Closing Event for The Making of Water State: Florida as Refuge by Alejandra Abad
Submitted by Kay Renz Public Relations
Join Pompano Beach, Arts for the culminating event of Alejandra Abad’s captivating exhibition, The Making of Water State: Florida as Refuge. During the final evening of the exhibition, Abad will unveil a stunning animated collage created by gathering community stories that respond to the exhibition. This unique work celebrates Florida’s role as a haven for diverse life forms, both human and animal. The synergistic event takes place September 20, 2024, from 6-8 pm on the second-floor terrace of the Pompano Beach Cultural Center. Outdoor projections will begin after dusk, and the public is encouraged to share stories and reactions, fostering a vibrant community conversation. Tickets are free. For more information, visit pompanobeacharts.org.
“Throughout the summer, I have gathered stories from Broward County residents, weaving their memories into my animation,” said Abad. “These collected stories are integrated into my animated projections, transforming spaces into immersive environments that explore themes of belonging and home.”
Abad’s distinctive technique merges analog and digital processes to turn drawings into dynamic, moving collages. Her animation seeks to connect the vibrant natural world of the Everglades with urban areas through outdoor screenings. She has conducted multiple workshops to encourage the community to share with her their experiences of finding refuge in Florida.
This project is supported by an Artist Support Regional Grant from the Broward County Cultural Division.
About Alejandra Abad
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Alejandra Abad is an interdisciplinary visual artist and educator who explores belonging and mutual compassion as key parts of collective wellness. Through layering, abstraction, and light, she creates new landscapes that relate to place, family, and community. Her playful storytelling often features fragmentation, folklore, and mythology. Abad’s installation work creates environments that include sculptural elements and video projection that relate the history of anticolonial movements to international surrealism and magical realism.
Abad’s art features conceptual and collaborative pieces that work to break down the barriers between artist and audience. Her style is informed by architectural studies at Florida Atlantic University, Film/Video/New Media/Animation at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Interdisciplinary Media Art Practices at The University of Colorado. This has led to a series of works centered on environmental futures and the implications of the Anthropocene.
About the City of Pompano Beach Cultural Affairs Department
The mission of the Cultural Affairs Department, operating as Pompano Beach Arts, is to provide cultural programming that includes visual arts, digital media, music, film, theater, dance, and public art for the enjoyment and enrichment of residents and visitors to Pompano Beach, Broward County, and the greater South Florida area. The department programs and manages the City’s premiere cultural arts venues, including the Pompano Beach Cultural Center, Ali Cultural Arts Center, Bailey Contemporary Arts Center, and the Blanche Ely House Museum. The department also oversees the City’s Public Art Program and the Artists in Residence (AiR) initiative.
