Back in the gallery, two light pieces give a nod to another contemporary phenomenon, rock and roll. Like his exploration of space — and sometime the negative of it — Handforth’s Syd Barrett portrait is dedicated to the creative mind behind the iconic group Pink Floyd, who become an anti-hero of sorts after writing their psychedelic classics and then disappearing into a mental institution — he remains forever both present and absent in the music and the hearts of fans. The sculpture is crafted from a dead tree branch, a burnt-out white ceiling fixture, a trash bin and bright red rays of fluorescent light.

Moving beyond even the confines of MOCA’s actual space, Rolling Stop continues into the urban terrain of Miami. On a tree in the nearby Griffing Park, Handforth has recreated his magnificent electrified canopy and arbor. As the day wanes the huge tree transforms — in the evening, instead of providing shade, it gives light. Near downtown, his neon Weeping Moon is attached to a building on North Miami Avenue.

These are just some of the highlights that should signal the visitor to pause or even come to a full stop; there are other intriguing works, along with good — and accessible — texts and essays.

Going deep

On the way in or out, don’t miss the room-size installation from Teresita Fernandez, another examination of space. She was also one of the 1990s rising stars of the Miami scene, and this piece, which belongs to MOCA now, was the first installation for the Pavilion Gallery.

Untitled (Pool) is a simulation of an empty swimming pool, and the visitor walks down into it, from the shallow end to the deep. The gradation of color changes with the depth, from powder blue and turquoise to a dark aquamarine. At the bottom, four windows are set into the walls — those looking in can see the “bathers”; those looking out can only see a reflection. Having sunk into the deep end, perception is hazy and watery because of the visual optics; it is a submersion into another place.

And it should be noted that along the way, both shows mark the 15th anniversary of MOCA with works from its birthing years.