Pascale Marthine Tayou is a contemporary artist from Cameroon, currently based in Ghent, Belgium. His exhibition titled “Beautiful” was held in Miami Beach, where he presented a collaborative and organic presentation of his work made in the last decade. The exhibition showcased Tayou’s versatile and itinerant practice, which transforms and recasts the viewer’s understanding of materials, objects, and narratives.
Tayou’s work spans across different media and subject matter, questioning the frameworks of existing social, cultural, and political structures while mediating between cultures. His practice is deliberately mobile and heterogeneous, evading a pre-established schema. In “Beautiful,” Tayou centers around an intervention with the museum’s permanent collection, presenting his work alongside a selection of objects from The Bass’ founding collection. This dialogue between contemporary artworks and objects from the past speaks to Tayou’s overall practice and material considerations, which incorporates chance encounters and immediate surroundings into his installations.
The exhibition also includes a newly commissioned, site-specific work by Tayou called “Welcome Wall,” which was composed of animated LED signs that read “welcome” in over 70 languages. The piece was installed in the lobby of the museum, broadcasting a message of profound inclusion, aligning with Tayou’s concern for the decolonization of histories and territories. Tayou’s work in “Beautiful” challenged the viewers’ perceptions and brought attention to the impact of tourism in shaping the city of Miami Beach.
