Booker's solo exhibition "The Observance" concluded its two-month run at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami.
On May 12, 2013, Chakaia Booker: The Observance closed at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, concluding a roughly two-month solo presentation of Booker's sculptural work. The exhibition had drawn significant attention within Miami's dynamic contemporary art scene, further cementing Booker's reputation as one of the leading American sculptors working with reclaimed industrial materials.
Throughout its run, the exhibition offered viewers an immersive encounter with Booker's tire sculptures, which transformed discarded rubber into elaborate, texturally rich forms exploring themes of consumption, labor, race, and embodiment. The accompanying University of Chicago Press publication ensured that the ideas and visual language presented in the exhibition would continue to circulate within academic and curatorial circles well beyond the show's physical run.
The closing of this exhibition marked a significant milestone in Booker's career during the early 2010s, coming after her celebrated Storm King Art Center presentation and preceding later institutional showcases such as her 2019 exhibition at the Sarasota Art Museum. Collectively, these presentations reflect a sustained trajectory of critical and institutional recognition for Booker's singular contribution to contemporary sculpture.