His work was exhibited in the Vatican. Enjoy the sculptures of this artist in Miami for free

“Pareja”, by the master sculptor Jorge Jiménez Deredia, is exhibited at the Maurice A. Ferré Park on the occasion of “A bridge of light”, a free outdoor exhibition.

It’s not every day that you can see amazing bronze and marble sculptures made by a master whose work has been recognized by the Vatican. Starting this week, you can see 14 of them for free at a park in downtown Miami.

“A Bridge of Light” is an open-air exhibition in the Maurice A. Ferré park, made by the famous Costa Rican sculptor Jorge Jiménez Deredia, an artist so appreciated for his skill that he is usually presented with a single word: teacher. The free exhibition opened on Wednesday and will be on view until March 31.

Miami is the first American city in which Deredia holds an outdoor exhibition. The project was presented by the city of Miami, the Bayfront Park Management Trust and the Museum of the Cuban Diaspora. Deredia and her team provided the sculptures at no cost to the city.

“Here we have 10 years of work,” Deredia said of the sculptures. “We offer the city of Miami 10 years of sacrifice.”

Deredia and her team had been thinking about putting on an exhibit in Miami about a year ago, when they were approached by city commissioner Joe Carollo, who suggested moving the works to Ferre Park. Carollo has been adamant about bringing art to the park in previous years, including a controversial collection of aluminum sculptures of dogs and cats.

“The 14 sculptures that we have here today are known worldwide,” said Carollo during the opening ceremony of the exhibition. “They have been exhibited in some of the main cities in Europe and Latin America and now they are here in Miami so that all of us – locals, tourists, visitors – can enjoy them for free.”

Transporting the marble and bronze statues, which weigh several tons, from Costa Rica and Italy to Miami was not easy, said Esteban Jiménez, Deredia’s son. Logistics were complicated, delays were frequent, and the cost of shipping has skyrocketed over the past year. Now that the sculptures have arrived safely in Miami, Jiménez said he and his father are glad their work is accessible to everyone.

alchemist
“The Alchemist”, by the renowned Costa Rican sculptor Jorge Jiménez Deredia, exhibited at the Maurice A. Ferré Park. amanda rose

“Art is not something [deba] be visible only to collectors, museums or people who pay a ticket,” said Jiménez. “Art should be something for everyone, because art feeds your soul. Through art, you can see yourself.”

“A Bridge of Light” is a collection of works that focus on life’s journey, Deredia told the Herald.

The sculptures are mostly spherical, round and perfectly smooth. Were it not for the strong material of bronze and marble, the works would be said to be soft to the touch.

Although many of the sculptures have been exhibited around the world, some were made specifically to debut in Miami, such as “The Alchemist,” a large marble circle from which a human being emerges. The sculptures reference topics such as evolution, pregnancy, spirituality, anthropology, and the history of humans on Earth.

“We are all on a journey: the journey of life. With our minds we can’t fully understand this journey, so we need symbols,” Deredia said. “Art, par excellence, is what helps us create archetypes and symbols so that we can understand the totality of this journey.”

Deredia was born in 1954 in Heredia, Costa Rica. She was inspired by the Boruca spheres, perfectly round sculptures made by pre-Columbian natives nearly 2,000 years ago. After deciding to pursue art, he obtained a scholarship to study at the Academy of Fine Arts in Carrara, Italy, where he opened his studio.

jimenezderedia
Jorge Jiménez Deredia, a Costa Rican master sculptor, inaugurated a free outdoor exhibition of his works at the Maurice A. Ferré Park. Courtesy of 305 PR

In the year 2000, Pope John Paul II commissioned Deredia to create a sculpture of Saint Marcellin Champagnat to be exhibited in Saint Peter’s Basilica in a niche designed by the Renaissance artist Michelangelo. The sculpture was first work of a Latin American and non-European artist which entered the Vatican collection.

Now that her work is in Miami, Deredia says she’s excited for people in this city to experience her work and connect with her positive message.

“My art, my sculptures, what I know how to do, I hope it becomes a bridge of light,” he said. “It combines images of our spirituality and places them in the experience we are living, which is life.”

a bridge of light

Where: Maurice A. Ferré Park, 1075 Biscayne Blvd, Miami

When: Already inaugurated, exposed until March 31, 2023

Information: Free and open to the public

This article was pProduced with financial support from The Pérez Family Foundation, in collaboration with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.

His work was exhibited in the Vatican. Enjoy the sculptures of this artist in Miami for free