Colombia is the gateway to Latin America at MOCA’s Art Basel 2015 exhibition with the opening of “Carlos Salas: Latin America and the Global Imagination.” Curated by MOCA Executive Director Babacar MBow, in partnership with the Consulate of the Republic of Colombia in Miami, the exhibition features 60 monumental abstract paintings by the artist. Born in 1957, Salas studied architecture at the University of Los Andes and painting at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He received multiple accolades for his contributions to abstract art, and at the age of 42 he was the youngest artist to ever present a retrospective at the Bogota Museum of Modern Art. Salas’ blazing spirit is evident in his elaborate brush strokes that resemble scratches and scars that – while open to interpretation and analysis – cannot hide the artist’s intensity and passion. The exhibition opens on Wednesday from 6 to 10 p.m.