On Friday, February 7th I attended a Members’ Reception and Exhibition Preview at the Montclair Art Museum. There, amidst the obligatory cheese and wine sampling, I witnessed the launch of Federico Uribe: Animalia – genuinely one of the most spectacular, uplifting and just darned right imaginative art exhibitions I’ve ever seen. Ever. This is not pretentious or showy display. This is a fun, joyous and interactive celebration of the natural world.
Federico Uribe (b. 1962) is a Colombian artist who creates multi-media sculptures from recycled and upcycled materials, including pencils, CDs, shoes and shoelaces, plastic waste and recycled bullet shells. He constructs animals… out of total crap. With over 60 items on display, it was like going on an environmentally-conscious, upcycled Serengeti safari filled with color and optimism. I also appreciated the fact that there were very few placards or explanations distracting you from the work – you could just speak to the artist face-to-face about his vision, which I did. He seemed thrilled to be there.
I’ve included a gallery of Federico Uribe: Animalia below, without filters, to show the absolute vibrancy and clarity of his jungle scenes, coral reefs, bird-filled skies and spectacular natural world landscapes. Prepare to be awed.
Federico Uribe: Animalia runs from February 8th, 2020 through June 21st, 2020.
Photos courtesy of Graham Spencer.
