Rodriguez-Casanova Trombly The origins of Dimensions Variable trace back to a vacant space on a quiet street in the Design District, which had been donated by collector and developer Craig Robins afterandagreed to exchange artworks for studio space. Soon, the two artists began inviting friends to show in the space and before long, in 2009, they officially opened Dimensions Variable. Working with local and international artists through submissions and invitations, they developed a program that revolves around innovative approaches to material, process, display, and concept, all while ensuring that exhibiting artists have complete freedom regarding what they show. After years of operating in a space downtown and, earlier, through a series of pop-ups, Dimensions Variable garnered the attention of Miami Dade College, who invited them to establish their premises on the downtown campus. Now, they’re moving on to an exciting new chapter as they begin an eight-year term in a 3,000-square-foot space, officially open to the public this December.





Artsy: How do you balance your own art practice with running the gallery?

Leyden Rodriguez-Casanova: We feel it has come to complement our own practices rather well. In a way, DV has influenced our work through the amazing colleagues we invite to produce exhibitions and participate in projects. There is a different dynamic at work when you see an artist working out their ideas and when you allow them total freedom to do what they do best. We also balance DV with our practices through very careful schedules. We are always working, so we can dedicate time for both. And since our studios are part of DV, it all goes together nicely. Part of our compensation for running DV is that our studios come with it. Since we have been operating out of donated spaces the entire time, it’s worth the work. We also find that the interest of collectors, museums, curators, and other cultural institutions not only benefits the artists that participate in our projects, but also our own work.





Artsy: How do you decide which artists to work with?

LRC: The process is quite casual, really. Sometimes we get a great proposal or someone approaches us about doing something. We also seek out artists we’ve been following and invite them. What we always want is to be open to anyone who wants to get in touch and give us an idea. We have taken many chances and are always interested in taking more risks in the future. We feel lucky to come across a project or work we didn’t expect to see, so openness is important to us. The art world sometimes feels too opaque and closed to us—we try not to be.





Artsy: Do artists make better gallerists?

LRC: I don’t think we would use that expression. I would say “different” gallerists instead. As artists, we feel connected to the process and existence of what it means to make art. We think this gives us a unique and very personal perspective on the work.



