When a flat painting, which includes no extra light source or raised surfaces, appears to blink and move like a hyper neon sign, that’s a mesmerizing experience. One that can literally be dizzying. That describes some of Carlos Cruz-Diez’s paintings

in “Embracing Modernity: Venezuelan Geometric Abstraction” at FIU’s Frost Museum. Maybe Venezuela’s most influential artist of all time, Cruz-Diez had a solo show at MAM last winter, and will be making some of the public art at the new Marlins stadium.

To see his work in this particular show will likely enlighten many viewers who have little idea about the unique movements of the mid-20th century in Venezuela, especially kinetic art and geometric abstraction. Artists from that country were leaders in those fields and helped shape Modern Art.

Aside from the amazing kinetic paintings, including from Jesus Rafael Soto and Alejandro Otero, there are also sculptures and installations (hint: look out for a special bench) that illustrate these movements. A standout is a delicate piece from the wonderful GEGO, who was featured in a huge and important exhibit a number of years ago at the now-defunct MAC museum. Also captivating: a re-worked geometric installation from Eugenio Espinosa, who has made Miami his home periodically.

Like the Cuban art show at the Freedom Tower previously posted, this Venezuelan survey adds a critical chapter to the artistic education of our relatively young community.

Although this exhibit could have stood alone as reason to pay a visit to the spanking new Frost museum, four other shows opened up last Wednesday as well. Up on the third floor, the large, swirling, politically charged paintings of Arnold Mesches will leave a searing impression. Mesches has been painting for 65 years, and his work can be seen in major museums. This series, called “Anomie 1492-2006,” was created between 1989 and 1996, and are somewhat of a culmination of the artist’s craft and world views. The paintings reference everything from World War II to Nancy Reagan’s dreams, and incorporate figures and sets that float through time — a medieval symbol here, a fascist uniform there, and baroque flourishes all over. Beauty and madness, evil and justice, life and death are played out in every theatrical scene — you don’t get painting like this every every day.

In the next door gallery, Miami’s own Xavier Cortada continues with his theme of exploring the natural world and the makings of our planet earth. For “Sequentia” Cortada will be collecting the DNA of museum visitors during the duration of the show. You pick up a postcard, depicting one of the four large paintings on the walls here which represent the four bases of our DNA, and rub your fingers across it, leaving the tell-tale signs of your molecular structure; then you turn it over to white-coated assistants. The artist will work with a biologist to synthesize an actual DNA strand made from the sequence generated by the visitors — and who knows if it will resemble any real sequence of the human genome? As per usual from Cortada, it is an ultimate interactive and informative art experience.

“Embracing Modernity: Venezuelan Geometric Abstraction” and “Sequentia” run through Jan. 2, “Anomie” through Dec. 5, at FIU’s Frost Museum, 10975 S.W. 17th St., Miami; 305-348-2890; thefrost.fiu.edu.