The School of Night: oil, crayon and charcoal on paper.

Arturo Rodriguez has sometimes fallen under the radar here in Miami, although he has been exhibited worldwide for many decades. But maybe that’s not a surprise: Miami is a brash city that likes flashy statements, and has an obsession with youth and its aesthetic.

The paintings and drawings of Rodriguez go against this grain; they are calm, contemplative canvases, filled with figurative narratives that are about displacement and loneliness, but also about the creative spirit. The native of a small town in Cuba who moved to Spain and then Miami is an aficionado of jazz and blues, which somehow can be absorbed from his work. There is a musicality, a rhythm to the pieces.

A couple of years back, he had a beautiful exhibit at Waltman Ortega Fine Art, with paintings depicting passengers in transit at airports. It’s one of those times where most all of us are simultaneously alone and surrounded by thousands, concentrating on making a boarding, or on leaving a friend, or anticipating an arrival.

Fortunately, Rodriguez is back, with a show at the Frost Art Museum FIU, “The School of Night.” Although still subtle and evocative, this time the works are not inspired by music as much as poetry, by the writing of his poet friends. And also by the passages of nighttime. That period when twilight turns to black, the world sleeps, and perspectives start to morph, slightly altered in the cocoon of darkness.

In keeping with the poetry theme, these works form a limited edition book as well, along with the poems. The unveiling of the book and poetry readings will open up the exhibit tomorrow night.

“Arturo Rodriguez: The School of Night” opens June 18 at 5 p.m. until 9 p.m., and runs through Aug. 24 at the Frost Art Museum, 10975 S.W. 17th St., Miami; thefrost.fiu.edu.