Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad. Paternal figures teach, support, and lift us up. With Father’s Day around the corner, we wanted to highlight just some of the special dads who drive the mission and vision of Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM).
Franklin Sirmans | PAMM Director
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born in New York City at a naval hospital in Queens. My father was a doctor and served in the navy at that time and even though that’s the only reason why, I like to claim Queens in some ways. My wife has family from Queens. And, I grew up spending a lot of time in Queens at NY Jets games (should have never moved to NJ) and at the US Open, first in Forest Hills and then in Flushing, where I trained throughout eighth grade. I went to an incredible school called Manhattan Country School, founded in 1966 in direct response to the tumultuous socio-political landscape of 1960s America. After some time in Albany, NY, I moved to New Rochelle, NY and went to New Rochelle High School, where I met my wife.
I organized an exhibition that came to Miami Art Museum (PAMM’s predecessor) in 2009 called NeoHooDoo: Art for a Forgotten Faith. The title came from my readings of Ishmael Reed’s writing, but especially the 1972 novel “Mumbo Jumbo.” The subtitle came directly from him. In his book “Mumbo Jumbo,” among so much decolonizing conversation, the artifacts need to be rescued from western art museums. There’s a scene from Black Panther in which Killmonger does just that, but here’s a good quick read on the novel.
My family is also from Georgia and the South and I’ve often thought of that as a jumping off point for curatorial inquiry, as it was for NeoHooDoo. But, Miami and its unique mix of cultures is the backdrop for everything we do here and we want to represent that to the fullest. We have so much to teach our nation in this moment. I hope we rise to the occasion. I’m hopeful.
What has been your favorite memory at PAMM?
There are too many! Walking the galleries of our fútbol show with American fúbol royalty Brandi Chastain. One of my favorite memories at PAMM is when we all came together to celebrate Prince a month and half after he passed. It was a massive group of Miamians all singing and dancing together in the rain in sadness and in hope to the music of our hero. Another favorite is last December with Jamila Woods performing during PAMM Presents for Miami Art Week/Art Basel Miami Beach. Another beautiful crowd of folks taken away by music and finding love in spending time in a crowd. Outside of musical performances on our East portico looking out at the bay, the inaugural KIDS JAMM at PAMM was another favorite moment. Oh, and one more, was also during Art Basel, when I got to interview my dear friends and incredible art collectors and supporters Jorge Pérez and Pamela Joyner on our Susana Ibargüen Stage in the auditorium. Oh, and…Solange and her crew blessing us with a daytime concert in the auditorium and hanging on the terrace with our staff.
What are some of the creative ways you’ve kept your kids entertained at home?
She keeps us entertained as she has become wiser in the last three months of home schooling. Cooking is something my wife has imparted to my daughter in a big way in this time. Now, she is making some of our meals. Sharing movies, books, and music is where I am helpful, I hope…
René Morales | Director of Curatorial Affairs and Chief Curator
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born in Cienfuegos, Cuba, immigrated to Miami with my parents and sister in 1980, and grew up in Little Havana. After graduating from Belen Jesuit, I received a scholarship to study at Swarthmore College—a true utopia for conscientious nerds like myself. I went on to attend grad school in art history at Brown University, studying under the late, great Kermit Champa. Along the way, I had the privilege of working on several exhibitions at the RISD Museum down the hill, including my first big show—Islands Nations: New Art from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico (co-curated with Judith Tannenbaum). Before I knew it I had spent nearly nine years in Providence, with extended stints in New York and other places in between. Throughout this period, I would come home to visit as often as I could, and each time I was struck by the new energy that I found brewing among the Miami arts community. I realized I wanted to be a part of that growth, to get in on the ground floor. So after almost 15 years in the northeast, I decided to move back, landing a job at Miami Art Museum (PAMM’s predecessor). I’ve been here ever since, organizing around 50 exhibitions for the institution while contributing to the development of its program and collection.
What has been your favorite memory at PAMM?
I have literally hundreds of favorite moments from the time I’ve been with MAM/PAMM, mainly involving artists—road tripping with Mark Dion, wandering around Warsaw with Monika Sosnowska, boating with Stan Douglas, roaming the Everglades with David Brooks, Bik Van der Pol, Christy Gast, Martjetica Potrc… But if I had to narrow it down to just one instance, it would have to be the incredibly thrilling (if slow-moving) roller coaster ride that culminated in the installation of our inaugural exhibitions at our Herzog and De Meuron facility, which opened in December of 2013. Though it was a gargantuan task, I remember everyone feeling so enervated by the excitement and the conviction that what we were doing would be a true boon to the community we love. It was an unforgettable experience and I savored every second of it.
What are some of the creative ways you’ve kept your kids entertained at home?
For me, if there’s been a silver lining to the COVID-19 crisis, it’s been the opportunity to spend so much time with my wife and nine-year-old daughter—enjoying nightly movie nights (we’ve watched The Fantastic Mr. Fox maybe seven times by now), chasing each other around the house, going on long walks and drives, playing board games (including an old game about art auctions called Masterpiece, though our favorite is still Life)… It’s been such a bonding time and I find myself constantly counting my many blessings.
Raymond Adrian | Senior Visual Designer
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m a dad who has a second job as the senior visual designer at PAMM. I was born and raised in Miami, I like to doodle, solve problems creatively, and play outside.
What has been your favorite memory at PAMM?
Throughout the course of almost eight years, I’ve had many memories at PAMM, so it’s hard to pick just one. I enjoyed some earlier staff holiday parties at PAMM, which always had a karaoke setup. This was before being a dad, so I was able to party more.
What are some of the creative ways you’ve kept your kids entertained at home?
We are always inventing activities but right now we’re making a lot of obstacle courses. Basically, it’s me tiring him out with elaborate physical and mental challenges. Renzo, jump on three pillows to the couch because the floor is lava, stop and make this puzzle, then move on to the bike and ride it to the room, then organize the blocks then go down the slide, and so on.We also started lunch doodles, which consists of him saying ideas and I draw them while he eats. A recent example is ninjas fighting fruit.
