Miami-born artist Woody De Othello presents his first solo museum exhibition in his hometown, titled "coming forth by day," at the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM). The show, named after the Egyptian Book of the Dead, explores ritual objects and spirituality across the African diaspora, connecting Othello's ceramic works to ancestral beliefs. In an interview with The Art Newspaper, Othello discusses how his Haitian Catholic upbringing and Miami's multiculturalism shape his practice, and he acknowledges the vulnerability of delving into African religious traditions that may be taboo within his family.
This exhibition matters because it marks a significant homecoming for a rising Haitian American artist at one of Miami's most prestigious museums, highlighting PAMM's commitment to Black and Caribbean art. Othello's work extends his long-standing interest in animism and the invisible, using everyday objects like air-conditioning vents and windows as metaphors for metaphysical experiences. The show also underscores broader conversations about identity, diaspora, and the syncretic blending of Catholicism with African indigenous practices, positioning Othello as a key voice in contemporary ceramic sculpture.