News

NEAR THE RIVERS THERE ARE MANY LARGE SPRINGS | MILENA ARANGO, DONNA RUFF, KX2 (RUTH AVRA AND DANA KLEINMAN)

Near the rivers there are many large springs is an exhibition that highlights the Florida landscape from the lenses of four South Florida artists that use historical elements, raw data, repurposed materials, and nature to create awareness of the changing environment in the area. Milena Arango’s leaf imprints on paper and textile using natural pigments extracted from the teak tree serve as a reflection of her personal journey. Her 197-feet long VTG (Vestigium Tectona Grandis) exposes traces of leaves and the effects of land and water from multiple landscapes. Donna Ruff’s interest in history and the tropical landscape led her to discover archival landscape photographs in a 1920’s book by John Kunkel Small. Inspired by his call to protect Florida’s wetlands a century ago, Ruff’s created silkscreens from her landscape photographs on locations previously captured by Small, and printed them on pages of a book by Small that identifies flora in Miami. KX2 presents artworks made with repurposed materials, raising awareness on issues related to climate change and water infrastructure. Boil Notice focuses on a lack of access to potable water, industrial waste pollution, and the effect of climate change on our water infrastructure. And works from Obstruction Series aim to raise an awareness of the dependence on the vast and hidden networks of utility pipes of our modern world and the pressures they face with climate change, population growth and pollution.

The title of the exhibition comes from the book Ferns of Florida by John Kunkel Small, repurposing a phrase used to describe the lavish conditions that Florida’s landscape offers for the abundant growth of ferns. For an exhibition that celebrates repurposing, re-using, and recovering, the use of this phrase, written almost a hundred years ago, serves as a reminder of the natural conditions of the land we currently inhabit.

A message from Kx2:

We are delighted to announce the opening of our new group exhibition at the Coral Springs Museum of Art. This exhibition invites viewers to consider the Florida landscape and explore the evolving environment through the artistic perspectives of ourselves and two other distinguished South Florida artists.

Our collective endeavor is rooted in an exploration of raw data analysis, the innovative use of repurposed materials, and a deep reverence for nature. Central to our narrative is the critical discourse surrounding the evolving environmental dynamics of our region.

This exhibition will present an array of new works from our studio that not only exemplify the evolution of our practice but also reflect our unwavering commitment to these vital themes. Additionally, we are privileged to feature a new installation of our noteworthy wall sculpture "Boil Notice"  reflecting data from March 2024 which serves as a poignant reminder of our interconnectedness with natural resources and infrastructure.

The opening reception will be on April 11th, 5:30-8pm and we invite you all to join as we celebrate this occasion. 

-Dana & Ruth