Opening Reception for Fragile Terrain and Open Water
Artists, collectors, community arts leaders, and Locust Projects‘ Board Members attended Locust Projects on Wednesday night for the opening reception of two new immersive, multimedia exhibitions that explore humanity’s evolving relationship with nature, technology, and the ocean: real, imagined, and within us all: Fragile Terrain by Korean artist Jaye Rhee in the Main Gallery and Open Water by Wendy Wischer in the Project Room.
Attendees enjoyed the opportunity to meet the artists and delve into the inspiration and creative process behind each of the commissioned projects.
In the main gallery visitors encountered a sculptural landscape made with 700 carefully crafted pixelated paper cubes and 200 rounded paper objects. Constructed entirely from hand-folded, custom-printed recycled paper, the assembled forms create an abstracted image reminiscent of the ocean or beach—making a direct nod to Miami’s unique environment tied to the Atlantic Ocean and its iconic beaches.
Rhee’s fragile and meticulously crafted illusion of a landscape mimics a film set, inviting viewers to question the nature of reality and its digital representations. Rhee’s project explores the complex emotional bonds humans form with technology, drawing a connection to historical concepts of man’s relationship with nature depicted by 19th century romantic landscape painters who sought to capture the sublime power of nature unspoiled by human intervention.
In the project room visitors encountered Open Water, an immersive, multi-media installation reflecting on the ocean—both the vast seas and the ocean that resides within us. Through non-linear storytelling, sound, and projected video, it explores the vulnerability of loving something as it fades away. The ocean’s surface remains unchanged, but beneath lie secrets, beauty, and wildness we are losing, leaving mysteries forever undiscovered.
This work attempts to redefine our shifting relationship with nature, exploring boundaries where the visible meets the invisible, and technology intertwines with nature. It translates data into personal meaning, merging science, mythology, and universal connections. Wischer seeks to deepen our bond with the environment and each other, addressing the climate crisis through impactful emotional engagement.
Fragile Terrain and Open Water are on view until April 5, Wed-Sat, 11am-5pm at Locust Projects in Little River. Visit locustprojects.org for more info.
Both shows are Knight Digital Commissions with additional support for Fragile Terrain provided by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea, Korea Arts Management Service, and the Fund for Korean Art Abroad. Rhee's exhibition is also supported in part by Samwha Paper.