Alexander Mijares Event Recap: The Man, The Mystery, The Magic

There’s something to be said about Miami’s relevance in the world of art; aside from Basel week, the city serves as a year-round platform for the advancement of contemporary art and culture. And as the city continues to grow and adapt, local artist Alexander Mijares is proving that he is at the forefront of it all.

Upon meeting Mijares, his handsome looks and gregarious personality immediately make you feel at ease. He’s an old soul, with depth that is profoundly intriguing; each one of his paintings seems to pull back one layer at a time. And that mysterious façade translates into his work, too.

After a private show at Ocean House, Mijares gave us insight into the mystery behind his trademark masks. “Basically, I treat everything almost like a puzzle piece; a lot of influences in life and life experiences all come together to become one piece. That’s where the whole series of masquerade came from,” Mijares says. And like a puzzle, the elements in each of his painting are a perfect fit.

“I paint almost all of my paintings without a face, so that way people try to figure out who that is,” he continues. ”I don’t want to be the guy that tells a story, I want them to tell the story. It becomes more interesting for them, and it inspires me to continue to paint.”

The evening brought art aficionados and novices together for a common interest: to celebrate the work of Miami’s emerging pioneer amongst family and friends. And the turn out was as impressive as it was diverse. “What I liked about this show was that we had a big mix of culture,” Mijares continues. “We had Brazilians, Cubans, Spanish and Americans, and at the end of the day everyone is impacted by my work.” After selling seven paintings throughout the course of the evening, the artist was also able to grant a wish in the amount of $5,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of Southern Florida.

While we watch in awe as Mijares slowly steps into the international spotlight, we couldn’t be more proud of our Miami native for representing what the Magic City is all about.

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