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| Are You Ready for Art Basel Miami Beach? |
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by Jonathan Rose
Are You Ready for Art Basel Miami Beach?by Jonathan Rose The day began early with the dispatch from December 3. Then it was on to the Convention Center and to Wynwood for credentials to ART MIAMI, PhotoMiami, Scope, etc. I kept running into Harvey Burstein, Chair of Miami Beach Arts Trust and Publisher of MiamiArtZine. He covered a lot of territory. I saw him at ART MIAMI with Robert Figueroa and camera. Later at Diaspora Vibe Gallery with photographer Henry Perez. I stayed until just after the opening of ART MIAMI, as Robert Parente and Susana (of the office of Mayor Diaz) assisted Ilana Vardy in the cutting of the ribbon. I spied artist Ruben Torres Llorca on the other side of the ribbon and he encouraged me to visit his exhibition across the street at Praxis International Art Gallery. I left and did so. It was very witty political satire. Check it out for yourself at 2219 NW 2nd Ave. The Diaspora Vibe Gallery exhibition Safety Zones: Art Basel/ Miami exhibit (3938 North Miami Avenue Miami Design District) was impressive--as usual. It was also very crowded--especially considering that there were openings at ART MIAMI, PhotoMiami, MoCA, and the Moore Space--not to mention the tremendous turnout for the book launch of Miami Contemporary Artists at the Sagamore. But since I did mention it, and I did stop by there. I should mention that many of the artists were there, in addition to Elisa Turner, who was joyous at the success of the book, and Julie and Paul, who were signing and posing for photos.* It is important to focus on the exhibition at Diaspora Vibe Gallery. Featured artists include Deborah Jack, Jean Chiang, John Cox, Erman, Danny Ramirez, Luisa Mesa, Gail Ruiz, Rodney Jackson, Tere Pastoriza, Holly Parotti, Natalia Vasquez, Natalia Schonowski & Aurora Molina, Carolina Vasquez, Dinorah de Jesus Rodriguez, Gerardo Gonzalez-Quevedo, Ian Colon & William Thomas Porter, Alejandro Contreras, Lynn Parotti. The piece by Gail Ruiz is disturbing and fascinating, like watching a train wreck. People gather around it and express horror but they cannot take their eyes from it. "It" is the story of a murder-suicide that took place across the street from the artist, told in a series of photographs. You will not forget the story. It was viewed by Carl Juste, who has his own exhibit nearby.** Jeannie Chiang has a wonderful puzzle with 56 numbered cards, questions and answers that the viewer/participant answer, drawing the appropriate lines, then, on completion, trying to find the matching card; from that point, the viewer/participant turns pages to find - some amazing truths (I watched expressions several times). I know I have not explained it correctly and Jeannie told me "it's really not all that complicated," but there always seemed to be a group lined up. Perhaps I will return and, I recommend that you do so as well. There are activities all week long at Diaspora Vibe Gallery. I managed to get to Tobacco Road where the Mangoheads of the King Mango Strut were winding down their second ART NASAL event. For a good time, check out this Mango Strut link. Next event is NEXT Tuesday, which gives you a full day to recover from ART BASEL. Oops! The sun is coming up. It's a new day. Gotta go. *Do not forget the events scheduled around the launch of the book Miami Contemporary Artists by Julie Davidow and Paul Clemence (artists themselves) with a foreword by art critic Elisa Turner. Public events include a Dec. 6 and 8 appearances at Freedom Tower, 600 Biscayne Blvd. and a Dec. 7 Opening & signing at ARTCENTER/SOUTH FLORIDA, 800 Lincoln Rd. [www.artcentersf.org]. ** Saturday evening I went to a stimulating photography exhibition (including work from award winning photographers Carl Juste and others) Havana and Haiti: Two Cultures, One Community. Author Edwidge Danticat and Miami Herald columnist/author Ana Menendez (both multiple award winners) spoke at the opening. In a clever twist, Carl Juste sent Edwidge Danticat only photos of Cuba, while sending Ana Menendez only photos from Haiti. The short speeches were similar--confirming the point of the exhibition: the two islands and peoples share many characteristics. So too do the Cuban and Haitian communities of Miami and South Florida. Photographer Juste's father was moved to give an impassioned speech at the end of the planned program expression the hope for the two cultures to act as one community in Miami. People have another chance to see the exhibition at ACND Gallery of Art, 4949 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami on Saturday, Dec. 8. [Ph. 305-751-8367 ext. 22] [It's at Archbishop Curley Notre Dame HS, so you do not drive around aimlessly.] Jonathan Rose, Cultural Correspondent
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