Shades of Brilliance: The Life and Art of Nela Arias-Misson

A groundbreaking yet overlooked figure in 20th-century art, Nela Arias-Misson (1915–2015) was the only Cuban-born woman associated with Abstract Expressionism. Shades of Brilliance: The Life and Art of Nela Arias-Misson uncovers her extraordinary journey, from formative years studying with Hans Hofmann and sharing creative spaces with Rothko, de Kooning, and Motherwell, to forging ties with pioneering women artists like Helen Frankenthaler, Joan Mitchell, and Lee Krasner.

Through rare archival footage, unseen works and intimate interviews, the documentary reveals Arias-Misson’s radical decision to retreat from fame to pursue artistic freedom, her decades in isolation, and her eventual return to Miami, where she lived until her passing in 2015. Her story underscores both the resilience of women artists in a male-dominated movement and the lasting ties between South Florida and global modernism.

Presented by South Florida PBS in partnership with the Nela Arias-Misson Foundation and the Doral Contemporary Art Museum (DORCAM), this free screening and reception is part of Hispanic Heritage Month programming. The evening begins at CMX CinéBistro CityPlace Doral, followed by a VIP reception and exhibit at DORCAM.