Artist Firelei Báez: I Consider Myself a Filter | Louisiana Channel

"My work is built for human senses." Dominican-American artist Firelei Báez shares a closer look into her artworks and practice. Through vibrant colours and repurposed found maps, Báez explores themes of memory and history with references to her Caribbean origin. "I think the best thing is to just consider myself a filter."
Firelei Báez has been fascinated with art since early childhood when observing her older sister's - in Báez's own words - "masterful" drawing skills: "I have been stuck since that point with art. And it's just this thing that… It makes me feel alive. And it's been a point of refuge since I was a very young child." Not only was it the skills themselves that interested her, but she was also intrigued by her heritage and history: "I was interested in how my individual story tied to the rest of the world," she says and continues: "I would be creating in a way that would connect me to my family."
A reoccurring figure in the oeuvre of Firelei Báez is the folkloric, mythical "ciguapa". It's a creature from the same place in the Caribbean that Báez is from. It's described best as a female trickster. "There are two constants about her. One is that her feet are backwards," Báez explains: "And that she has a long, lustrous mane of hair." Although there was often a negative connotation to the ciguapa, Báez also saw certain freedom in her, as the ciguapa is almost traceless: "If you follow her footsteps, you are going in the wrong direction," she says and asks: "What are the risks and what are the gains of belonging or not belonging?"
Many of Firelei Báez's works are painted on old, found pages. It can be from books or maps thrown out for various reasons. There is a particular vandalism to the act of painting on top of, for example, a blueprint of the Lee Monument. But Báez gives the violence an undeniable beauty with vibrant colours and depictions of shiny, black hair or juicy-looking fruits. "I think if I just gave violence, it's very easy to just look away," she says. "That is our biggest power at the moment. Who do we give our attention to?" she asks and continues: "I'm fully capable of making a juicy, beautiful painting that is just all pleasure. And that's good. But that only sustains for a short period of time. I'm interested in giving something that is generous enough to make it linger in your mind afterwards."
When talking about the quality of an artwork, Báez shares the following thoughts: "A dead painting, for me, is one that leaves you uncurious. And that doesn't draw you or doesn't stay with you when you leave its presence," Firelei Báez reflects. "One that is active and effective is one that either bothers you enough to think about it some more. Or that excites you into thinking something new. That's where the maker has left a part of themselves that is still enacting."
Firelei Báez (b. 1981) is a Dominican-American artist who lives and works in New York. In her monumental paintings and installations, she creates images bursting with colours and symbols based on her Caribbean heritage, featuring folktales, colonial occupation, revolution and divided societies. Báez received an M.F.A. from Hunter College, a B.F.A. from the Cooper Union's School of Art, and studied at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. Her work has been presented in significant international exhibitions, including the inaugural installation at the ICA Watershed, Boston (2021), and the Milk of Dreams at the 59th Venice Biennale (2022). Recent solo presentations of Báez's work include exhibitions at The Museum of Modern Art, New York; The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York; The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh; and Pérez Art Museum Miami. Báez's work is held in many public collections: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco; Guggenheim Abu Dhabi; Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston; Nasjonalmuseet, Oslo; Pérez Art Museum Miami; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Sindika Dokolo Foundation, Luanda, Angola; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; Tate, London; and Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.
Firelei Báez was interviewed by Roxanne Bagheshirin Lærkesen at her studio in Brooklyn, New York, in July 2023. The video was made in connection to her upcoming exhibition, Trust Memory Over History, at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark, which will be on show from October 5th until February 18th 2024.
Camera: Sean Hanley
Edited and produced by Roxanne Bagheshirin Lærkesen
Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2023
Louisiana Channel is supported by Den A.P. Møllerske Støttefond, Ny Carlsbergfondet, C.L. Davids Fond og Samling, and Fritz Hansen.
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[@ssia6938]

Mind boggling good. Kudos to her for finding her own path. I'm impressed by how she has incorporated the flow paints into her techniques. Those paints are so overused by craft painters, and the look very tired. She knows when to use them, and when to stop. Listening to artists talk about their art is ALWAYS worthwhile. It allows you the chance to see how their mind works.

[@camillecunningham9144]

Incredible artwork and a brilliant thinker. Hair, Civil War monuments, Haiti, and Carl Linnaeus all interwoven into very thought provoking creative artwork.

[@indigohoss9014]

What an incredible woman 🤍 Powerful spirit, enlightened mind, so much wisdom and incredible body of art work.

[@craigtheflux]

Her work is incredible!!!!!

[@tylero8595]

I love her setup. That is such a good idea. The platform on wheels. Im always struggling with large pieces. She is amazing.

[@robertoconnell8153]

I'm blown away by the work and the maker... They are both incredible!

[@librateen632]

Beyond gorgeous work with profound meaning. Very inspired by this lady. A true artist indeed!

[@paulabeasty5902]

Beautiful work coming from the inside of a wonderful thinker who uses her physicality to make very important works from deep within herself. Very inspiring.

[@richardb5304]

She's s artistic and so lovely !! Wow

[@oli7457]

omg she is absolutely brilliant, loved this!

[@user-hn2bo2pn7t]

Great imagination, id love to see her do a movie. Her colors are amazing.

[@serenayw]

Wow, just found my new favorite artist

[@je4nette]

Love the story about ciguapa. Thank you for showing this fantastic artist.

[@andreinacarvajal883]

Tu trabajo es tan inspirador a todo nivel. Simbólico y profundo. Gracias

[@tinchapeltextiles]

What a wonderful artist, thank you for the film, so we can find her x

[@mariamallender1144]

Very inspiring and thought provoking.

[@mara_adina_a_world_of_colour]

I loved every second of this! Firelei's work is breathtaking and understanding her process makes it magical!

[@margolyn8291]

❤❤❤made my day..beautiful soul and adore the art..

[@hottafyah6278]

Stunning, provocative and beautiful. Continue to enlighten with your art, you are a gift to the world

[@acceptingWhatIS]

described so well - inspiring

[@ingridllinas5612]

Excellent video and exhibition. Hilando los conocimientos de la botánica, y los relatos de ficción como la ciguapa es interesante. Lo mismo que la conexión de la música con las pinturas que evocan historia, y la transfiguración de esa extraña fruta con la experiencia del dolor es toda una ilustración para nuestra mente. La curaduría de las pinturas y su aproximación al tema deVenezuela y la historia 18:46 del momento es extraordinaria. Your expressions are very authentic. I relate some of your ideas with that sense of Caribbean dream and landscaping.

[@lynkeeart]

Authentic and brilliant!

[@Lovereignsupreme]

The way her mind works and she in turn expresses her process is an adventure.

[@sandyross2571]

Thank you for bring this deeply interesting, moving and inspiring artist to my attention. Your excellent edit of this interview took me from "who?" to "wow' in just 35 minutes.

[@addiemiller4083]

Un trabajo hermoso 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@nigelbanksart]

Goodness! I am going straight back to watch again. So much depth in every thread of exploration. True? False? Who gives a damn? This an outpouring of soul that I shall not seek to replace in my own for days- a sacred presence within me that I shall make home for for as long as I possibly can. Thankyou for every beautiful second.

[@arlinejernigan]

BEAUTIFUL WORK BEAUTIFUL STUDIO.

[@ImaniTolliver]

So brilliant - her imagination is wondrous and so expansive!

[@spiritknocks4brooklynmosai196]

A well aligned siSTAR! These spiritual pieces moved me to the core. Gratitude. I aspire to see them in person.

[@albertoballocca]

Great works!! ✨

[@paintingtracey]

Wow, just wow!

[@rar3ros3]

amazing, enlightening ⭐

[@lisaoloughlin6476]

Unbelievable work, so profound, etheral and mystical at the same time.❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ ❤ Thank you

[@jcwt_pdx]

Beautiful 🤩😍💛

[@K.ART_vlog]

wow, amazing ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@Juan2142]

Wow!

[@duduzilemathebula509]

she is everything

[@moellernr1]

Amazing and stunning work. Love it. Note: libraries throwing out things is a not a disavowal of anything, its lack of funding and space, and often poor material quality.

[@robertafierro5592]

She's so Beautiful in so many ways! I think we'll be seeing more of her paintings in the years to come!

[@Artcollector384]

Excellent artwork 😊😊

[@blakelycreative3171]

I love that rolling platform...

[@marnitzvermeulenart]

Thank you for this insightful video. I am thoroughly impressed with Firelei's insights and language used to discribe her wonderful art. I am an artist myself and will be copying her mobile bench ideo for my larger paintings.

[@r7mangm313]

Wowwww

[@levondeartis]

Greetings Beloved.. I'm both new as an "artist," as well as to your channel. I would argue DaVinci, could never have done what you make look like childs play. *New Fan !

[@keorx]

Que orgullo mi compatriota.

[@user-pg4vp8zs6g]

omg she is absolutely brilliant, loved this!. would you please do an interview on Jens Haaning.

[@lisacolley3897]

so thoughtful and articulate

[@hd-xc2lz]

She's parroting art world cliches. AI could have scripted "her journey."

[@gerbongbudayajohorart14]

Good and exellent your painting

[@oc_george]

insightful

[@kewkiex5328]

Wow the work is so beautiful, and eye catching. Crazy that I haven’t heard of her. She needs more recognition.

[@JelsenInnocent]

solid.

[@ingridllinas5612]

Palms are also grateful. They regrow after a strong hurricane. I saw it at the Colombian Embassy in Dominican Republic.

[@dustyoldhat]

The format Artist Name: Tagline or quote | Louisiana Channel is working really well

[@mamumonkan]

Linnaeen taxonomy it changed us all

[@dustyoldhat]

lol :) @@mamumonkan

[@jensellingsen]

Good work!

[@joel230182]

she's so articulate

[@igorrudakoff9827]

очень четкий мастеркласс, сасибо

[@user-ly3gg8eq8z]

Salve trovo deliziosamente cattivi i tuoi dipinti in una sorta di fuga da una rigida seppur colorata realtà come in genere è la vita, ma è proprio la vita che ci insegna a combattere e a vivere! Ciao dell'Italia Mauro...where are you?

[@lena.dymytrenko]

Go down, Moses !

[@degalan2656]

How is it that so few artists can speak… just look at their work… best

[@mamumonkan]

would you please do an interview on Jens Haaning

[@gardenwonder7977]

What do y'all do with these giant canvasses? I love to paint but I don't like only utilizing canvas because where's it going to go

[@ingridllinas5612]

15:48

[@higgsmerino3925]

"Whoever wishes to devote themselves to creating art should begin by cutting out their own tongue." ~~~ Matisse

[@franksliwa362]

I always find that when artist try to explain their “process” of making their art it’s always some sort of emotion or some convoluted concept of expression… I understand that art is subjective in many ways, not only in creation, but perception as well! I do find a lot of the talk to be nothing more than B.S!!

[@vatchesolakian6361]

Nepotism

[@mamumonkan]

watched to 7:41min and yes, Sorry she got it 180º wrong telling the story backwards ... and the fact that she is getting it wrong, is why C. Linnaeus and the protagonists of the " Age of Enlightenment" are so important ( because all the "stuff of legends" was eliminated form the maps and books and turned into the famous " White Spots" ( in maps ) only to be filled in in the past 200 years and counting ). Cooper Union should have provided a way to fill in those knowledge blanks for her , instead they taught her to speak her mistakes with conviction( because they told her : that is what you do when you are an artist! )

[@user-pq7eh1cw1e]

her narrative seems to be part of an agenda

[@elzaaltmann]

I respect artists, however looking at her work I just don't get it. WHAT am I supposed to see?

[@xdon_suranox6455]

artists describing their own work can be the most pretentious bullshit youve ever heard. can make me embarrassed to be associated with this entire artform.

[@xdon_suranox6455]

LMAO, 35 minutes of complete and utter bullshit.

[@reallyyouthful]

Don't you just hate it when 'artists' talk about their work? Art speak.

[@birgittemunch3886]

Painters shall paint, that's how they stand out... Let the paintings/thw work stand out. Do not lecture your political opinions or explain all minute details of your work. FB seems to have learned the annoying US-style "painting with the mouth"....

[@Nonexistent-yg5hz]

Hello! We’re in the new world and if you still looking for van gogh you must be born way before,, in new world we have the access to use more than a tableau to communicate with the artist. Also you’re watching a show about an artist and their carrier path and their thoughts and emotions, their intrests and values You simply can choose not to watch or else i don’t know what did you expect of this video.

[@birgittemunch3886]

@@Nonexistent-yg5hz Oh dear: thanks for letting me know that "we are in the new world"- does this mean that there are other "rules of engagement"? I am not looking for van Gogh (he did it good himself), but I am either not looking for a lecture in correct understanding of v some visual objects (she did choose to be a painter, not a politician), and if you watch other videos on Louisiana channel, you will find artist, mastering the art of telling about their creations and thoughts, without lecturing. I do not think that FBs lecturing benefits the assessment of her work...

[@mamumonkan]

absolutely agree, that is what you get for your tuition fees from schools like Cooper and RISD ; as they forever taught us, that you are only an artist if you can speak about your work, ... as in: Don't worry about getting the facts right. Just listen to the exploits on Linnaeus ... I'm ashamed that I'm from the same school ( ohhh, I'm probably just jealous ... you decide :)

[@dustyoldhat]

sheesh who pooped in your porridge this morning? @@birgittemunch3886

[@TaniaPomalesArt]

She's not lecturing a damn thing. She's explaining her art and where it comes from creatively, spiritually, emotionally, and politically.... because, yes, being a woman of color is unfortunately a very political experience in this world. Her life will always come into direct friction with what she is and how society views her and categorizes her worth. I would know because I am a woman of color, too. And my experience..my day to day life.. is directly affected by politics in ways that other groups of people will not understand.

[@hd-xc2lz]

Meh. Far too many present day, art world cliches in her journey story. Less is more, better to let the work speak for itself.

[@marthelvirgenmagallon7884]

Amazing works, but could do without all the artistic intellectual jibber jabber explanations. Did not understand one thing she explained at all. Sorry folks 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@keorx]

Que orgullo mi compatriota.