AVAILABLE ARTWORKS BY CHARO OQUET
These gravity-defying ceramic stacked constructions by Charo Oquet struggle to soar beyond the boundaries of the spaces that contain them, often appearing to teeter on the brink of collapse. They are essentially diasporic, emerging from various territorial and conceptual geographies that serve as instruments of connection between today and the past, and a new future. Oquet aims to create pieces where a process of mestizaje can form dissident ways of living, intertwined with her family history.
The colors, bright, chaotic, and disruptive, reflect a rich tropical palette. These vivid hues have archetypal symbols connected to African heritage, creating a visual celebration. This symphonic permanence transmits joy and cheerful feelings that directly evoke the therapeutic action of planting, building, and maintaining a garden. In this case, it is a permanent garden made of mud in a state of crystallization (ceramics).
Abstract Sculpture Vase Series
Materials, Connections, and Rituals: A Celebration of Cultural Tapestry Series
With this series, the artist delving into the exploration and celebration of the freedom of movement between abstract and figurative painting, performance, and action painting, allowing these forms to intersect within the boundless framework of space.
A recurring motif in this series is the concept of "connection." The artist often incorporate string, plastic ribbon, and rope in my installations, sculptures, and performance work for both metaphorical and practical reasons. These materials signify binding, gathering, and tying, embodying a natural symbolism of connection. Her initial references are the Nkisi Nkondi sculptures and the Paquet Kongo of Haitian Vodou - where strings serve as symbolic umbilical cords, linking and amplifying the power of the loas. These African objects facilitated connections between living individuals and communities with the spirit world for divination, healing, and protection. Additionally, the ideas of string theory in quantum physics are a reference, highlighting the interconnectedness of all matter, a concept that holds significance in our understanding of the universe.
Ceramics Discs Series
The Flowers Series
EXHIBITIONS
CHARO OQUET
REPRESENTED ARTIST
Charo Oquet is a Dominican born, Miami based, interdisciplinary artist. Charo Oquet's wide-reaching practice includes performance, sculpture, installation, painting, fashion, video, and photography. She has exhibited, performed, curated, and lectured around the world since 1981. Oquet has received numerous awards and Artist Fellowships. She is known for her dynamic installations, which incorporate idioms of popular Afro-Caribbean religions. Her work has been featured in notable publications. Oquet's work is found in the permanent collections in museums around the world. As an art activist, she founded Edge Zones, a non-profit arts organization in Miami, FL, The Miami Performance Festival and Zones Art Fair Miami. Oquet is the author of SuperMix, Wet 2, Wet, Arrayanos Portraits, and Arrayanos Interiors. As the artistic director of Edge Zones and the festivals, she has curated numerous exhibitions and festivals since 2003.