A Journey Through the Threads of Time, Culture, and Transformation
Olga de Amaral’s retrospective at ICA Miami is more than just an exhibition; it’s a heartfelt journey through the soul of a truly extraordinary artist. The way her work comes to life in the space, surrounded by the soft, enveloping light, invites a moment of quiet reflection. Each piece, whether it’s the luminous Estelas or the ethereal Brumas, tells a story of resilience, transformation, and a deep connection to both nature and tradition. The exhibition design, a “vertical forest,” beautifully complements the complexity of her art, creating an immersive experience that allows visitors to step into the world she has so masterfully crafted over six decades. Amaral’s art transcends time, inviting each of us to pause and contemplate the beauty and depth of her materials and vision. It’s an exhibition that resonates deeply, leaving a lasting impact on all who are fortunate enough to experience it.
On April 30, the Fondation Cartier and ICA Miami opened a powerful retrospective honoring Colombian fiber artist Olga de Amaral. Spanning six decades and over 50 works, the exhibition reveals how she transforms gold, fiber, gesso, and natural pigments into deeply moving art. The preview began with a breakfast and conversation at The Moore Miami, followed by a private viewing of the exhibition at ICA Miami, in the heart of the Miami Design District.
One standout, Alma, floats like a sacred relic—glimmering with gold leaf and layered with meaning. But the show moves far beyond gold—delicate weavings, sculptural forms, and richly textured surfaces come together in a breathtaking study of material, memory, and light.
Architect Lina Ghotmeh designed the space as a “vertical forest,” creating a meditative setting. Curators Stephanie Seidel and Marie Perennès shaped the narrative beautifully, while Alex Gartenfeld, Artistic Director of ICA Miami, helped bring this major collaboration to life.
“As I build surfaces, I create spaces of meditation, contemplation, and reflection. Every small unit that forms the surface is not only significant in itself but is also deeply resonant of the whole. Likewise, the whole is deeply resonant of each individual element,” said Olga de Amaral.
On view May 1 through October 12, the Miami presentation is organized by former Fondation Cartier curator Marie Perennès and Stephanie Seidel, ICA Miami’s Monica and Blake Grossman Curator, after a tremendous success at the Fondation Cartier in Paris.
“Olga de Amaral’s bold and cutting-edge practice transcends and transforms the possibilities of textiles through innovative scales and alternative materials that defy categorization. This exhibition asserts her role as a key voice and influence in Postwar Latin American abstraction. Her exploration of materiality and three-dimensional space coincided with the expanding field of painting and sculpture within the global trajectory of contemporary art,” said Stephanie Seidel, Monica and Blake Grossman Curator, ICA Miami.
Amaral’s practice pushes the limits of fiber as a medium. Her earliest experiments in the 1960s often drew inspiration from nature, using inventive weaving and knotting techniques to create abstract forms. By the 1970s, she began crafting monumental wall pieces from wool and horsehair, layering materials to evoke everything from brick structures to geological formations. Over time, she expanded her materials to include linen, cotton, gesso, gold leaf, and palladium—each work a study in texture, weight, and transformation.
Now 93 years old, Olga de Amaral continues to create work in her studio in Bogotá, Colombia. She remains deeply engaged in the conceptual aspects of her art, guiding the creative vision behind her timeless pieces. Her contributions to the world of contemporary art are indelible—she is one of those rare artists whose work will be studied and celebrated for generations to come.
“A critical focus of ICA Miami’s exhibitions program is to platform artists across generations who are innovative, boundary-breaking voices, and to provide new perspectives on their work. We are pleased to collaborate with the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain on this sweeping retrospective that provides a holistic view of Amaral’s important contributions,” said ICA Miami’s Irma and Norman Braman Artistic Director, Alex Gartenfeld.
Fondation Cartier-Olga de Amaral-ICA Miami. On view through October 12 at ICA Miami. Don’t miss it.
