Pompano Beach Arts presents a visual art exhibition at Bailey Contemporary Arts Center featuring original works by Dominican-American artist Kandy G Lopez entitled (in) visible: pair-a-dice.
The project goes beyond the typical notion of the Caribbean as a paradise and explores colorism, economic disparity, and political trauma.
This new body of work features stained glass portraits of people of color and introduces a contemporary view of an ancient technique.
The show opens on July 14, 2023 and an artist talk and reception will take place during Old Town Untapped Summer Sizzle on Friday, August 4 at 6-10 p.m.
“Kandy’s use of stained glass is truly remarkable,” said Ty Tabing, Director, Cultural Affairs Department. “While we are all familiar with the art form, her creations bring to light current cultural and social ideas that must be examined and discussed.”
Lopez is a figurative artist who works with multiple mediums to explore and experiment with issues such as race, gentrification, immigration, and defense mechanisms.
As an Afro-Dominican American artist, she acknowledges that these topics are a part of her heritage and are important to share with others. Lopez has previously worked with photography, ceramics, painting, drawing, collage, printmaking, and sculpture, but has started to focus on glass as a medium. Lopez’s venture into glass work harkens back to her academic studies.
“I have painted on glass in grad school and used it to metaphorically describe the vulnerability of the people who were erased from the surface,” said Lopez. She uses glass as a metaphor for psychological transparency and the lack thereof. She explores the idea that people of color often have a defense mechanism where they “act tough” in certain situations instead of allowing themselves to be transparent.
Lopez worked on (in) visible: pair-a-dice in 2023 as a part of the NACAN artist residency. Her travel to her maternal homeland, the Dominican Republic, further developed her artistic practice and allowed for deeper experimentation on glass.
