The Image is the Result

Miguel Rivera is a practicing mid-career artist closing his three-year residency at Studios Inc. His solo exhibition “GEO/MATRIX” is a selection of abstract works created using various techniques such as CNC machining and laser etching. His works are inspired by maps, forces of physics, and architectural forms. This exhibition challenges the way the viewer understands and perceives the work or as Rivera states when referring to the practice of abstraction, “The image is the result, not exactly the objective” – Miguel Rivera (ArtSpeak KKFI Interview)

Printmaking allows Miguel to think in layers and colors.  As he deconstructs an image, he does so in a way that allows the viewer to see his creative process. In the multi-panel work “Cannaregio”, Rivera creates various patterns and textures using laser engraving on arches paper. The densely layered background is a result of CNC machining which creates a spatial atmosphere within the work.

Cannaregio references identity in the way the background images and textures resemble fingerprints. The sense of individuality that a fingerprint represents is what Rivera brings not only into his work but throughout the entire exhibition. Within each layer of each piece is a distinctiveness that sets it apart from one another. Those differences among layers are the elements of abstraction. Depth is created as your eyes interact with the figures found throughout the multiple layers from the background to the foreground. Looking at the final image, you see the result of the process of abstraction that took place in Rivera’s studio practice. Beyond the success of these authentic and eye-catching compositions, Rivera’s work becomes extraordinary due to the inspiration and process involved in its creation.

Cannaregio, 2019 - Mixed media print, drawing and laser engraving on arches paper

Written by Cicely Jones (2019 Fall Exhibition Intern)