After a chill Miami Art Week void of overcrowded events and parties, there were some interesting shows and events that lessened our appetite for art. Here are three local art events that we attended that took advantage of an unlikely circumstance and turned it into local vibes.
Miami Art Society Gallery:
Holiday Art Spree Shop
After a successful reopening of their gallery, the Miami Art Society Gallery finished Miami Art week strong on Sunday with the new launch of their shop. Right in time for the holidays, you will find a wide array of artworks and collectible goodies, perfect for holiday gifts. Besides art and collectibles, you will also find exclusive designer clothing and kicks by the Plus Givens x Abstrk collaboration perfect for the hypebeast at heart.
Founded in 2019 by curator J.P.S. Williams, Miami Art Society prides itself in exhibiting local Miami artists breaking the traditional barrier between artist and gallerist. If you appreciate local art and want to support local artists this is the perfect place for you to discover Miami’s rising and notable artists.
Besides the shop, you can also visit their gallery next door which currently has a show running titled American RE:GENESIS. Here you will find larger-scale artworks created during the pandemic by their best artists.
Location: 3801 N Miami Ave, Miami, FL, 33127 (Miami Design District)
The Artists:
Urbanism Summit x VOID Projects:
IMPERMANENCE; Archivists of the Eternal, Never Owners of the Tangible
If we’ve learned anything this year it’s that nothing lasts forever, and that’s exactly what this 5-day event highlighted. Urbanism Summit in collaboration with Void Projects curated an ongoing mural project where 5 artists created a mural before being erased successively by the next. As consumers of art, we sometimes take for granted that even art does not last forever, and coming to that conclusion we can only appreciate it more. Founder and CEO of Urbanism Summit, Andrew Quarrie, says that this event marks the inaugural occasion of future events that will be curated with a similar ethos.
The Artists:
Gabriela Ayza Schmann
Founded in 2016, Urbanism Summit emerged in response to the necessity to accelerate the pace of innovation in building people-centered cities and communities. By focusing on action-based discussions they aim to help provide strategies for shaping the future of urbanization, specifically with people in mind.
Void Projects is a cultural platform initiated by artist Axel Void, a painter, muralist, and installation artist. They curate artist-led projects seeks to encourage a public dialogue outside of the conventional art space which returns all profits to the participating artists.
The event was hosted in the MiMo District at the Knoxon (a Vagabond Group property)
Markowicz Fine Art:
U.S. Debut French Artists J.Leo and Léo & Steph
If you like pop art, this is the gallery for you! Located in the heart of the Miami Design District the Markowicz Fine Art Gallery literally rolled out the red carpet for Parisian artist J. Leo and French-Brazilian artist duo Leo & Steph this past weekend. This event marked the inaugural showing of both artists in the U.S. which can now exclusively be viewed at the gallery.
J. Leo, a French photographer who combines the nude with small figures, creates almost natural looking landscapes right out of the camera. With his unique style, he is able to bring his bodyscapes and allow his viewer to dream up stories.
In contrast to J. Leo’s photography, Leo & Steph’s Pop art is created entirely on the computer. With a background in graphic and interior design, they have created their own duo characters that merge iconic landmarks with some of the top luxury brands.
The Markowicz Fine Art Gallery has locations in the Miami and Dallas Design District and showcases an array of established international artists such as Andy Warhol, Tom Wesselman, Damien Hirst, and Fernando Botero.
The gallery is looking forward to showing at the Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary International Art Fair in March 2021.
In closing, these are the 3 things we learned this 2020 Art Week;
Art Can Make A Great Gift.
If you don’t know what to get your loved ones this holiday, check out the Miami Art Society Gallery Shop. Besides finding a wide array of price points, you’ll also be supporting a local artist.
Art Does Not Last Forever.
While art can withstand surviving hundreds of years, it does not live forever. Enjoy it while it’s here, and while the artists are here.
Art Always Makes its way to Miami.
It’s been a long year to say the least, but despite everything, we were able to take in some art this year, even if it wasn’t the same. The local art scene has come a long way in Miami, and it’s something we dearly appreciate!