Pompano Beach Cultural Center Presents SUPER NATURAL HUMANOIDS

The Pompano Beach Cultural Center is proud to present Super Natural Humanoids, an interactive installation of larger-than-life marionettes, which resemble older adults. Using levers and pulleys, guests will 'activate' these handcrafted works of art, encouraging a dialogue about how society can create better connections with our aging population. Created by artists Aurora Molina and Julian Pardo, this exhibition will be on view in the Pompano Beach Cultural Center Art Gallery from July 12, 2019 through October 4, 2019, with an opening reception July 12 from 7-9 pm. For more information, www.ccpompano.org.

"While I was living in Spain, I noticed a cultural contrast in the way older people were treated," said Aurora Molina, in explaining her inspiration for this exhibition. "In Europe, there was more interaction, appreciation and respect for society's elders than what is typical in the United States. Here, our aging population and our more vulnerable population seems less included. We created Super Natural Humanoids to open up a dialogue about how we deal with age and how we can work to be more connected and inclusive."

Molina and Pardo especially encourage younger people to play with the marionettes, which range in size from 5 feet to 14 feet tall and take weeks to complete. Through this 'play time,' the artists hope that people will realize how fun and cool older people can be, and that all stages of life are connected and should be respected.

"This is a brilliantly thought-provoking exhibition," said Phyllis Korab, Cultural Affairs Director. "On the surface, playing with the marionettes is entertaining, but on a deeper level the artists are compelling us to reflect upon our own interactions with the aging population in our society. They are challenging us to look within ourselves and be more aware of how we engage with our seniors."

Fiber artist Aurora Molina employs embroidery as a drawing instrument, and fabric as a material for building large sculptural installations. She was born in La Havana, Cuba and emigrated to the United States at the age of sixteen. She pursued an education in art and received her Associates of Arts in Visual Arts from Miami Dade College, a Bachelors in Fine Arts specializing in Mixed Media from Florida International University, and Master Degree in Contemporary Art at the Universidad Europea de Madrid. Molina currently resides in Miami, Florida, where she works as a full-time artist. She is a resident of the Bakehouse Art Complex and represented by Bernice Steinbaum Gallery.

Julian Pardo is Miami-based Colombian artist graduated from Broward College and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Florida International University. His work has been shown in local galleries and museums such as the Young at Art Museum, Little Haiti Cultural Center, and Alma Gallery. Along with exhibiting his works, Pardo has also co-curated a South Florida artist-based group photography exhibition titled Freshly Squeezed at the Dina Mitrani Gallery. He has worked under the guidance of many well-known artists like Jim Goldberg from Magnum Photo, Alessandra Sanguinneti, and Bruce Giden.