“In Plain Sight” at Tunnel Projects in Little Havana, is a photography exhibition by Miami artist and creative director, Esdras T. Thelusma (b.1989, Freeport, Bahamas), curated by painter Reginald O'Neal, currently on view until Jan 5th. Thelusma is known for his edgy portraits of hip-hop artists, but this show includes pictures of neighbors and friends as well. As the title hints, this exhibit reveals contrasts between humble surroundings and symbols of aspiration that serve as a window into the protagonists futures and ambitions, subtle yet impactful, hidden in plain sight.
A self-taught artist who grew up in Little Haiti, Thelusma was drawn to art as a child, and with the encouragement of his teachers, he eventually found his way to photography. In a conversation earlier this week, Esdras described the curatorial process between himself and fellow artist and friend O’Neal as natural, and it is that sense of ease and comfort with his subjects that imbues this small but poignant exhibition.
Located in a small room within the physically underground Tunnel Projects, the exhibit draws viewers into the lives of those photographed. The intimate, enclosed space fosters a deep connection between the subjects’ worlds and the perspectives of those observing them, creating a shared experience that blurs the boundaries between observer and observed.
Esdras’ extraordinary ability to strip his subjects of ego and focus on their humanity creates visual intimacy. His sitters: family, neighbors, or hip hop stars like Sexyy Red, are all treated equally. In his portrait of Sexyy Red, she gazes directly at the viewer, no longer a hip hop star, she is simply a young, vulnerable woman with no need to perform. Esdras moved to Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood at age five with his Bahamian and Haitian parents. Growing up as immigrant kids he was “always intrigued by the world,” and as he stated, by “watching the world, you become really observant.”
Like the little girl peeking through the curtains in the image above, the viewer leaves this show with an intimate glimpse into the world of another, a hallmark of great art. In our interview, Esdras mentioned how much he loves taking pictures of people with their kids, describing this as “capturing their softness.” Another example is the image of a father with tattoos on his chest holding a baby who is staring intently at the viewer, it is vulnerable without being sentimental. This vulnerability speaks to the show’s beautiful title, “In Plain Sight.”
In a YouTube interview, Miami photo journalist Carl Juste talks about the “isolation” inherent in Esdras’ work, Juste describes it as the ability to take portraits of really famous people and strip them down to their essence as human beings. According to Juste, his “work takes away the extras, the performative aspect of fame and instead focuses on the person.”
In the aforementioned interview, Juste asked Esdras about his ability to disarm performers, since “most people who are famous cannot get off the stage.” Esdras responded that he has a difficult time pretending. That speaks to me of the immediacy and solemnity of his work. Juste called this ability to catch people when they are natural and in their own self, his superpower. Juste succinctly said to Esdras: “your frames breathe.”
Whether it is a father holding his young baby as children play in the background, to the City Girls posing on an unmade bed, these are slices of Miami life that are free of performativity. And in a city that thrives on the performance of wealth, power and fame, it is truly a breath of fresh air.
More Info
What: “In Plain Sight” by Esdras T. Thelusma curated by Reginald O'Neal
When: On view until January 5th
Where: Tunnel Projects - 300 SW 12th Ave, Miami, FL 33130
.jpg)
.png)
.png)
