Federico Uribe: On the Move

Opening Exhibition Date: November 21 | 7:00 PM
Location: The Copper Pop-Up Gallery, 800 NE 125th St, North Miami, FL 33161
Panel Discussion: Panel Discussion: Sustainable Art & Non-Profits

 

“ON THE MOVE”

Federico Uribe’s newest body of work, On The Move, is a vivid and poignant sculptural installation that addresses the global narrative of migration, displacement, and human resilience. Comprising life-size figures and animals made entirely from recycled leather suitcases and discarded travel bags, and set against rich, colorful backdrops fashioned from used clothing, the series speaks to both personal and collective stories of movement, identity, and belonging. 

Each component, whether a determined traveler dragging their worldly belongings, a makeshift boat constructed from luggage, or walls lined with garments evoking lost histories-tells a tale of journey. The Immigrants resonates not just with aesthetic power but with a socially critical voice that reflects on contemporary issues through Uribe’s signature transformation of everyday materials into emotional storytelling. 

 

“PLASTIC REEF”

Plastic pollution has inspired me to create a plastic coral reef installation which has been displayed in Venice, Italy during in a parallel exhibition during the 2019 edition on the Venice Biennale. The installation reflects on the indiscriminate use of plastic, as well as on the ocean plastic pollution worldwide. Daily plastic objects including bottles, bottle caps, plastic cutlery, flip flops among others, are weaved in curious and unpredictable ways. The plastic reef – which bursts with colors and transports the viewer under water into a tropical oasis – confronts the viewer with a vibrant underwater world that reminds us of the fragility of life.

 

About the Artist

Born in Bogotá, Colombia in 1962 and based in Miami, Federico Uribe is internationally acclaimed for his sculptural assemblages composed of everyday objects. After studying at the University of Los Andes and earning his MFA under Luis Camnitzer in New York, Uribe shifted from traditional painting in the mid-1990s to constructing narratives using repurposed materials-from colored pencils and shoelaces to bullet casings and now suitcases. 

His work defies categorization, merging conceptual weight with visual whimsy. Uribe’s approach elicits curiosity and introspection, drawing viewers into worlds where materiality and metaphor seamlessly coexist.