February 5 - October 30, 2005
Plaza Level Gallery

For much of the history of image-making, the human figure has been the primary subject of artists, but during the first half of the 20th century artists in Europe and the Americas became more concerned with formal issues in art and the human figure became gradually less important.

This exhibition looks at how the humanist concerns of artists such as Romare Bearden, Fernando Botero, and George Segal- working outside the mainstream of the avant-garde-carried on the figurative tradition in the 1960s and '70s until its revival late in the century, when the growth of performance-based work, expressionist painting, and feminist and identity-based art, led to the current flourishing of the figure in painting, sculpture, photography, and video art.

Figuratively Speaking includes works from MAM's permanent collection and key loans from private collections in South Florida. Among the highlighted works will be new acquisitions by Chuck Close, Marisol, Pepón Osorio, Susan Rothenberg, and Carrie Mae Weems.

Other artists represented include José Bedia, Francesco Clemente, Edouard Duval-Carrié, Eric Fischl, Naomi Fisher, Alfredo Jaar, Ana Mendieta, Wangechi Mutu, Irving Penn, Arnaldo Roche-Rabell, David Salle, Andres Serrano, and Lorna Simpson.

Carrie Mae Weems. Mayflowers from Maydays Long Forgotten 2002. C-print, edition 3/8. Collection Miami Art Museum, gift of Mimi and Bud Floback. Photo: Peter Harholdt

The exhibition is organized by Miami Art Museum and curated by Assistant Director for Programs/Senior Curator Peter Boswell. It is supported by MAM's Annual Exhibition Fund.