Interview with Firelei Báez

              Caribbean Diaspora Oral History Collection
Interview with Firelei Baez
Miami, FL, November 14, 2015
Interview asm0344000007
Interviewed by Julio Estorino
Recorded by Javier Carrion
Outline by Kriti Sood
Length: 00:37:34
Interview with Firelai Baez, artist. She was born in the Dominican Republic and immigrated to Miami at the age of nine. Firelei studied psychology in Miami-Dade and received a BFA from Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York. Later, she received her MFA from Hunter College. Firelai’s work has been displayed in several museum exhibits and her work has been reviewed in many social platforms. She is a recipient of both the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Award in painting and the Joan Mitchel Painters and Sculptors Award. Firelai likes to incorporate themes of history and social causes into her work. She uses her matriarchal family influence to focus on the female human body in her art form. She works with papers and acrylics and works with motifs of embracing reality and cycles. Firelai emphasizes the global movement between the Caribbean and the United States.
This interview forms part of the Caribbean Diaspora Oral History Collection of the University of Miami Libraries Special Collections.
This oral history expresses the views, memories and opinions of the interviewee. It does not represent the viewpoints of the University of Miami, its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers. The University of Miami makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the interview and expressly disclaims any liability therefor.
Copyright to this interview lies with the University of Miami. It may not be reproduced, retransmitted, published, distributed, or broadcast without the permission of the University of Miami Libraries Special Collections. For information about obtaining copies or to request permission to publish any part of this interview, please contact Special Collections at asc@miami.edu.
INTERVIEW OUTLINE
 00:00:13: Introduction
 00:00:19: Let’s start at the beginning. Where were you born and when?
 00:00:31: And your family- how is your family?
 00:00:53: And how was your childhood?
 00:02:00: How was your education and schooling?
 00:02:28: How was your first contact with art?
 00:03:15: Are there any artistic traditions in your family?
 00:03:48: You say you moved to Miami when you were a little girl, so why was that? What was the reason?
 00:05:05: When did you decide to pursue a career in the arts?
 00:06:22: and did you get the scholarship, of course?
 00:06:32: So, you went from Miami to New York at a very young age to study art? How did that settle with your mom, and your family? Would you care to elaborate?
 00:07:09: What were your steps, I mean sound steps, in the world of art that made you think – this is for me, this is what I am going to do?
 00:08:42: Now, every artist, I mean every true artist I believe puts his or her true feelings, puts her identity in her works. You are of Asian and Dominican ancestry. You were born in Dominican Republic, you moved to Miami and then to New York. How do you think of yourself when you describe yourself?
 00:10:30: When did you feel that you were ready to show your art to the public?
 00:11:47: How, and whom, were your teachers and mentors and any particular artist or mentor that inspired you to do your work?
 00:12:58: When you look back at the history of art, for what you call the great masters. Which are the ones you feel closer to?
 00:13:53: Now, when you look at your work and how you feel when you are doing it, and after you finish it. Do you find that your ethnicity and your background has in anyway influenced your art?  00:15:00: Being of Dominican and Haitian background, do you keep any contact with Dominican Republic and Haiti? Do you feel like you belong there yet?
 00:16:12: Now, you have manifest in your work and in the different interviews that I have read about, your interest in social causes, in social justice. Where does that come from?
 00:16:57: Is that present in your work?
 00:17:24: Having said that, what do you think for the arts is the most important social issue at this minute in the US?
 00:19:08: The human body, especially female, is represented in your work. Most of them I would say is the centerpiece of your different paintings. Why is that?
 00:20:04: At the same time, intermingling with the human body, most of your work from which I have been able to see is like an explosion of color. It is like spring of the time. What are you trying to say?
 00:20:59: Another thing about your work, many of them are large scale. Really big…
 00:21:53: Now, speaking of materials, you use paper? What are your favorite materials?
 00:22:09: Do you ever go to canvas and oils and stuff like that?
 00:22:56: So, you are trying to send a message with that? What will the message with be?
 00:23:15: When you look back at the beginning of your career, at what point would you say you are now?
 00:23:57: Tell me about Blood Lines.
 00:26:22: Currently you have an exhibition at the Perez Museum. Tell me about that.
 00:29:18: You have had a few exhibitions now with different categories and in different places. What is the one you are most proud of, the piece of work that you think that is the best thing I have ever done?
 00:31:10: So what would be that one?
 00:31:13: Now, have you ever think, or plan to hold an exhibition in the Dominican Republic?
 00:32:25: What is the next step for you?
 00:33:22: Now, right here in Miami we have this neighborhood, Wynwood, which is emerging very strongly now especially in the arts. That has traditionally been a very Caribbean place with Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Haitians are a little bit more in Haiti, but anyhow pretty close to it. How do you think about Wynwood emerging like this now?
 00:34:58: Is there anything left?...No I think we have covered mostly everything.
 00:35:19: Now, being an artist as you are, being interested in social issues as you are too. And I know the situation in the United States, with the Latinos, and to young artists you must have advice. What would be that advice?
 00:36:36: And what about specifically for young artists?
 00:37:23: Thank you Firelai.
 00:37:34: END OF INTERVIEW