Photography By David Cabrera

Just a little over a year ago we introduced you to local artist, 131 and his projects. Last week, we got word that he will be showing a retrospective of his works created during the past three years. Naturally, we hit him up for more deets…

Last we heard from 131,  was during last Art Basel when we hung out with him & Ahol (plus a keg and mad friends) in Wynwood while they completed another mural collaboration. To bring us up to speed, 131 took us on a quick tour of some of his other Wynwood murals and then to his studio where he gave us the low-down on the upcoming opening of his solo show.

1 + 3 1 = 131
The exhibition is a compilation of over 30 carefully selected works by 131 completed in the last three years. Artworks exhibited include some of his earlier documental photography depicting cement inscriptions and palm tree carvings found in and around the City of Miami, plus his science-inspired drawings Amoeba Battle and Periodic Table, depicting a microscopic world where particles, microbes, and cells constantly interact.

Amazing artworks happen when science, technology and art collide. Utilizing primarily recycled materials for his works, 131 applies numeric and metaphorical symbols to represent human social and psychological interactions. For example, for one of his more recent pieces, 19 gigabytes, (above) 131 used several compact discs he collected (132-50 megabytes each) and placed carefully using a binary color pattern. As the title suggests, all the CD’s used for this artwork add up to 19 gigabytes.

I’ve gotta say that while the photos from our studio visit are dope (big up to David Cabrera for hooking us up), you’ve really gotta see 19 gigabytes in person to appreciate it in all its glory. The bright colors and shiny metals encompass everything we love — technology and Miami.

Video Installation: Kinetic Potential & Epoxy Moon

131 will also be showcasing two video installations. He believes that video footage provides information on the influences that shaped the creative process while additionally serving as a memory archive. Epoxy Moon is a video collage that compiles a year’s worth of footage of 131’s marine exploration with clips of him at work in his studio, into a half-hour with audio layering compositions.

Kinetic Potential: Part 1 (above) documents the energy unleashed as he shatters some material. The energy is transferred onto the material, he explains, which he later uses these to create other artworks.

Sculpture Experiment

The exhibition will include the artists’ first sculptures. Just a few months ago, 131 decided to step out of his comfort zone and finally pursue welding. Inspired from the need to do work outside of the studio while exploring the city, the sculptures demonstrate an evolution for the artist. All of the materials used for his premiere sculptures are recycled materials he gathered around the MIA or collected under-the-sea while exploring its shorelines. 131 applies his familiar collage technique to the sculptures by layering metal in the welding process to obtain original results while maintaining the cohesion of the exhibit.