JOSÉ BEDIA
b. 1959, Cuba
A Perfect Place, 2001
Steel, telephone poles
Dimensions variable
Courtesy of Fredric Snitzer Gallery, Miami
José Bedia's anthropological mission has moved him to explore the world in search of spiritual and historical histories, creating works characterized by the mix of "storytelling" as an artistic and cultural pilgrim. Influenced by Afro-Cuban religion and the spirituality of the Native Americans, Bedia's large-scale works frequently depict mythical elements and other sacramental imagery to serve as a pointed critique of colonialism while exploring identity, and one's own past and future.