Close to Home

June 7 through October 4, 2026

Piero Penizzotto, Kings of Comedy (Chris, Imani, Bernard, Calvin, Dre), 2024 Papier-mâché, foam and acrylic Photography by Oriol Tarridas Courtesy of the Artist and Primary

Close to Home brings together artists from the South Florida community whose creative source is their private world and the emotional ties that most intimately define them. The exhibition concept emerged from a growing recognition of artists in the region presenting work that depicted or functioned as an homage to those closest to them: fellow artists, romantic partners, chosen family, kin, ancestral lineage, and loved ones who have passed.

The exhibition considers how in this moment, artists grappling with questions of subject matter and meaning in their work, have increasingly turned toward the central importance of relationships—recognizing how supportive, collaborative, memorial, and transformative bonds can serve as catalysts for vital creative expression.

In South Florida – a place defined by cultural convergence – artists are propelled by inclusionary networks of mutual encouragement, in which the close nature of the creative community fosters an environment for dialogue and support.

The presentation includes a variety of approaches, from direct portraiture to allegorical depictions, and a range of material forms, from textiles to activated sculpture. The exhibition also brings together multiple generations of artists, underscoring the enduring nature of intimacy as a creative force. Close to Home affirms that the artmaking process does not take place in isolation, but inevitably drawn from shared experience, and serves to remind us that vulnerability is a conduit to empathy.

This exhibition is curated by Bonnie Clearwater, Director and Chief Curator, Ariella Wolens, Bryant-Taylor Curator and Sinaí Rivera, Guest Curator.

This exhibition is made possible by the Jerry Taylor and Nancy Bryant Foundation Exhibition Fund.

Exhibiting artists:

Susan Kim Alvarez (b. 2000, Honolulu, HI; lives and works in Miami, FL)

Josh Aronson (b. 1994, Toronto, Canada; lives and works in Miami, FL)

Francie Bishop Good (b. 1949, Bethlehem, PA; lives and works in Fort Lauderdale, FL)

Leo Castañeda (b.1988, Cali, Colombia; lives and works in Miami, FL)

Mark Delmont (b. 1990, Miami Gardens, FL; lives and works in Miami, FL)

FriendsWithYou (Sam Borkson, b. 1979, Plantation, FL; lives and works in Los Angeles, CA and Arturo Sandoval III, b. 1976, Havana, Cuba; lives and works in Los Angeles, CA)

Joel Gaitan (b. 1995, Miami, FL; lives and works in Miami, FL)

Kandy G Lopez (b. 1987, Bayonne, NJ; lives and works in Fort Lauderdale, FL)

Jared McGriff (b. 1977, Los Angeles, CA; lives and works in Miami, FL)

Leah Mendez (b. 1999, Miami, FL; lives and works in Miami, FL)

Richard Moreno (b. 1993, Miami, FL; lives and works in Miami, FL)

Reginald O’Neal (b. 1992, Miami, FL; lives and works in Miami, FL)

Papou (b. 1989, Chicago, IL, lives and works in Broward County, FL)

Qadir Parris (b. 2004, Miami, FL; lives and works in Miami, FL)

Piero Penizzotto (b. 1998, Queens, NY; raised in Sunrise, FL; lives and works in New York, NY)

Cheryl Pope (b. 1980, Chicago, IL; lives and works in Miami, FL and Chicago, IL)

Lulu Sanchez (b. 1992, Miami Beach, FL; lives and works in Miami, FL)

Zoe Schweiger (b. 2000, Miami, FL; lives and works in Miami, FL)