Deering Estate presents FACING GAIA by Sinisa Kukec

The Deering Estate is proud to exhibit FACING GAIA, a 10-foot interactive sculptural intervention that invites the community to participate in the creation of an artwork. FACING GAIA, a Deering Spring Contemporary Project, will be on display at Deering Estate from October 29, 2020 - December 21, 2020, courtesy of the artist and Spinello Projects.

Creating fabrications from steel, wood, and gold-polished aluminum, Sinisa Kukec has provided an environment within the Deering Estate grounds for both personal introspections and a reflection of ourselves within nature. FACING GAIA is emblematic of Kukec's exploratory practice, where the artist highlights the indeterminable facets of community and self. Kukec has cultivated this thread within his work, which is a result of his own observations. He invites viewers to do the same through FACING GAIA.

Gaia, meaning "earth," ties the reflective process of this project to the physical space it and its participants occupy. The monolithic component of FACING GAIA is accompanied by a pile of crushed granite stones, which visitors are encouraged to responsibly collaborate through Kukec's vision and throw at the monolith to metamorphosize the surface. Participants are asked to leave the rock where it falls after being thrown.

In conjunction with COVID-19 guidelines and to ensure the safety of park visitors, those participating are asked to practice social distancing, wear face coverings, and are not allowed to gather in groups larger than 10 people. 

About the Artist
Miami-based sculptor Sinisa Kukec transforms materials through a mixed-media process to create a dialogue between the physical world, and inquisitive, illusionary aspects of the subconscious through elements of mysticism and transformation. Throughout his body of work, Kukec has gravitated toward themes of consciousness in a personal and societal context, including the larger relationship to the occupation and environment. An indubitable space for reflection exists within this practice. Kukec works with mirrored, amorphous forms to play with perception: both of oneself and one's surroundings.

About Spinello Projects
Spinello Projects is a Miami-based contemporary art program founded in 2005. It is a gallery and an innovative platform for nomadic site-specific and curatorial projects

About the Deering Estate
The Deering Estate preserves the 1920s era Miami estate of Charles Deering, Chicago industrialist, early preservationist, environmentalist, art collector, philanthropist and first chairman of the International Harvester Company. The Deering Estate is a 21st Century house museum, cultural and ecological field station, and a national landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places, owned by the State of Florida and managed by Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department. The Deering Estate is located at 16701 SW 72nd Ave. in Miami.

The Deering Estate offers complementary exhibition viewing nights, highlighting a variety of contemporary, historic, and visiting exhibitions inside the historic homes. Come and experience the #ArtsAtDeering. Exhibition Evenings are free of charge and offer the public a chance to interact with artists and curators and to experience a variety of exhibit tours and talks.

Cultural Arts Programming at the Deering Estate is made possible with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, and The Deering Estate Foundation, Inc.

About the Deering Estate Foundation
For those who treasure the Deering Estate, who advocate for its preservation and wish to invest in its future, The Deering Estate Foundation provides opportunities for individuals and corporations alike to partake in membership, signature events, and one-of-a-kind experiences, all in service of providing vital funding and support to the Deering Estate. Through these efforts, the foundation fulfills its mission to uphold the legacy of Charles Deering's cherished 1920s-era property, to provide funding for the cultural, educational and recreational experiences it offers, as well as its significant scientific and archaeological endeavors to conserve its diverse flora, fauna and the eight native ecosystems that thrive on its 450 acres, and to ensure its longevity as a prized American heritage site. Established in 1989, The Deering Estate Foundation, Inc. is a community-based charitable 501(c)3 Florida Corporation and the philanthropic partner of the Deering Estate.