Marking the gallery’s inaugural exhibition of handmade paper objects, Ámate, aims to be a serene space for contemplation and introspection.

Piero Atchugarry Gallery is pleased to announce Ámate, by Karla Kantorovich in its Miami Survey Space. This exhibition will debut Kantorovich’s 2021 Ellis Award project, presented by Oolite Arts and curated by Rina Gitlin. A play on words, Ámate refers to the imperative verb that means love yourself in Spanish, and Amate, which comes from Nahuati amatl, a bark paper produced in Mexico since pre-Hispanic times. The exhibition features an immersive art installation inspired by ancestral Mexican Amate paper making techniques and traditions, alongside other handmade paper works using locally sourced recycled materials. The resulting piece is a meditation on healing through self-love.

In Ámate, a floor-to-ceiling handmade paper tree represents the human need for connection with nature and the people surrounding us. It sprouts from a corner of the exhibition space, the roots providing grounding, its branches and leaves extending through the whole ceiling to provide protection. This enormous tree canopy offers an inviting and peaceful space for reflecting inwards. Papermaking appeals to Kantorovich for its relationship to the natural environment and meditation-inducing effects. Also, working with recycled material signifies the possibility of transformation; giving materials a second life makes Kantorovich feel like change is possible. With this premise of transformation in mind, she explores the intrinsic qualities of paper: it is fragile but malleable. It can burn in an instant, yet it can also last for centuries.

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