CORPUS DELICTI at the Maitland Art Center

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

CORPUS DELICTI is more than an art exhibition; it is an emotional experience.

Currently on view at the Maitland Art Center in Maitland, FL, CORPUS DELICTI is the profound and deeply moving work of artist Jessica Caldas. While the physical medium is a repeated motif of soft sculpture (think early Yayoi Kusama, not Claes Oldenberg’s ripoffs), the message of the work as a whole is anything but soft. Personally, I believe the exhibition should be viewed not as a collection of individual pieces of artwork, but as a complete unit in and of itself.

This is one of the most moving and emotionally charged art exhibitions I have ever experienced, bolstered by the information included in the didactics and gallery labels which frequently brought me to tears. The curation is exceptional, transforming what feels like the rooms of an old Florida bungalow into immersive spaces that envelope the viewer and includes the viewer as an active participant.

Nowhere is this aspect of the work more visceral and more potent than in the gallery room that houses The Endeavor. When visiting this space, take the time to read the provided didactics regarding the birth (and the heartbreaking death) of this artwork and I challenge you not to weep.

CORPUS DELICTI translates from the Latin to “body of the crime” and I certainly felt as though the building was an enormous body housing rooms full of pink and red tubes, arteries, veins and intestines. But I was no mere spectator to these enormous innards. I was an explorer, on a journey in search of, quite literally, “what ails us.” The timing of an exhibition like this could not be more pertinent as we are constantly faced with the diseases of ignorance and violence and must watch as our rights as women, as human beings, are stripped away without a thought or care for the individual who must navigate this harsh, lonely landscape called America.

Please be gentle with me, indeed.

For more info on this incredible exhibition, please visit…

CORPUS DELICTI

6 thoughts on “CORPUS DELICTI at the Maitland Art Center”

  1. Adriene’s photos of Maitland Art Ctr exhibition Corpus Delicti are moving. In person visit may be overwhelming so thanks for info of current art scene which reflects society sadness.

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  2. Thank you for your thoughtful and emotionally honest review of our exhibition. If you ever had the opportunity to meet the artist, Jessica Caldas in person, and see firsthand how committed she is to her work and her positivity, you would realize, like we did, how important it was for this exhibition to happen.

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    1. Dan, thank you for not only reading my blog post, but for taking the time to leave a comment. I can’t applaud you enough for hosting Jessica Caldas and her work. What it means for the Central Florida region is immense and I look forward to your future programming. PS I’m pleased to say that I have connected with the artist via Instagram and you are absolutely right – she is a wonder.

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The Wandering Art Historian's avatar
I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.