about the exhibition

the basis for the exhibition is salazar’s unique home which is bursting with throw-away objects that once contained food stuff and other essentials of living. salazar has been collecting bottles, jugs, cans and found objects since the 1960s. He re-purposes them by creating totems and constructions throughout his small Hialeah home. One can barely navigate the circuitous routes that go room to room…everywhere you look it is a WONDERLAND of mysterious structures and things. The house and its collections have been likened to the Coral Castle in Homestead, Florida and Watts Towers in Los Angeles…in that they are all made compulsively, built on love and dreams. But unlike those two attractions – Salazar’s house is in a sleepy neighborhood and is small. It cannot be made public. Therefore,  this book and exhibition bring the magic and mystery of his home to the public. 

Salazar muses about the collections of “stuff” in the house. They are constantly being moved and recreated. Most of the constructions in the book are only memory now…as they have transformed and been moved into other configurations. He also wonders what would happen if all people would get creative with their “refuse”. “  What a sight that would be !”

This exhibition is derived from the newly published book “CONSUMPTION PERSONIFIED”, about the work and life environment of Miami artist | photographer, rafael salazar. The book, created by artists lou anne colodny, william cordova, Ernesto Oroza and salazar, was made possible by the Ellie Awards granted by Oolite Arts in Miami, Florida.