On Display: Americananana by Firelei Báez

Brush up before Basel.

I had the great pleasure of joining my dear friend, Sarah Stein-Sapir, on the Madison Square Park Conservancy’s Tribeca Gallery Walk this past week. Sarah, who I connected with through my Tracy Anderson community, is a powerhouse in the Art Industry, having her own bespoke private art consultancy. She also happens to be an Art Advisor to Billionaire’s Row, having curated the art for the highest selling building in Manhattan, Central Park Tower. When it comes to anything art related, she’s the first person I turn to.

Image Credit: Firelei Baez | Courtesy of James Cohan, NY

I was blown away by the art that we saw on the tour, especially the exhibition at the James Cohan Gallery at 48 Walker. On display was Americananana, a collection of new paintings by Firelei Báez who personally walked us through her pieces. Very rarely do you get the opportunity to listen to an artist speak about their work and take you through their process. Her art is impactful and draws you in as soon as you walk in.

Image Credit: Firelei Baez | Courtesy of James Cohan, NY

Firelei Baez paints colorful abstractions and intricate figures directly onto old maps and prints. Americananana, the title of the exhibition, reveals the absurdity of Americana as a cultural construction building upon, and often suppressing more complex histories of America. The pieces displayed were symbolic of a nostalgic brand of America that was created by the projected desire for an idealized past that never was.