Liony Garcia’s work is ephemeral. It investigates the time and space between one body movement and the next and reveals the symbols that emerge (and vanish just as fast as they’re created). In his latest work, “In Lieu of Flowers,” to debut at Miami Light Project’s Here & Now series, Garcia hopes to craft an experience that mirrors our transient and transitory lives on this planet.

Liony Garcia.

Neil de la Flor: What’s “In Lieu of Flowers” about?

Liony Garcia: “In Lieu of Flowers” is a dance performance that takes its influence from the composition of emblems. It focuses on the ephemeral with symbols and images that epitomize transitory human life.

ND: In what ways does “In Lieu of Flowers” push against the edge of composition?

LG: At this point in my development what’s bringing me to the edge is concentrating on composition. Focusing on the arrangement of the dance and its organic progression. Edgy work can often be sensationalized but at times misses the bull’s-eye because of the way it’s crafted. Whether my work is considered edgy or not is up to the audience. For my part, I’m trying my best to arrange something that can lead them to make those kinds of conclusions.

ND: Biggest challenge putting this project together?

LG: Editing has always been the biggest challenge. I have a lot of ideas and the hardest part is letting go of them.

ND: What does it feel like when you perform?

LG: Performance has always struck that emotional chord for me. Whether I’m watching or performing myself it always goes into that emotional realm.

ND: Why is your work important to you & what does it mean to you personally?

LG: My work stems from a place of expression, my desire is to communicate in a language that is both personal and universal. Within the different forms available to me, I choose to engage with the tradition of dance and choreography because I find movement to be inherently expressive. In the center of my artistic practice is the interest in the emotional body and the investigation of its relationship to movement language and choreography. I’m also interested in the interplay between visual and time-based art, specifically how the symbolic can merge with the physical to transform meaning and association. In a nutshell, it encompasses all the elements I’m interested in and allows me to express myself to others through a language that I really love, which is dance.

The Miami Light Project Presents Here & Now: 2013 from February 7-16 at 8 p.m. at The Light Box at Goldman Warehouse, 404 NW 26 St., Miami. Tickets: $25, non-members; $20, members; $15, students and seniors. Tickets are available at miamilightproject.com or by calling 866-811-4111.