The Wilderness

The Wilderness is an examination of the conceptual boundaries between nature and human civilization. It considers the wilderness not as a place, but as an idea lodged deeply within human cultural history - one that has played a fundamental role in determining the character of our relationship with the natural world. The exhibition grapples with competing definitions of wilderness, pitting the conventional vision of a chaotic, primeval realm that awaits human subjugation against alternative perspectives that critique the notion of an intrinsic opposition between the tamed and the untamed. Either directly or indirectly, the included works raise questions about the assumption of human dominance over the natural world. In the process, they underscore the extent to which we are embedded within natural landscapes, systems and timescales, as well as the extent to which nature is embedded both within our cultural traditions and our own innate selves.

Exhibition organization & support

The Wilderness is organized by Miami Art Museum and curated by MAM Associate Curator René Morales. It is supported by donations to PAMM's Annual Exhibition Fund and by Amuse Restaurant & Lounge - Tempo Miami. Educational content of this program is made possible with support from Espírito Santo Bank. Special thanks to the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center, the de la Cruz Collection and CasaLin.