Meet CARIDAD SOLA: ARCHITECT, VISUAL ARTIST, & PROFESSIONAL BODYBUILDER

We had the good fortune of connecting with CARIDAD SOLA and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi CARIDAD, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
TENACITY. You have to know what you want, learn how you can get it, and then take little steps every day that will get you there. When you reach some road blocks, turn, or go around them – but never quit. Motivation doesn’t last, it’s fleeting. So you need to acquire discipline. The discipline to put in the work goes hand and hand with the determination to get there, no matter what. And that all starts by believing in yourself. That way of thinking is the way I have achieved EVERYTHING in my life. My education, my career, my success as a professional athlete – all started with believing in myself. The rest will follow, if you put in the work.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have a passion for the grandiose, the dramatic, and the theatrical – so as an artist my ultimate goal is to create unforgettable experiences. I expose viewers to rituals, collective memories, and metaphors by transforming spaces and exploring my body and others. These works create memories. But like memories, these experiences will not last. Installations are ephemeral, and after they are de-installed all that remains are memories, documentation, and artifacts. In addition to being to an artist, am I an architect. One of the things I am most proud of, is being part of the team that help re-build Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan, NY. I knew when I completed all my graduate degrees, I wanted to be on that project, a project of historical significance. I tried every avenue I could. I applied and interviewed with the various architects, the developer, different construction companies, and finally – I got my foot in the door with the construction management company that built the 9/11 Memorial Plaza and 9/11 Museum. This opportunity didn’t come easy, it took many tries, and rejections, till finally the right opportunity (that I believe was meant for me) opened up. I ended up staying on the project in one way or another, for a total of 10 years. The project was unique in the sense that it combined history, design, architecture, engineering, art, exhibit design, photography, documentary, and security – all in one development. I learned about project management, and how to handle different stakeholders. This knowledge is what has given me tremendous success in my career. Now working on the owner side of construction projects, that diverse experience is exactly what is needed for a project to be successful. This same knowledge can be applied to my art career. Currently I am applying for public art commissions and commissioned installation works, both of which include the same multi-faceted stakeholder involvement. In this new journey I plan to apply the same principles. Keep trying, keep submitting, keep knocking on those doors, until I get a ‘yes’.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Living in Miami, you have TONS of options for the night life (even now at the tail end of the pandemic). However, being a “home-body” myself, I’m probably the last person you want to go to for advise on this. I can however, find out out the best places in town and take you there. My typical go-tos when being social are enjoying some sun on the beach, laying pool side at a hip hotel, a boozy brunch, baking up a storm at home, or bike riding thru the streets of south beach and downtown. The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My entire family has made me who I am today. Without them I would not be where I am in my life. Their support throughout my entire existence has been the backbone to my strength and tenacity.

Website: cari@caridadsola.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caridad_sola_ifbbpro/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caridadsola/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cari.dadi

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/cariesola/videos

Other: https://www.saatchiart.com/caridadsola https://caridadsola.smugmug.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOjIuALbIlE https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/animals/people-think-im-a-circus-freak-miami-muscle/vi-BB18MjH4

Image Credits
Salomon Urraca