How to Win Friends & Influence People
How to Win Friends & Influence People was presented at the Faena Arts Complex in Miami Beach in 2018. Its title was borrowed from Dale Carnegie’s influential self‑help book, reframing the phrase within a charged political and cultural context. Invited to participate in the exhibition This Is Not America, the artist reconstructed the iconic Levittown model home, an emblem of post‑war suburban aspiration, and set it ablaze on December 4, 2018, the Feast Day of Saint Barbara. New elements were introduced distinguishing the project from the 2013 American Falla.
Key New Element - Piano Performance by Mateo Oliva‑Bosch. On the evening of the burn, thirteen‑year‑old Mateo performed a solo piano recital before an audience of roughly 400 people. Mateo, born and raised in Cuba, is the son of Otari Oliva and Laura Bosch, who operated the independent art space Cristo Salvador from their home in Havana. The gallery’s critical stance toward the Cuban government and the Castro regime ultimately led to its closure, prompting the family’s relocation to Miami.
“This is Not America” was curated by Zoe Lukov
Piano Performance by Mateo Oliva-Bosch
Pyro-Master: Jeff Rolfe, PYRO “n” FX
Photography & Video: Barron Sherer, Humberto Guiterrez, William Keddell, Oriol Tarridas, Carlos Espiga, Kris Tamburello
Thank You: Marianna Pariani, Matt Buser, Miami Beach Police Department, Miami Beach Fire Department, Laura Bosch, Otari Oliva, Cristo Salvador Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
The above and below pictures are of the construction of the “Cristo Salvador” sign that would go into the house for “How to Win Friends & Influence People” the night it was burnt, December 4th, 2018.
