Firelei Báez

 Step into a world where history, myth, and imagination collide. Bold. Vibrant. Transformative. Firelei Báez is more than a monograph—it's an immersive journey into the richly layered universe of one of the most influential artists working today. Published in collaboration with the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, this stunning volume celebrates over fifteen years of groundbreaking work by Dominican Republic–born artist Firelei Báez, whose paintings, drawings, and installations challenge conventional narratives of race, gender, identity, and history. Known for her dazzling use of color, intricate patterns, and commanding figures, Báez creates works that are both visually spectacular and intellectually profound. Drawing inspiration from anthropology, geography, folklore, fantasy, science fiction, and social history, she transforms maps, documents, and historical references into powerful new visions of the past, present, and future.

At the center of Báez's work are women of color—regal, resilient, and unapologetically powerful. Through elaborate adornments, layered symbolism, and unwavering gazes, her subjects reclaim space within histories that have too often overlooked or erased them. Each artwork becomes an act of reimagining, offering new possibilities for understanding identity, belonging, and cultural memory. Created in advance of her major North American traveling exhibition, this beautifully designed book offers the most comprehensive look at Báez's artistic practice to date. Inspired in part by the intimacy of an artist's sketchbook, the publication includes full-spread reproductions of preparatory drawings, handwritten annotations, source images, and close-up details that reveal the depth and complexity behind her creative process. Readers gain rare access to the evolution of her ideas, from initial sketches to fully realized works.

Contributions from leading scholars and writers provide thoughtful insights into Báez's extraordinary impact on contemporary art, exploring how her work has reshaped conversations around diaspora, identity, history, and representation. Together, these essays help illuminate why Báez has become one of the defining artistic voices of her generation. Published alongside her major North American traveling exhibition, this volume serves as both a stunning visual archive and a definitive survey of more than fifteen years of artistic production. Through richly reproduced paintings, drawings, and installations, readers can experience the full scope of Báez's dynamic practice and the intricate visual language that has made her work instantly recognizable around the world.

Part art book, part visual archive, and part exploration of history reimagined, Firelei Báez invites readers into a world where fact and fantasy intertwine, where forgotten stories are reclaimed, and where new futures become possible.

Discover the artist. Explore the histories. Imagine what comes next.

Details

• Hardcover
•  200 Pages with 129 Color Illustrations
• Dimension: 9.25 x 11.75 in.