Firelei Baez: An Open Horizon (Or) the Stilness of a Wound

Exquisitely detailed and vibrantly colored, artist Firelei Báez’s paintings of dramatically shapeshifting figures assert the power of the female form and challenge fundamental ideas around beauty and agency. Working in her Bronx, New York studio, Firelei creates a series of paintings that draw upon the rich folklore and colonial history of the Dominican Republic, where she was born and raised.

Shot primarily on 16mm film and featuring original choreography, the film mirrors Firelei’s own lush style and follows the artist as she paints in her studio and travels through her Bronx neighborhood.