NXTHVN Gallery
September 25, 2021 – November 28, 2021

Between Reveries

Christian Curiel: Between Reveries, organized by Kalia Brooks and Victoria McCraven. The exhibition features the artwork of New Haven and Miami-based artist, Christian Curiel who creates open-ended, narrative paintings that at first seem to depict banal events, yet upon closer examination – abnormal actions, elements, or characters emerge.


Inspired by magic realism and the current human condition, Curiel’s work mixes the real and unreal aspects of dream states as reflections on Latin American cultural and literary references, as well as elements of ritual, mystery, and symbolism. The works are a collision of themes related to migration, immigration, belonging, and identity placed within the complex, highly emotional coded world of youth. His work evokes a dreamlike state that represents the confusion and fragility of coming of age as the embodiment of the struggle for identity and a sense of belonging. The work also explores the influence memories and dreams have on the construction of identity.