arts Program (CAP) Project surely aids Vizcaya in progressively

introducing contemporary approaches and ideas to their historically-­driven programming.

This intermix benefits Vizcaya seeing as Miami has a rich contemporary art scene.

(Especially during Art Basel in December.) The problem with the Art Basel programming

meant that the audiences that were attending the CAP Project were exclusive in the

contemporary art circuits. This made the efforts to incorporate contemporary art to

Vizcaya visitors limited to audiences that were already informed in contemporary art and

negated the mission of engaging visitors and encouraging learning. This problem seems

to be addressed this year by allowing the CAP Project to run as a public week-­long project

rather than an exclusive night for Art Basel VIPs. This allows for the diverse audiences to

intermingle while encouraging new ways of thinking. Although this is an engaging

approach for Vizcaya, the concern of public reception is risen seeing as the visitors play

a crucial role in the achievement of museum missions and visions.

The artists participating in the CAP projects face several concerns that are outside

of the conceptualizing and creating of their artwork. Exhibiting artwork in an institution,

like the Vizcaya Museum, that has very tight guidelines surely influences the end product

of the project. Therefore, understanding the limitations of the establishment is crucial prior

to the creation of an artwork. Artists are prompted to create projects that mustn’t disrupt

daily operations or hinder any preservation efforts. Artists are discouraged from displaying

their projects by traditional means since these will not be exhibited in a gallery setting.

Aside from the physical limits, there are also Vizcaya’s core values that artists must

account for especially in regards to a welcoming and respectful environment. There are

still several interesting avenues that artists may take although these limitations may seem

very constricting. This problem is addressed by prompting CAP artists to deal with

concepts and/or ideas pertaining to Vizcaya’s past, present, and/or future through

performance-­based or process-­based projects. These approaches, not only resolve the

limitations addressed above, but opens opportunities for artists to work in mediums that

may be outside of their practice. The audience is also an integral role for the artists to

consider. The visitors of Vizcaya may be engaged with the performance or be spectators

as seen in traditional performances. For example, Marina Abramovic’s Rhythm 0 engaged

the audience to essentially be collaborators in her performance in 1974. Abramovic tested

the limits of the relationship between herself, the performance artists and the audience

by allowing them to be active components to the artwork. Artists may also approach the

CAP project through sculptural works dealing with Vizcaya’s architecture or gardens.

Contemporary art has had several artists that have dealt with creating environmental and

ephemeral works of art. Artists Christo Javacheff and Jeanne-­Claude famously

surrounded eleven Miami islands in their project entitled Surrounded Islands in 1983 and

were recognized and well-­received by both the contemporary art world and the public.

There are endless approaches that artists can take to explore notions of time and place

given all of the constraints. Ultimately, the artist must approach CAP by creating work that

is relevant to their practice and Vizcaya’s mission and limits.

Surrounded Islands by Christo Javacheff Rhythm 0 by Marina Abramovic

and Jeanne-­Claude

DONA ALTEMUS Born 1989, Miami, FL

Lives & works in Miami

Education 2012 B.F.A, New World School of the Arts, Miami, FL

Residencies 2015 ArtCenter South Florida, Miami Beach, FL

2014 MDC (Miami Dade College) Live Arts, Miami, FL

2014 Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT

2012 A.I.R. Program, The Deering Estate at Cutler, Miami, FL

Group Exhibitions 2014 MIA_ATL, Saltworks Gallery, Atlanta, GA

2014 MIA_BER, Arts Club Berlin, Berlin, DE

2014 mi-­no, Bridge Red Studios, Miami, FL

2013 palimpsest, Carol Jazzar Gallery, Miami, FL

2013 Project Residency Exhibit, Deering Estate at Cutler, Miami, FL

2013 DIRT, Design District, Miami, FL

2013 Speak Now, Deering Estate at Cutler, Miami, FL

2012 Trading Places II, Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, FL

2012 Projects in Painting, New World School of the Arts Space, Miami, FL

2012 THRU, Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation, Miami, FL

2012 Rising Stars, New World School of the Arts Space, Miami, FL

2011 Rising Stars, New World School of the Arts Space, Miami, FL

2010 Paper Canvas Pigment, New World School of the Arts Space, Miami, FL

Teaching Experience (Bookmaking Workshops) 2014 Breakthrough Miami

2014 Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami

2014 University of Miami

2013 University of Miami

Awards 2012 Dean’s List

2011 Dean’s List

2010 Dean’s List

2007 Florida Medallion Scholarship

Artist Biography

Dona Altemus graduated with a BFA in painting from Miami’s New World School of the

Arts in 2012. Since then she has been invited to participate in exhibitions including

MIA_BER, Berlin Arts Club and Trading Places II, at the Museum of Contemporary Art,

North Miami. She has also held residencies at the Vermont Studio Center, Deering Estate

at Cutler and MDC (Miami Dade College) Live Arts program. She is a current resident at

the ArtCenter South Florida on Miami Beach.

Artist Statement

My practice utilizes themes of architecture, landscape and allegory aiming to expose

passages of transformation. I construct portals of layered fragments that tell narratives of

time, using collage, fabric piecing, staining, installation and what are historically

considered craft based techniques. I juxtapose the austerity of geometry with personal,

interior aspects of daily life.

Previous Work

mi-­no at Bridge Red Studios Project Space by Dona Altemus

MIA_BER by Dona Altemus

Trading Places II at Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami by Dona Altemus

Bookmaking by Dona Altemus

Studio Visit on 11/19/15

Project Overview

Dona Altemus will be assembling a textile collage in the public realm in collaboration with

the museum visitors over the course of the week. In doing this Altemus is referencing the

fact that the creation of Vizcaya was a project that required the interaction of many

separate minds. This textile would use the quilting technique of piecing to form a substrate

for photographic transfers. Altemus utilizes visitors as participating creators in the act of

making. The guests will execute a photo transfer using images from Vizcaya’s historic

archive onto the squares of precut fabric. The participant will select an image and transfer

it onto the fabric square. Altemus will then sew a couple of rows a day over the course of

the week. As the days pass more rows would be added and the work would grow over

time. The final piece will be complete for the December 5 opening and function as a textile

collage with audio of a poem written by Altemus over the course of her project.

How and why did the artist decide to respond to Vizcaya’s invitation to submit a

proposal for this project?

Originally, Altemus applied to a Call for Entries for the “Lost Spaces” exhibition at Vizcaya.

Altemus has wanted to do a project with Vizcaya knowing that it would require extensive

research that would impact her role as an artist in such a special historic backdrop.

Altemus was not selected for the “Lost Spaces” exhibition but was, instead, invited to

participate for the CAP Project. Altemus mentioned that if she had not applied to “Lost

Spaces” she wouldn’t have had the opportunity to work on the CAP Project. She also

stated that since being invited to the CAP Project she tries not to dwell on rejection

because it could lead to other opportunities.

Did the stipend provided by Vizcaya cover all of the artist’s expenses? If not,

where did additional funding come from?

The funding provided by Vizcaya covered all of the costs for materials in addition to

materials that Altemus already owned. Materials for the project included: fabrics, dye,

thread, pipes, Xerox copies and transfer pens. Altemus mentioned that the distribution of

the funding was slightly inconvenient because she had to keep a record of what was spent

prior to receiving the funding so that she could reimburse previous purchases or expenses

that were made out of pocket.

Identify the challenges and opportunities for the Commissioned Artists:

The most challenging aspect for the Commissioned Artists are the several limitations

brought up by Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. Artists needed to take into account that

their artworks needed to be ephemeral to avoid any preservation issues or disruption of

daily operations while following the thematic and conceptual guidelines provided by the

Curator. Therefore, the projects can drastically change from the initial idea since as there

are so many factors that contribute towards the end result. The benefit Commissioned

Artists have is the opulent historical archive that is at their disposal.

Identify the constraints/challenges and opportunities for Vizcaya’s Curator:

The problem a curator at a historic estate, such as the Vizcaya Museum, may face is how

to get the audiences to visit the museum. Programming is key to Vizcaya’s success since

the main attractions aren’t subject to much change. I believe that the CAP project is a

testament that there is a huge prospect in engaging audiences and incorporating diverse

cultural learning. Similar to the CAP Project, Vizcaya’s Curator should continue to engage

various groups to do site specific projects. (Ex. Dance, Theatre, Music, etc.) Each group

will not only provide new and refreshing approaches to Vizcaya but also allow for different

communities to have a connection to Vizcaya.

Identify the constraints/challenges and opportunities for Museum Visitors:

The concern of public reception is an important component of the CAP Project seeing as

visitors are crucial when it comes to the achievement of Vizcaya’s missions and visions.

The challenges that Visitors may face in regards to these projects is overall understanding

of contemporary art. Prior to this year, the Art Basel programming was exclusively for art

enthusiasts which actively participate in the art community. This year, the general public

and tourists have access to this particular project. The opportunity for growth becomes

enriching diverse audiences while showcasing this distinctive project.

What decisions did the artist make to realize their project at Vizcaya?

The theme for the exhibition was a determining factor in the artwork that Altemus

proposed. Altemus was prompted to create an artwork that referenced the

creation/building of Vizcaya. Altemus decided to work with textiles since it dealt with ideas

of domesticity and construction which worked with the thematic guidelines.

Why did these decisions occur;; why were they necessary?

Altemus had been familiar with textiles from her previous body of work and mentioned

that it helped that she already understood its limits and strengths. This eliminated the

need to create multiple sketches or tests which saved her time to devote on details and

presentation. It is important that she worked in a familiar medium since Vizcaya is an

unusual space for installation due to conservation efforts.

How did the project develop or change? Why?

The project also evolved in terms of installation. Originally, Altemus proposed to hang her

textile/tapestry piece from steel architectural details but had to change the original method

of installation since it did not comply with the conservation standards. As a result, Altemus

decided to build a free standing frame to install her piece that was approved by the

Conservation Team.

Altemus decided on including sound to her piece as time went on. She wrote an original

poem based on the creation of Vizcaya to add another element to her artwork. Altemus

mentioned that as her research intensified so did her vision for the project. She stated

that as she began finalizing her project that it needed another element. Altemus then

recorded herself reciting the poem and decided to add that sound bite to add a sensory

experience for audiences. Read the poem below:

Sufficient soil

We have to groom the land first

tear eliminate

army engaged

purchase sulfur, mosquitoes and mangroves

gathering international shadows

fragments that span many canons

army engaged

We disperse to modify a model of indulgence

squares and semicircles align

the southeastern quadrant must stand

like a baroque still life.

As I quarrel with an adolescent man

more absent than present

puffing in one hand and sipping from the other

a long cold midwestern distance away

souls in quantity are drafted to serve

gathering a force

in vision rocks shift below

forming entrances to other realms

we must delegate and defeat

objects, ornamentation and function are orchestrated

at last the stage is set

greeting the guests

relief has been won

united yet separated we stood

looking into the blue horizon

which glistened back in return

If you were the artist what would you have done differently and why?

If I was the artist, I would have only changed some minor details in the project. I think that

the nature of the project is collaboration, so I would encourage visitors to assemble the

textiles through hand sewing techniques instead of having the artist assemble the piece.

I would have also included the written text from Dona Altemus’ poem in the textile panels

to add a graphic element and enforce the idea of fragmentation. Lastly, I would record the

visitors reciting their portion of the poem and added that as the audio component. I feel

that this detail enforces the idea that both Vizcaya and Altemus’ project is about the

culminating of minds.

If you were the Curator at Vizcaya what would you have done differently and

why?

If I were the curator at Vizcaya, I would encourage performance art but not make it

mandatory for the CAP Project. I find that there are other avenues that could comply with

the ephemeral nature of the project while exploring different forms of Contemporary Art.

(ex. Sculpture, Digital Art, Body Art.) I think this would also make the project more

accessible to audiences.

Based on the visitor feedback at the Vizcaya CAP Public Program on 11/13/15,

what do visitors think about CAP?

I was not able to attend the Public Program on 11/13/15 but I spoke with several

classmates and reviewed the notes from the event. It appeared that visitors were pleased

that this opportunity was inclusive to local artists because it strengthens the art community

of South Florida. A majority of visitors had never attended Vizcaya’s previous CAP

Projects but were familiar with the Estate. The remaining visitors were comprised of

former artists and past attendees.

How is the artist’s CAP project relevant to a regular, daytime Vizcaya visitor (in

contrast to a contemporary art enthusiast)?

Altemus’ project is rooted in craft which makes it more accessible for audiences outside

of the contemporary art circuits. The fact that Altemus is allowing viewers to participate in

the transferring of images also her to have a dialogue with visitors about her project and

contemporary art. I think this conversation will be informative to the daytime visitors

seeing as they aren’t just viewing something to interpret solemnly.

Hypothetically, if the artist’s project was on view during Vizcaya’s operating

hours, how do you think that the museum should engage visitors with the

project? What would best engage the visitor with the artist’s work?

The Vizcaya Museum should engage visitors by informing them of the CAP Project

locations and times as they make their way into through the Ticketing Booth. In regards

to Altemus’ piece, I think the project itself engages the visitors because it is informative

and also has workshop element to it. In regards to artists that my not communicate directly

with the visitors, Vizcaya could set stations with printed or digital information that explains

the particular project. Vizcaya could also have intern or volunteers approach guests and

provide tours of the different CAP projects and the estate itself.

If the artist’s project was on view during Vizcaya’s operating hours during the

week of 11/30 – 12/4, and you observed the program, did the program engage

visitors? What did you see or experience that makes you say that?

I observed Altemus on Monday, November 30, 2015 and the program engaged over ten

visitors throughout 10am – 1pm time period. Visitors were intrigued as to what Altemus

was doing on the Casino Mound and were pleased to hear that they could to participate.

Altemus would instruct viewers on how to transfer and described her project to them as

they worked on their segment.

What questions were answered during the semester? Have any of your ideas

changed?

The CAP Project attracted many visitors during it’s one-­week run. In allowing the CAP

Project to run publicly, Vizcaya engaged many visitors outside of the contemporary art

scene and introduced them to the local artists of Miami. I previously expressed concern

that the projects would primarily attract attention during the exclusive Art Basel night.

The artists participating in the CAP projects faced even more drawbacks than I expressed

in my previous reflection. It appeared that the presentation of the artwork had more

guidelines I expected that caused projects to change throughout the progression of the

CAP Project.

In regards to the Artists approach, Altemus engaged the audience to essentially be

collaborators in the construction of her textile performance. The visitors of Vizcaya were

involved with the performance rather than spectators as seen in traditional performances.

What new questions emerged?

How will Vizcaya continue to engage the general public outside of Art Basel? You’ve

mentioned that the next CAP Project is a year-­long effort, will Vizcaya have additional

programming for the general public during the year? Has Vizcaya considered different

projects outside of the CAP project?