Firelei Báez, Fruta Fina, Fruta Estrana (Lee Monument), 2022. Oil and acrylic on archival printed canvas. Courtesy of the artist and Hauser & Wirth, New York

Báez’s visually striking practice explores themes such as folklore, gender, power, ecology and resilience. She delves into the relationship between diasporic cultures and the legacies of colonialism to challenge conventional narratives around identity and history.

Her recent work, ranging from immersive installations to lush paintings, is characterised by depictions of nature, formidable female figures, and a rich colour palette.

This exhibition, Sueño de la Madrugada (A Midnight’s Dream), which features a new body of work, continues Báez’s exploration of the Ciguapa, a mythological female figure from Dominican folklore. The Ciguapa’s characteristics often shift within storytelling, yet two key traits persist: her backwards-facing feet, rendering her untraceable, and her flowing, lustrous mane. The changeability of the Ciguapa highlights narrative inconsistencies and invites viewers to scrutinise their interpretations of what they understand to be true.

In the Main Gallery, Báez draws from personal, lived experiences of climate change and migration in both the Caribbean and the United States to create an immersive installation. At the Fire Station, a floor-to-ceiling abstract mural adorns one of the ground-floor galleries. In another gallery, pages from deaccessioned historical books find new life as surfaces for paintings. Báez creates a richer, more immersive viewing experience that invites visitors to envision the future with openness and collaboration.

My works are propositions, meant to create alternate pasts and potential futures, questioning history and culture in order to provide a space for reassessing the present.

— Firelei Báez

Opening Hours

Tue 11am-6pm, Wed 11am-9pm, Thu-Sun 11am-6pm

Location:

65-67 Peckham Road
London, SE5 8UH

Text and pictures, copyright south london gallery and the artist