Image courtesy of Museo Jumex
Imagine the view from here!, solo exhibition of site-specific work from Transmedia Professor Michael Smith responding to the current political and economic climate, particularly between the USA and Mexico, opened Dec. 8, 2018. Throughout his practice, Smith uses wry humor to pitch the everyday experiences of aging, failure and enthusiasm against the aspirational images projected by corporate and institutional cultures.
“The artist’s longstanding alter-ego Mike considers purchasing a ‘curated timeshare living experience’ as publicized by the International Trade and Enrichment Association,” from the exhibition text. “In a commissioned work for Gallery 1, Imagine the view from here! finds Mike visiting a possible timeshare located within the Museo Jumex that promotes a contemporary lifestyle in comparison with other established expatriate communities of San Miguel de Allende.”
A review of the exhibition was published in the digital magazine Sightlines in January 2019, where writer and independent curator Leslie Moody Castro writes, "Smith’s installation conjectures that such a lifestyle of 'fully curated' culture can indeed be purchased, and does so effectively enough that the even marketing for the exhibition includes the curatorial staff offering Mike their '24/7 Curatorial Services.' Life at Jumex Terrace is not just any getaway shared with other foreigners in a bubble, but a very particular and specific bubble targeted to a group of people eager to buy it."
Imagine the view from here! will be on view from Dec. 8, 2018 – March 3, 2019, overlapping with his solo exhibition, Excuse Me!?!...I’m Looking for the “Fountain of Youth” at the Boca Raton Museum on view from Nov. 13, 2018 – March 24, 2019.