Arlo Wynwood, an experience-driven, 217-room boutique hotel that serves as a cultural hub for locals and visitors alike, has announced a new artist exhibition in its third-floor Living Room Gallery. The three-month installation, titled “Our Shadow Remains” (on view February 14 through May 15), will highlight the work of Afro-Caribbean visual artist Kandy G Lopez, whose pieces often represent marginalized individuals who inspire and move her.
Drawing much of her inspiration from individuals she follows and connects with on social media, Lopez dives deeper into their lives, seeking to understand their experiences in order to create captivating portraits that reflect their personalities and stories. She channels her creativity into various mediums, including monotype prints, mixed-media collages, stained-glass works, and watercolors.
“I create art out of the necessity to learn something new about my people and culture,” said Lopez. “I want to develop a nostalgic dialogue between my artwork and the viewer. If I’m not learning from my materials and how I affect the message, it’s not worth creating.”
In collaboration with New York-based ACA Galleries, which exclusively represents Lopez, Arlo Wynwood will celebrate the exhibition opening and Black History Month with a special event on Wednesday, February 21, from 6-9 p.m. The evening will feature an artist talk by Lopez, who will share the inspiration behind her artwork and a music performance by multi-genre violinist Muzelle. The event is free and open to the public. Guests can RSVP here.
“Our Shadow Remains” is the second exhibition in Arlo Wynwood’s Living Room Gallery series, which debuted in November right before Miami Art Week. The series, created and curated by Arlo Hotels art curator Jasmine Arakel, was designed to bring fine art pieces typically reserved for museums, galleries, and private collections into publicly accessible spaces at Arlo Hotels.
“Kandy’s work is bold, powerful, and thought-provoking,” said Arakel. “Her pieces demand to be seen in a large open space such as Wynwood to match their energy. And although the exhibit specifically focuses on Afro-Caribbean people and culture, the raw emotion coming through Kandy’s artworks is universal.” Born in New Jersey, Lopez moved with her family to Florida at a young age. She received her BFA and BS in painting and marketing and management from the University of South Florida before earning her MFA in painting from Florida Atlantic University. She has taught at Florida Atlantic University and Daytona State College and is now an associate professor in the Department of Communication for Media and Arts at Nova Southeastern University’s Halmos College of Art & Sciences.
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