Exploring Firelei Báez’s Multilayered Legacy at the Des Moines Art Center
Firelei Báez at the Des Moines Art Center in Iowa is a captivating exhibition that brings together over 30 works spanning nearly two decades of the artist’s career. Featuring a mix of paintings, drawings, and multimedia installations, the show invites viewers to embark on a journey through time and space, offering moments of wonder, reflection, and enlightenment. Running until September 21, Firelei Báez delves into the complex legacy of colonial histories and the African diaspora in the Caribbean and beyond.
Firelei Báez’s artistic practice draws inspiration from a diverse range of disciplines, including anthropology, geography, folklore, fantasy, science fiction, and social history. By challenging traditional notions of race, gender, and nationality, her work aims to unsettle established categories and provoke critical thought. Her paintings are characterized by intricate patterns, decorative elements, and vibrant colors, often layered over archival imagery such as colonial maps and architectural plans.
“Báez’s practice not only captivates the senses but also stimulates intellectual engagement, prompting viewers to contemplate issues of agency, freedom, prejudice, and state-sponsored violence,” remarked Kelly Baum, the Art Center’s John and Mary Pappajohn Director and CEO. The exhibition serves as a platform for dialogue and reflects the Art Center’s commitment to fostering cultural exchange and community engagement.
The exhibition is housed in the Des Moines Art Center, spanning galleries within three distinct buildings designed by renowned architects Eliel Saarinen, I. M. Pei, and Richard Meier. The show begins with Báez’s early series, Can I Pass? Introducing the Paper Bag to the Fan Test for the Month of July (2011), a collection of self-portraits that challenge notions of skin color and social acceptance.
As visitors progress through the exhibition, they encounter immersive installations such as “A Drexcyen chronocommons (To win the war you fought it sideways)” (2019), which creates a grotto-like environment using perforated fabric and symbols of the Black diaspora. The artist’s exploration of femme identity is evident in a series of portraits featuring intricate patterns inspired by tattoos and Persian miniature painting.
The exhibition culminates with monumental works like “(once we have torn shit down, we will inevitably see more and see differently and feel a new sense of wanting and being and becoming)” (2014), a tribute to Haiti’s Sans-Souci palace, and “A most curious manifestation (or a boat sailing the great rapids of time)” (2024), a recent addition to the Art Center’s collection.
From start to finish, visitors are taken on a visual and historical odyssey that mirrors the evolution of Firelei Báez’s artistic journey. To experience this transformative exhibition firsthand, visit desmoinesartcenter.org.
