Art Basel Preview #7

UPDATED at 8:50 p.m. : Exact time of Dita Von Teese's performance added.

Art Basel is right around the corner! And though I've been eagerly anticipating a number of events, there are three that have captivated my mind and made my heart skip a beat...

Dark Night of the Soul
I already blogged about this exhibit a couple of posts ago, but this is worth repeating! The legendary surrealist film-maker David Lynch will display over 50 original photographs in an exhibit called Dark Night of the Soul. The photographs will be accompanied by a soundtrack bearing the exhibit's same name. The music was written by Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous and features an eclectic mix of performers such as Iggy Pop, Suzanne Vega, the Flaming Lips, Frank Black - lead singer of the Pixies - and more. Just recently, GQ magazine named Dark Night of the Soul as the best album of the year.

The exhibit's opening reception will take place on December 2nd at 8p.m at West Of Wynwood (O.H.W.O.W.) gallery, located at 3100 NW 7 Avenue Miami, Fl 33127, and will remain on display until the 6th.


Dita Von Teese
The glamous burlesque dancer and pin-up model - famed for her raven colored hair and 22 inch waist - will be doing both a performance and book signing during Art Basel to promote her latest endeavor, Dita: Stripteese - a collection of three flips books featuring some of her most popular burlesque performances.

The book signing will take place this Friday at 4 p.m. in Books & Books, located at 927 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach. On Saturday December 5, Dita will perform at the Miami Beach-based LIV at 2 a.m. (click on the image for more details.)

I had the pleasure of seeing Dita's burlesque performance a couple of years ago and it was terrific; I felt like I was transported back to the 1940s. She embodies what is best in that decade: a sense of elegance, sophistication and endless imagination.


Shepard Fairey's MAM Mural
Though he's well established in the art world, his name may not ring a bell for most people. But Shepard Fairey created one of the most iconic images of 2008, the Barack Obama HOPE poster (to the left.)

Fairey's Art Basel project Arab Woman 2006/2009 is a mural that will be located on an outside exterior wall of the Miami Art Museum (101 West Flager Street). It will be on display for the duration of Art Basel and "will convey a sense of urgency about various political struggles and summon the ideological associations and positions of each individual viewer," according to a MAM press release.

In addition, he will also unveil a new major mural done on shipping containers. That will be located in the Wynwood District at 2700 NW 2nd Avenue.

Art Basel Preview #6

UPDATE: This opening has been canceled. I'll let you know the new date soon...

Yet another local artist is taking the opportunity to showcase his art before the madness of Art Basel begins:



According to the artist, his work "explores the history of painting and chronicles the relationship between time, space and color relationships. His work celebrates magic and its mystical essence and ancient ability to change acuity. Kiki’s work also invokes the mystery of life, death, spirituality, dreams and love in all its complexity. He expresses his anxieties by his impulsive...and intuitive usage of color...He is interested in deleting areas of paintings that are resolved with raw canvas so the feeling of its existence is not seen, but somehow felt."

Art Basel Preview #5

There are quite a few good Art Basel resources floating around in Internet space and here are my top three picks:

Miami Herald's Art Basel Miami Beach 2009 schedule

SocialMiami.com's Art Basel Fair Guide

Soul Of Miami 2009 Guide to Art Basel Miami Art Week

When you go to these pages, print them out. Each of them are quite comprehensive and will serve as your Art Basel madness map.

Art Basel Preview #4

While you're in and out in of the Wynwood or Design District checking out the galleries and art fairs, consider stopping at this location to relax and grab a quick drink:

MAX FISH - located at 28 NE 14th St- is a bar opening solely for the duration of Art Basel. It's a recreation of a New York City based establishment that has been operating in the city for 20 years. The bar will be "an art installation out of the core elements of the Lower East Side...it will most definitely be the common meeting point for Art Basel attendees and act as the main clubhouse for all of the creative community during the fair week," according to a press release issued by the bar's promoters.

In addition, the bar promises free admission, daily live performances and movie screenings. Here is the line-up of live acts:

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2009
I.U.D. / Silkflowers / Animals Of The Arctic

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2009
BARR / Mike Bones / Wilder Zoby (Chin Chin) / Jaccuzzi Boys

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2009
Gang Gang Dance / Endless Boogie / Teepee

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009
Special Secret Performance

Art Basel Preview #3

One more alternative to Art Basel madness:



Artoconecto - a non-profit organization focusing on "connecting the community through art" - will premiere ABOMB II: THE FALLOUT on Saturday, November 28 from 7 p.m. to 11p.m. All the artists are Miami-based and under the age 30. The opening will take place at 2 West Flagler Street NW around the corner of Macy's.

According to Artoconecto, the show will explore:

the dialogue that continues to evolve around the perception of place-internally, externally, and wherever the two intersect. Today's 'American Dream' has its own surreal waking life in art. With its dangerously twisting highways, the American narrative seems to have been building to a booming crescendo, only to end with a flatliner. Or as Texas-born sculptor Joel Ross famously said, "Everything I’m thinking about right now falls under an umbrella of examining a f**ked up place called America." In Miami, a city perhaps more truly American than any other, where the curvilinear skyscrapers with ocean views and thirty-foot balconies mock the more earthbound among us, we are challenged every day to make art out of America. The big question is, will there be a real narrative, one that is pieced together from those bold enough to risk poking their fingers into the whirling machine to remove some tiny, gritty granules of truth?

Happy Thanksgiving

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Man Ray Wednesday

Le Retour A La Raison (The Return to Reason) is a black and white short film by Man Ray from 1923. The music was composed and filmed by Donald Sosin.

The quality of the video isn't the best. It's a bit too pixelated. But, it gives you an idea about early surrealist films -if you've never seen any before - which often feature pirouetting images juxtaposed with music and dream-like sequences.

Art Basel Preview #2

An alternative to Art Basel madness:



During Art Basel, the Bakehouse Art Complex (BAC) will open its doors and highlight the work of over 70 local artists. The opening of the exhibit - called Sensory Overload - will take place on Saturday, November 28 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. with live music from the Spam All Stars. The opening is free of charge and will have an open bar.

According to BAC, their exhibit tackles:

the idea of the overwhelming sensory qualities of Art Basel...Based on the traditional five senses, touch, hear, see, smell, and taste, BAC artists cross and blend these senses together to create an experience of a sequence of synesthetic encounters, attacking one sense and at the same time evoking another.

In addition, another simultaneous exhibit will be take place at BAC in its Swenson Gallery. The exhibit is called 5X7 - featuring art pieces that are either 5X7 or 7X5 in size. Each work of art will be priced at only $100.00. What's more, when a person purchases a piece of art, she or he will have their photograph taken along with their new work of art. These photographs will be displayed at the exhibit "thus becoming part of the exhibit," according to BAC.

Art Basel Preview #1

Art Basel is about a week away and Local Motion Miami promises to provide you with at least one off the beaten path glimpse of the events each day until December 2nd.

For this edition, we highlight Abe's Penny - an art and literature magazine that will be featured at the NADA Art Fair. But let's back up for a minute, the NADA Art Fair is a non-profit group of galleries and art aficionados dedicated to making art more readily available to the general public. This year the fair is located in Miami Beach and free!

Now to the nitty gritty: Abe's Penny is a monthly magazine that's printed on postcards! The founders of the magazine - sisters Anna and Tess Knoebel - describe their unique product as a" narrative, a combination of photographs and text [that] unfolds in sequence, and subscribers receive one part per week by mail."

The duo will be at the fair and giving away limited editions of the magazine. Take a peek at the magazine below [make sure to click on the image for a better look]:



If you can't make it to the fair, the sisters will be posting one part of the special issue magazine on their Web site each day during NADA Art Fair's duration. Their site is located here. You can also subscribe to their magazine online.

It's Monday

Chan-wook Park
Sympathy for Lady Venegence (Chinjeolhan geumjassi)
2005

Art Basel Survival Guide

Last night I was fortunate enough to attend the 2nd Annual Art Fair Survival Cocktail Party hosted by the Miami Art Museum (MAM). The event took place at the Ecco Lounge in downtown Miami and was a sneak peak of the upcoming Art Basel, which runs from December 3rd to the 6th.

For those unfamiliar with Art Basel: the Miami Beach Convention Center will be transformed into an art exhibition featuring over 200 galleries from around the world. Beyond that, various hotels and warehouses throughout Miami and Miami Beach are also converted into art fairs. Particularly, in an area called the Wynwood District, which normally houses a number of smaller local galleries.

This year there will be a total of 15 art fairs, including Art Basel. What’s more, many local galleries will be open too. As a result, with so many choices, it's sometimes difficult to decide where to go. And it can become costly to attend all the events since most fairs charge between ten to 20 dollars for entrance.

But last night 's Art Fair Survival Party made those choices infinitely easier for me because, upon entrance, I received a goodie bag with VIP passes for at least eight of the art fairs!

In addition, there were representatives from two art fairs – Photo Miami and Design Miami – who explained what can be expected when you attend their fairs. They both made compelling cases on why you should attend their unique events. However, one thing especially piqued my interest: the representative from Design Miami said that the rock band OK Go will be performing at 6:30 on each day of the fair’s duration. Find out more about that here.

But, as far as actual Art Fair Survival advice, I can’t say there really was much of that. Though it didn’t matter. I had a great time sipping on wine, mingling with fellow art aficionados and toying with all my VIP passes.

And since the cocktail party didn’t provide much survival advice, here are some Local Motion Miami Art Basel survival tips:

1. Don’t pay for parking in the Wynwood District. You can find plenty of free parking on the streets. There will be a ton of cops around and your car will be safe.

2. There are actually quite a few free art fairs. For example, the Nada Art Fair is gratis and usually features some interesting and innovative pieces. Also, some of the more ‘alternative’ art fairs – like the Fountain Art Fair – usually offer broke people, like me, a chance at purchasing art. Last year I bought a great print from that fair.

3. Though Art Basel is wonderful, it’s the most expensive of all the fairs. So, if you’re on a budget, just head over to the Wynwood or Design District. You’ll be able to attend two or three fairs for the price of Art Basel.

4. Be on the look-out for free alcohol. Some fairs offer free drinks.

5. Be prepared to do a lot of walking.

6. Make sure to visit the Rubell Family Collection. It’s my favorite local gallery and will be free during Art Basel. The gallery always features a new and exciting exhibit especially made for Art Basel.

I love the 80s - Vol. 12

The first music video ever shown on MTV premiered on August 1, 1981. It was a song by the New Wave band The Buggles and its title - Video Killed the Radio Star - ended up being prophetic. Modern musicians are now expected to have kick ass songs and awesome music videos.

Having said that, I would like to highlight an upcoming event for the Miami-based 80s music lovers. On November 25, The Vagabond - a club located in the Design District - will be hosting its seventh annual 80s Prom! It's a night that's sure to deliver big hair, shoulder pads and lots of 80s music! So be there or be a neon square!

Buggles-Video Killed The Radio Star

It's Monday

Franciso Goya
Shootings of May Third 1808
1814

Poem of the Day - by Sappho

Dream

O dream on your black wings
you come when I am sleeping.

Sweet is the god but still I am
in agony and far from my strength.

For I had hope (none now) to share
something of the blessed gods,

nor was I so foolish
as to scorn pleasant toys.

Now may I have
all these things

*Translation by Willis Barnstone*

Post Sleepless Night 2009

My Sleepless Night experience was great fun. I felt like I was on a treasure hunt for art and entertainment: navigating from one corner of Miami Beach to the next while taking in the sights and sounds of flashing neon lights, honking cars, live music and the ocean's crashing waves.

Some of the night's events impressed more than others. Particularly, a series of short films that were shown at the Byron Carlyle Theater. Most of the films were ten to 30 minutes long and were foreign, originating from countries like France and the Canary Islands. Before the films started, I was greeted by this charming creature:






Another favorite for the evening was a rock n' roll photograhy exhibit in the Betsy Hotel, which featured portraits of some of my favorite musicians, such as Miles Davis and the Clash.







I also visited the Bass Museum. It had three different exhibits and one of them displayed a diamond studded motorcycle with three small T.V. screens. The t.v.s showed different bands playing salsa music. It was quite a sight. Unfortunately, pictures were not allowed. Outside of the museum, there was a wonderful performance by a troupe of dancers that sashayed to the sounds of a piano and a woman doing a spoken word piece.











At some point in the evening, I made my way to the Miami Beach Convention Center for an experimental sound and light performance called Siren. It was held in a huge empty space with all the lights turned off. In the center of the room, there were 20 rods that had red light attached to their tips. The rods moved in circular motions and made music. The interesting thing about the show was that the music altered depending where you stood or sat in the room. It sounded different with each step you took.







Right after Siren, I headed to the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens and saw some really cool Asiatic looking sculptures.





There were, however, a couple of disappointing moments in the evening. I was really excited to see a show called Bounce Theory and it turned out to be mediocre. It was a performance of dancers and acrobats but neither the dancing or acrobatics were impressive. Also, one venue advertised free Patron and Cafe Bustelo but were sold out by 2 a.m.

All in all though, I had a great time that lasted until 5:30 a.m., truly making it a sleepless night.

Again Sleeplessly Waiting for Sleepless Night

Miami Beach's Sleepless Night is just over 24 hours away! If you don't know what I'm talking about, read my previous post about the event here.

And since I am a complete control freak, maniac or whatever term you prefer to use, I have mapped out my entire night's activities to a tee. So, if you're feeling lazy or have no idea where to start, feel free to borrow my itinerary! And don't forget, there will be a plethora of free shuttle buses that will take you to all the event locations. Find out where those buses are located here.

Dowload a copy of my itinerary here.

Man Ray Wednesday

"It has never been my object to record my dreams, just the determination to realize them."



Man Ray
La Marquise Casati
1935

It's Monday

Edvard Munch
The Scream
1893