Jefrë: Points of Connection
October 3, 2020 – January 3, 2021 - Multiple Galleries
Installation view of BÄKS series in "JEFRË: Points of Connection"
ON VIEW OCTOBER 3, 2020 - JANUARY 3, 2021
JEFRË: Points of Connection is the public artist’s first solo museum exhibition featuring large-scale multimedia sculptures and installations that have become the hallmark of his artistic practice. Experimenting with new materials and technologies, JEFRË activates public spaces in ways that transform the urban landscape and bring people together to enjoy a common experience.
The exhibition presents a series of site-specific installations and sculptures constructed at a human scale. Maquettes of monumental public works introduce the audience to the artist’s past projects, alongside a series of sculptures which exemplify his current studio practice. Visitors will journey through the exhibition, guided by the stanzas of JEFRË’s poem Heart to Heart, as they interact with immersive installations, which explore the artist's immigrant identity and his history with heart disease and - through the integration of technology - illuminate our common humanity across age, gender, ethnicity and nationality. Soundscapes for the exhibition will be provided by Grammy award-winning artist Ayo The Producer. This exhibition is presented by AdventHealth and Dr. Phillips Charities. Additional support comes from The Mall at Millenia and Monster XP.
JEFRË is a Filipino-American artist who was born Jefre Figueras Manuel, (b.1974. Chicago, IL.). He took courses at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago prior to receiving a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from Ohio State University. He also took graduate courses in landscape urbanism at the architecture association in London. A heart attack in 2008 changed the course of his career. Since then, he has won major public art competitions and has created numerous site-specific artworks in major cities around the world including Reflection (2010) Philadelphia, Unity Plaza, San Antonio (2012) and The Beacon and Code Wall (2014) in Orlando. His critical success in the US was the catalyst for commissions in his homeland of the Philippines including Contour Sculpture Series (2015), Talking Heads (2016), Heaven’s Gate (2019) in Manila. He is currently working on a 24-story high standing figure with arm raised, titled The Victor. Located at a bridge connecting the cities of Pasig and Quezon in the Philippines, expected to be completed in 2020, the sculpture will be one of the world’s tallest artworks and its projecting light a beacon of unity.
A resident of Central Florida, JEFRË is known for his innovative artwork The Beacon and Code Wall (2014) at Lake Nona town center which combines elegant architectural design and dazzling digital projections. This 60-foot-high work anchors the corner of the location’s parking garage. Additionally, for this site, Jefrë designed The Code Wall (2014), the architectural façade of the parking garage composed of an aluminum sheathing cut through with binary codes, and Diamond Dog (2019), a large-scale reflective aluminum sculpture in the adjoining plaza. More recently Jefrë has created Stargate (2019), a large-scale abstract sculpture accompanied by sculptural seating for a new park at AdventHealth Winter Park. JEFRË has also been selected to create a monumental gateway sculpture that will greet visitors at the Orlando International Airport’s new south terminal. With an understanding of historical, environmental, social and aesthetic issues impacting a given work, he ensures that it responds to and activates its location whether in a public space or gallery.
