Local Motion Miami

Good-Bye Blog World

2009-12-23T13:43:00.003-05:00

After a year of having this blog, I've decided to close down operations. I just don't see the point of having a blog anymore. Perhaps, I'm having a mid-life crisis, LOL (I'm turning 30 in a month.) I'll leave you with an original poem I wrote a couple of months ago. It's part of an ongoing series I am writing based on mythologies from around the world. Though, I admit there is a heavy emphasis on ancient Greek and Roman myths. I hope to one day publish these poems with the title, One Minute Mythologies. But perhaps, you will see me again in another blog form. Perhaps, I will be reborn as One Minutes Mythologies, an electronic poetry book.

EROS AND PSYCHE

I am one acquainted with the night
the locomotive stance
the wayward glance
I am one acquainted with the night
the animal chance
the black on black dance,
I am one who softly appears
to swiftly disappear
swiftly and softly
behind a smile and a tear,
I am one acquainted with the night
Biting and singing
Luring and fingering
The wayward stance
The black on black chance,
Is this death or just blind romance?

An Alternative to Christmas Leftovers

2009-12-22T14:18:00.003-05:00

I usually celebrate Christmas on its eve. So, this looks intriguing.

Dance Your Way into 5 Minutes of Fame

2009-12-21T17:08:00.009-05:00

The Oakland, CA based AXIS Dance Company will be visiting Miami next week to perform at the upcoming WinterFest Dance Festival, which runs from December 27 to January 3rd. AXIS, which integrates dancers with and without physical disabilities, will be holding open auditions on December 28. And here's the best part: anyone can audition. No dancing experience is necessary.

The performance will take place on January 3rd at 7 p.m. at the Colony Theater, located at 1040 Lincoln RD, Miami Beach, FL 33139.

Here's a glimpse of AXIS in action:

Post Art Basel 2009: Better Late than Never?

2009-12-16T23:00:00.012-05:00

Though I did a lot of pre-Basel blog posting, I opted not to share any of my experiences during the multitude of events because there was simply too much to write about. To properly cover everything I saw and experienced, I needed to clone myself five different times. I also felt that posting an endless array of pictures from the different fairs was a disservice to my readers because, without giving the images a proper context, they easily slip into meaningless abstractions.

Having said that, I do want to share one thing that was a welcomed and delightful surprise. One of the many satellite Art Basel fairs I attended - the Red Dot Art Fair - displayed the artwork of one of my favorite photographers, Fan Ho. I discovered him about a year ago and instantly became fascinated with his dreamy landscapes and portraits.

The gallery at the fair that held his body of work was the Palo Alto, CA based Modernbook Gallery. And though they were selling his images for more than what I could afford, they were also selling a book that provided an overview on his photography. I bought the book. I love it. It's beautiful and is laid out in a thoughtful way; gently weaving each image side by side until a narrative forms.

Here are a couple of Fan Ho images:

It's Monday !?!?!

2009-12-14T17:15:00.004-05:00

Cindy Sherman
Untitled Film Stills
1977-1980

Hello Friday

2009-12-11T19:47:00.004-05:00

These images are from the 1966 Czech film, Daises (Sedmikrásky). If you haven't seen this movie, you absolutely must! It feels like an acid trip from beginning to end and dives into feminist issues, using humor as a catalyst for an examination on how women are portrayed in a patriarchal world. The director, Věra Chytilová, was part of the Czech New Wave film movement and one of the few women to play a prominent role in it.

The basic plot is simple enough: two girls decide on one random day that, since the world is bad, then they will be bad too. From then on, they go on wild adventures through gluttony, excessive drinking and sex.

Some of Us Are Purchasing Art at Art Basel

2009-12-05T20:00:00.003-05:00

My new art print purchased for $75.00 dollars from Black Maria Gallery (LA based) at the Aqua Art Fair. The artist is D. Shenya Leeo. Alas, the photograph does not do the print justice. But photos are never truly able to capture all nuances of art.

Art Basel Preview #8

2009-12-01T19:16:00.005-05:00

Calling all comic book nerds, people with a sense of humor, tattoo artists, adults who suffer from a Peter Pan complex or anyone who appreciates what is commonly referred to as lowbrow art or pop surrealism:

Between December 3rd and the 6th, Multiversal - an art fair with over 150 artists - rolls into town. The show will highlight local South Florida artists and heavy weight hitters in the pop surrealism community. In addition, the fair will have an an area solely focused on female produced art and well known artists such as Tara McPherson and kaNO will be doing live painting - whether on a canvas, wall or human body - during the show.

The event is free of charge. It will be held at the American Legion Building located at 6445 NE 7th Ave in the Miami Modern District. Inside the fair, there will be a bar with finger food and beer.

Art Basel Preview #7

2009-11-30T20:50:00.000-05:00

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

2009-11-29T22:47:00.000-05:00

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

2009-11-29T19:29:00.005-05:00

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

2009-11-28T18:26:00.005-05:00

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

2009-11-27T13:20:00.005-05:00

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

2009-11-26T14:08:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-25T18:20:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-25T07:25:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-24T13:50:00.001-05:00

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

2009-11-23T17:52:00.004-05:00

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

Art Basel Survival Guide

2009-11-19T22:35:00.001-05:00

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

2009-11-18T17:52:00.010-05:00

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

2009-11-16T13:07:00.003-05:00

Franciso Goya
Shootings of May Third 1808
1814

Poem of the Day - by Sappho

2009-11-12T17:18:00.004-05:00

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

2009-11-09T15:15:00.006-05:00

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

2009-11-06T16:29:00.018-05:00

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

2009-11-04T17:36:00.006-05:00

"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

2009-11-02T13:20:00.003-05:00

Edvard Munch
The Scream
1893

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T12:51:00.004-04:00

All the deliciously spooky artwork above is by Abigail Larson. You can see more of her beautiful and creepy images here.

Head's Up David Lynch Fans!

2009-10-27T16:55:00.014-04:00

I just learned today that filmmaker and visual artist David Lynch, director of surrealist classics such as Blue Velvet and Eraserhead, will be displaying his photography at an exhibit called Dark Night of the Soul during Miami's Art Basel week, which runs December 2nd through the 6th. It will be held at Our House West Of Wynwood (O.H.W.O.W.) gallery located at 3100 NW 7 Avenue Miami, Fl 33127.

The exhibit includes over 50 original photographs by David Lynch that 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.

Unfortunately, due to some kind of legal complication, the album is not available for purchase. But NPR has the entire soundtrack available online for free here. That link also provides more information on the making of the album.

P.S. - Here's a big treat for Lynch fans: O.H.W.O.W.'s Web site says that several of the photographs displayed at the exhibit will be available for purchase. For more information go here.

Hello Friday

2009-10-23T17:07:00.007-04:00

* Photograph of silent film star Louise Brooks in the German classic, Pandora's Box *

Top Five Vampire Movies of All Time

2009-10-21T22:54:00.004-04:00

Halloween is just around the corner, which means candy, horror and lots of women parading in slutty costumes. Seriously, have you been to Party City lately? Even their 'kid friendly' costume collection includes Playboy school girl outfits and naughty French maids.

But in honor of a more 'traditional' aspect of Halloween, here are my picks for the top five best vampire flicks ever made:

5. Night Watch
Put your favorite anime or comic book in a movie then throw in the Matrix, Lord of the Rings and viola! That's Night Watch. Here's the scoop: it's the first part of a Russian trilogy that centers around the old fashioned good versus evil theme. But lines blur and good really isn't that good. The main character - the 'hero' - is an alcoholic vampire. A note to the wise: watch it in the original Russian language with subtitles. The dubbing is horrible.

4. Let the Right One In
Another foreign vampire movie but this one isn't for the squeamish. There are plenty of scenes that are graphic and bloody. But that's how a vampire movie should be! The plot centers around a young girl, a vampire, who is isolated from most of the world due to her blood-sucking urges. Then, during a visit to a wintry playground, she manages to befriend another kid. And that's when the dead bodies begin!

3. Shadow of the Vampire
What do you get when you place both John Malkovich and Willem Dafoe in a movie? True genius! Shadow of a Vampire is a fictional account of the making of Nosferatu, the first vampire movie ever made. So the film is basically a homage to Nosferatu and contains one of my favorite movie quotes:

Our battle, our struggle, is to create art. Our weapon is the moving
picture. Because we have the moving picture, our paintings will
grow and recede; our poetry will be shadows that lengthen and
conceal; our light will play across living faces that laugh and
agonize; and our music will linger and finally overwhelm,
because it will have a context as certain as the grave.
We are scientists engaged in the creation of memory
...but our memory will neither blur nor fade.

2. Bram Stoker's Dracula
Simply a gorgeous film with lush colors, costumes and fangs! Gary Oldman portrays Dracula as a creature possessed by both beauty and horror. Ultimately, the film is a romance between night and day, love and madness and obsession and tenderness. It's a film that appeals to a wide audience beyond vampire lovers.

1. Nosferatu
Just because this is the FIRST on-screen depiction of a vampire and it's a film that still sends shivers down my spine. Truly a classic.

Honorable mentions: anything starring Bela Lugosi and Interview With the Vampire, which didn't make the list because Tom Cruise playing a vampire just isn't cool.

Consider the Frost Art Museum Soon

2009-10-12T14:01:00.029-04:00

This past Friday I ventured over to the Frost Art Museum for the opening of The Missing Piece: Artists Consider the Dalai Lama. It’s a wonderful collection with over 40 artists focusing on “the idea of art as an interpretation of, and a catalyst for peace,” according to the Museum’s Web site.

The opening had a large crowd and featured free fortune cookies and white wine to accompany the lust art, which was poignant and palpably rich. My eyes eagerly devoured the images of the Dalai Lama, ancient cross-legged Gods, reclining blue Buddhas and Laurie Anderson!

That’s right folks, the musician, performance artist and all around bad-bass, Laurie Anderson, has a video installation at the show and it’s quite ingenious. But that’s all the commentary I will provide. I don’t want to ‘ruin the surprise’.

Another highlight: a painting by the Spanish artist Salustiano García Cruz called Reincarnation. It was painfully beautiful to look at. Actually, it reminded me of a line from a cheesy TV show I used to watch as a teenager called My So Called Life, where the main character of the series states, “You’re so beautiful, it hurts to look at you.”

In a perfect universe, I would be rich so that I could purchase Reincarnation. The painting is a shade of shocking and absorbing red – a color that evokes passion, violence, blood, desire, etc. What’s more, the far left of the painting bursts into a portrait of a young Asian girl with a slight green undertone to her face, causing the painting's red shade to burn more brightly.

The caveat: the opening was packed so I wasn’t able to fully embrace all the art displayed. In fact, the entire third floor of the exhibit is almost completely lost from my memory - such a shame. It featured the photography of Cuban husband and wife Eduardo del Valle and Mirta Gómez. The couple captures images of Mexico and the Caribbean, often displaying the colors and shapes that adorn those regions.

All in all, it was a wonderful exhibit and experience. I highly suggest hitting it up. Here are some helpful details: entrance is gratis, parking is free on the weekends, the museum is closed on Mondays and the exhibit will run until January 10, 2010.

Man Ray Wednesday

2009-10-07T17:39:00.000-04:00

Man Ray
‘Solarisation’
1931

I Love the 80s - Volume 11

2009-10-06T17:46:00.003-04:00

I love Ashes to Ashes, definitely one of my favorite Bowie songs. Plus, the video is in my top five for best music videos ever made.

David Bowie - Ashes To Ashes

Fact or Fiction: Does it Matter?

2009-09-28T22:49:00.009-04:00

UPDATED ON WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 29 at 5:17 P.M.

According to a Miami New Times article, the Miami-based blog ArtLurker published an interview today with an out-of-state artist who created a "rape tunnel." And what is a rape tunnel? It's more or less exactly what it sounds like: a tunnel you crawl through and get raped when you reach the end of it.

Shocking? Yes. Appalling? Yes. Is it likely to get the artist arrested? Yes.

But it's just too bad it isn't actually true, according to the Miami New Times. After a bit of investigating, the reporter of the story found out that the rape tunnel never existed and, in fact, is a wind tunnel by a company named Gevers Aicraft, Inc.

But the plot thickens! As of Monday, 10:09 p.m., a visit to ArtLurker's blog shows that their host account has been suspended! Thus far, no explanations have been given by either ArtLurker or the Miami New Times.

So, does life imitate art or does art imitate life? More importantly, does it matter either way? ArtLurker or ArtJerker? I personally don't care whether or not ArtLurker intended to 'pull a fast one' on its readers or if this was some type of factual error. Or, it could be that the blog decided to stir up controversy and/or stimulate conversation to facilitate an examination on the topics/issues that make us feel uncomfortable. Few people ask enough questions.

And though, as the Miami New Times pointed out in their article, art stunts/fakes on this scale have been done before and better, I believe this might be a first for Miami. Beyond that, let's face it: there's nothing new under the sun. So please grant me this brief moment where both my imagination and curiosity run wild.

UPDATE: ArtLurker's blog is back online!
UPDATE #2: ArtLurker admits that the 'rape tunnel' was an "entirely fake art project" intended to "spark conversation on the state of art for a few hours". Read what else the blog had to say here.

Sleeplessly Waiting for Sleepless Night 2009

2009-09-23T12:12:00.001-04:00

Ok, so Miami Beach's Sleepless Night is still over two months away, but I'm really excited about this year's line up. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about: Sleepless Night is a yearly event hosted by the city of Miami Beach that boasts of, more or less, 24 hours of FREE art, music, film, theater, live dance performances and more. That's right folks, FREE! But, best of all, the performances and artwork displayed are often risky and thought provoking.

According to Sleepless Night's Web site, there will be over 130 events this year and about 13 hours of entertainment spread throughout four different areas: North Beach, Collins Park, Lincoln Road and Ocean Drive to Washington Avenue.

I've been studying the this year's schedule of events and have spotted several that I don't want to miss. Here are a couple of them to pique your interest:

Edouard Duval-Carrie’s UNDER THE CONGO MOON moving sculptures and Ra Ra Parade
Internationally reknown Haitian artist Eduoard Duval Carrié promises to create quite a
show with the performance he is calling “Under the Congo Moon.” Duval Carrié explores
the theme of migration in his artwork; for Sleepless Night, he will create several large
sculptures of voodoo gods and have them “migrate” down the streets of Miami Beach in
an exciting parade with music from a live band. The motorized parade begins with a
preview at Ocean Terrace and proceeds to Ocean Drive.

NIGHT SHIFT: 9 Installations curated by Jerome Sans
Jerome Sans will act as both a curator and DJ for the Night Shift exhibition commissioned
by the Bass Museum of Art and the Miami Beach Cultural Arts Council. Nine prominent
South Florida artists present site-specific installations on the Collins Park lawn around the
museum and east of Collins Avenue. Pieces range from the giant Earth sphere that visitors
can view from the inside-out to a live, outdoor soap opera.

Ray Lee’s “Siren” performance/installation
Ray Lee is an artist, performer, and composer who works with electro-magnetic radiation to
build large scale sound installations. Siren is a fascinating 45-minute show combining
theater, sculpture, light and sound into a suspenseful, one-of-a-kind experience. Audience
members move around the room, sit or stand, and lose themselves to their changing visual
and aural perceptions.

Miami Light Project presents Julie Dossavi
Miami Light Project is excited to introduce South Florida to
dancer/choreographer/musician Julie Dossavi. The French performer’s style is a unique
blend of contemporary African dance and street culture. In a series of solos and duets,
Dossavi plays with dance and music in an abstract yet seamless way.

Animate Objects Physical Theater “Bounce Theory”
Animate Objects Physical Theater’s new show “Bounce Theory” combines aerial dance
and athletic aerobics with Ocean Drive as the backdrop. With an electrifying pulse,
Bounce Theory takes dancers to the sky in aerial hoops, trampolines, pulleys and stretchy
elastic bungee cords forty feet above the sands of South Beach for a truly mesmerizing
spectacle. Bounce Theory’s cast of scientists conduct gutsy experiments with disregard to
gravity in an oversized physical laboratory/playground. Animate Objects Physical Theater
stopped traffic at the 2007 Sleepless Night event and promises to provide an equally
entertaining show this year.

The Dream Engine “Heliosphere”
Spiraling and spinning and seemingly weightless, an acrobat suspended beneath a giant
color-changing helium balloon explores the uncharted space between the beach and the
sky.

See a full schedule of events here.

Eye Candy - The Jackson Twins

2009-09-18T15:27:00.005-04:00

From the artists:

Our work pays particular focus to ‘the twin’, what it is to be an identical being – to in essence, share an identity with your double. We explore the worldwide fascination with twins: in terms of the pop culture fixation of the ‘evil-twin’, the depths of the twin in folklore (the doppelganger) and the themes explored through psychology and psychoanalysis (nature versus nurture, ESP, Frued and Rank’s theories, etc).

As identical twins, we have always been interested in exploring issues concerning identity and twinship within our artwork. Whilst working individually, we both turned separately to photography and digital media as our main tools for creating artwork. We initiated our collaboration part way through our BA studies in 2002. During this time, our efforts started to centre solely upon our own identities and we developed an interest in altering our appearance – adopting new identities as a way of compensating for ‘sharing’ a singular identity.

Poem of the Day - by Helen Adam

2009-09-04T12:31:00.004-04:00

Grains of Sand Sing
What is the holy secret this planet hides?
That the race of man has forgotten, or dare not guess?

Queen of Cups Answers
It is something to do with silence and loneliness,
Something to do with sunlight and idleness.
Something dying that lives only to bless!
But I have forgotten, forgotten, or dare not guess.

Grains of Sand Sing
Something to do with sunlight and loneliness,
Something to do with silence and idleness.
A holy and hidden secret powerful to bless!
We have all forgotten, forgotten or dare not guess.

Queen of Cups
Nothing to do with striving against one's fate
Nothing to do with raging in love or hate.
There is a secret calm as the evening sky
Empty of clouds when the first star trembles high.

Grains of Sand
What is the holy secret this planet hides?
A child may find it at last by the deep sea tides,
Or in some meadow at dusk exploring alone
The House of the Broken Heart, or the haunted stone.

Queen of Cups
It has something to do with silence and idleness
More than a little to do with loneliness.
A holy and hidden secret powerful to bless,
Answering all Earth's prayers with one word "Yes!"

I'm Back!

2009-09-01T22:19:00.016-04:00

I arrived in Miami on Saturday and have brought back a couple of pictures from the portion of my trip where I visited Santos, Brazil, which has the largest port in South America. The city is chalk full of charming beaches, antique churches and lush green mountains. Unfortunately, it rained the entire time I was there. But nonetheless I enjoyed my visit and the city's endless canals and cobbled stone roads. Take a peek and click on the pics to enlarge them. It makes a big difference!

On the bus ride over to Santos there was a lot of fog, making Brazil's countryside look surreal and mystical.

Just one of the many canals in the city...

I visited four different churches but their names escape me.

Inside one of the churches.

Miscellaneous Pretty Things...

One of the best things I did in Santos was to take a ferry ride that goes over a mountain and allows you to see the entire panorama of the city. It was breath-taking but scary since the ferry looked like it was built in the 70s and hasn't been touched since then!

The sun finally showed up the morning I left the city! So the picture below is the only one I have with blue skies.

This is Just to Say

2009-08-18T14:35:00.011-04:00

I will be leaving today at exactly 11:30 p.m. to Brazil for vacation. This is a family oriented trip. It's been a year since I have seen my father, aunt or grandmother. I am the only kin left in the U.S. I will be in Brazil for about nine days and doubt I will have time to blog. But if the chance does come up, I will most certainly do so.

So in the meantime, I will leave you with pictures of Campinas, Brazil [the city where I was born] and some pictures of Santos, Brazil [one of the cities I will be visiting on my trip]. These pictures are courtesy of Wikipedia since I don't have any at my immediate disposal.

CAMPINAS

SANTOS

Tasty Treats - Junko Mizuno

2009-08-17T17:28:00.018-04:00

I love, love, love Junk Mizuno's manga novels, stickers, paintings, etc. Her artwork combines four of my favorite themes: sensuality, innocence, death and cuteness! The adorable factor is high with a lot of vivid pink, green, black and purple. Here are a couple of images:

Another thing that I love about her is that, since she is heavily involved in the anime scene, she has a lot of urban vinyl toys and figurines. Check some of them out:

And just recently, she released a series of 'blind assortment' figurines, which you can purchase via Kidrobot - a store that sells artist made toys and figures. For those of you who don't know what blind assortment boxes are, here's how it works: you purchase boxes, which are part of a series of custom toys. The figures are generally small and only a couple of inches tall. But the catch is that you don't know what figure you will get until the box is opened, hence the 'blind assortment' title. The side of the box displays all the possibilities available to you. Here's her current blend of blind assortment characters:

BOOKS

Cinderella
Hansel & Gretel
Hell Babies
Princess Mermaid
Junk Mizuno's Illustration Book
Little Fluffy Gigolo PELU

Check out her blog here.

Eye Candy - Takato Yamamoto

2009-08-10T17:19:00.014-04:00

I just recently discovered Takato Yamamoto's artwork and I'm borderline obsessed with it. His delicate images of Japanese school girls and homoerotic young men are accentuated by a potent blend of violence and sensuality.

EXHIBITIONS
1998 "Takato Yamamoto: Heisei Esthetics", Tokyo (solo show)
2001 "Azure Peep Window", Tokyo (solo show)
2002 "Altar of Narcissus ", Tokyo (solo show)
2003 "Takato Yamamoto Exhibition-Lunar Eclipse Nocturne", Tokyo (solo show)
2005 “Makeup of Darkness”, Mondo Bizzarro Gallery, Roma (solo show)
2006/ 2007 "Takato Proibito",Mondo Bizzarro Gallery, Roma (solo show)
BOOKS
1998 Scarlet Maniera ( Editions Treville)
2002 Altar of Narcissus ( Editions Treville)
2004 Allure of Pharmakon ( Editions Treville)
2006 Divertimento for a Martyr (Editions Treville)
2008 A Rib of Hermaphrodite (Editions Treville)

Honor Your Ancestors at Morikami's Bon Festival

2009-08-07T17:55:00.018-04:00

Japan's Obon (also known as Bon) Festival will visit Boca Raton, Fl this weekend. On Saturday, August 8 from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m., the Morikami Museum and Gardens will host its version of the festival with Taiko drum performances, traditional Japanese dancing and plenty of yummy sushi and sake to boot.

The Bon Festival is a Japanese Buddhist custom that commemorates deceased family members and friends. It's traditionally celebrated over the course of three days in August [and sometimes in July.] The festival is often referred to as the Feast of Lights because, on the third day, lanterns are lighted and floated on rivers to symbolically represent an ancestor's return to the spirit world.

The Morikami Gardens' Bon Festival will end with the traditional floating of the lanterns and a fireworks display. Both the entrance and the purchasing of a lantern are ten dollars. For more information on the festival, go here.

The Art of Alice in Wonderland - Salvador Dali

2009-08-05T21:06:00.023-04:00

Salvador Dali has become a staple in the art world in the same way Shakespeare has become a pop figure in literary circles. And if you ask a random person - with little or almost no knowledge of art - to name two famous painters, they will probably first name Picasso and then Salvador Dali.

What's interesting about both painters is how prolific they were and how little the general public knows about their body of work. Having said that, one of the rarest and least known treasures Dali left behind is a collection of illustrations he did for Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, published by Press-Random House in 1969. Off the top of my head, I can't think of a better or more fitting collaboration. Both exemplify some of the most creative, strange and multi-faceted works of art of their generation.

Down the Rabbit Hole

Advice from a Caterpillar

Alice's Evidence

A Mad Tea Party

Pig and Pepper

Pool of Tears

The Rabbit Sends in Little Bill

I Love the 80s - Volume 10

2009-08-03T23:49:00.004-04:00

Most people remember Soft Cell for their hit Tainted Love. But these cheeky Brits had plenty of other great tunes, such as Frustration [featured below]. If you're not familiar with Soft Cell, you should also check out their song Sex Dwarf. It's another 80s classic. Hmmm, Tainted Love, Sex Dwarf, Frustration: I'm starting to notice a pattern...cheers!

The Art of Alice in Wonderland - Annie Leibovitz

2009-07-31T00:32:00.025-04:00

These photographs were taken by Annie Leibovitz for Vogue magazine in December 2003. Leibovitz's Alice in Wonderland intermingles Carroll's fantastical masterpiece with the strange and glamorous world of fashion. The Russian model Natalia Vodianova portrays Alice alongside some of the world's top fashion designers.

Olivier Theyskens (Rochas)

Tom Ford

Nicolas Ghesquiere

Viktor & Rolf

Marc Jacobs

Christian Lacroix

Karl Lagerfeld

Jean Paul Gaultier

John Galliano

Donatella Versace

Move Over Wynwood, Miami Beach is Stepping in

2009-07-30T16:09:00.015-04:00

The art walks in Coral Gables, the Design District and Wynwood have a new competitor in town: Miami Beach. The first Lincoln Road Art Walk takes place this Saturday, August 1 from 7pm to 10pm. The core of the action will take place at the Art Center South Florida, located at the #924, #810 and #800 buildings on Lincoln Rd. Miami Beach, 33139. The event is free and, if you take the printed flyer to the art show [featured on the left], you'll enjoy complimentary hors d'oeuvres and wine. If not, a cash bar will also be available.

Other Miami Beach art galleries include: Carel Art Gallery at 928 Lincoln Road and the In Fashion Photo Exhibit at 910 Lincoln Rd.

There's also the Britto gallery next to the Art Center. But I recommend avoiding the place. If a rainbow could vomit, it would look like a Romero Britto painting.

The Art of Alice in Wonderland

2009-07-28T22:56:00.012-04:00

I've adored Alice in Wonderland since childhood. My first exposure to it was the Disney movie at 10 or 11. As I grew older and my taste in literature and art expanded, I read the original print version by Lewis Carroll and eventually stumbled unto his photograph of Alice Liddell, the real life inspiration for the main character of Wonderland and his other famous work, Through the Looking Glass. For those of you who have never seen what she looks like, here it is [the photo was taken by Carroll]:

In college, I took a children's literature course and reread Alice for the second time. It solidified my fascination with the story. But, after learning the literary history around Wonderland, I became more intrigued by the author than the book itself. Lewis Carroll, whose real name is Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, worked most of his life as a professor of mathematics, even after achieving fame with Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. He also had a keen interest in photography, which was still in its infancy during his adulthood - he was born in 1832 and died in 1898. Here are two more Carroll photographs:

As you can see, both photographs feature little girls. It was wasn't an accident that I picked these pictures. Carroll was rumored to be in love with Alice Liddell, a girl 20 years younger than him. He was about 30 when he met her and she was 10 or 11. No one knows for certain if that is true. Nonetheless, many literary historians have hinted that Carroll was some kind of pedophile. Though he never 'acted' on his supposed love for Alice or any other child, according to historical records. What we do know is this: a ten year old girl was his muse, he loved to photograph children, he was a mathematical genius and he wrote one of the most beloved children's stories of all times. Carroll was as mysterious and labyrinthine as the stories he wrote, quite an unusual treat!

So in honor of Carroll and his lore, expect a couple more Alice in Wonderland posts coming your way in the following weeks.

RIP Merce Cunningham

2009-07-27T19:39:00.013-04:00

And with a flick of the dice, you equally imparted beauty and inspiration. The only time I caught a glimpse of your dance company was a couple of years ago when they visited Miami to perform Split Sides. It was awe inspiring, mysterious and electric. I felt regenerated, like I had new eyes and ears. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Merce Cunningham 1919-2009

Tasty Treats - Audrey Kawasaki & Walt Whitman

2009-07-24T00:39:00.011-04:00

The first time I saw Audrey Kawasaki's images I was awe struck at the contradictory nature of her work: innocent yet erotic, tender but volatile, subdued though expressive, melancholy yet joyful. But that's exactly what attracts me to art: contradictions.

The American poet Walt Whitman once wrote:

Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)

And I agree: to be human is to contradict. Each of us carry voices from our childhood and memories of distant lands, books and food. Each trace echos of faces, lovers and friends.

The American poet Walt Whitman once wrote:

I Celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.

Eye Candy - Casey O'Connell

2009-07-21T21:21:00.005-04:00

From the Artist:
In her imagery, Casey is accessible. The paintings she creates are often autobiographical dialogues that capture both her inner 12 year old and a woman who should know better. She paints what she lives and feels.

Discover more here.

Art Lovers: Miami Needs Your Help

2009-07-16T18:09:00.012-04:00

Miami's mayor yesterday released the FY2009-20010 budget and it includes cuts and workforce reductions to fill a $427 million projected budget gap. Should this budget be adopted, it will require the elimination of nearly all of the Department's grants for arts and cultural organizations. "Grants to all social service community-based organizations and mom and pop small businesses are slated for elimination also," according to Michael Spring, Director of the Miami Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs.

Here's what's happening next in the budget process: the Board of County Commissioners will meet on July 21st to determine what can be expanded before the final budget is adopted. So, what can you do? Reach out to your county commissioner. Tell them how important fostering art is for our community! Call or write a letter! Let your voice be heard. Find your county commissioner and their contact information here and here.

Here's a sample letter to make e-mail writing easier:

Dear Commissioner [Commissioner's Last Name here. Be sure to spell it right!],

I am very concerned about the proposed cut to the county arts budget. Your past support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs has helped make the arts a Miami-Dade County staple.

The proposed more than $11 million cut to the Department of Cultural Affairs would have an enormous detrimental effect on Miami-Dade County. Our arts organizations, from small to large, contribute greatly to the economy of our region. Just the loss of jobs resulting from this proposal will be huge, let alone the impact on tourism and the general economic and cultural health of our community. Thousands and thousands of jobs and services would disappear overnight. Tourists would be left with little to do and Miami would retreat to an image that all of us have fought hard to change.

I strongly urge you to vote to continue current support for the arts and community-based organizations.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your address]

Top 5 Worst Things about the Cat Power Concert

2009-07-14T12:39:00.004-04:00

Last night I ventured to the Culture Room (an hour drive for me) to watch the lovely Cat Power (aka Charlyn "Chan" Marshall) coo an hour and half of rhythm and blues. And though her performance and covers of Nina Simone and Billie Holiday were polished, passionate and inviting like a piece of silk stroking an electric guitar, the night tittered between heaven and hell. And the latter often won out:

5. I admit the ticket said 8pm and I arrived at 9pm. But, normally doors open at the time listed on the stub and the performance begins an hour and half later. So, going by that logic, I had 30 minutes until the show. Wrong. When I arrived, there were about 40 people standing in line waiting to get in. Some people had tickets. Others didn’t. It was annoying. It took 35 minutes to get in and I missed two songs.

4. If you’re not familiar with Cat Power’s music, it’s bluesy and mellow. It’s not the type of music that’s fit for a stadium or an amphitheater – it’s intimate, like a confession. But one chap insisted on repeatedly screaming, "Hell yeah" and "I love you Cat Power." He acted like he was in a football game. He cut off the ending of seven or eight songs.

3. I learned what it means to be ‘packed like a can of sardines’. I could barely breathe. I became closely imitate with several strangers. I think I may owe money because I’m sure some people charge for that. Then there was the pushing; the constant fear that someone was going to accidentally spill beer on me. It was a fire hazard waiting to happen. And trying to reach the bathroom was like climbing Mount Everest.

2. Why do some people choose to attend concerts to loudly and obnoxiously talk during the entire performance? There are plenty of locations where carrying a conversation is better suited, like a restaurant or even a bar. But, during a show when you have to compete with a band and singer? It’s distracting and rude to your fellow concert goers.

1. If you’re over 25 and want to feel old, go to a Cat Power show. The majority of the kids will be 18 or 21.

I Love the 80s - Volume 9

2009-07-13T07:27:00.004-04:00

While searching for vintage U2 on YouTube, I stumbled unto Rattle and Hum, which is the name of an album and a film documentary that details the band's tour of their 1987 release The Joshua Tree. The clip below is from the latter and it depicts a gospel inspired version of I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.

U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (Rattle and Hum)

Bonus Poem of the Day - by Shakespeare

2009-07-10T16:28:00.002-04:00

"Caliban," from The Tempest, III, ii, 148-156

Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices
That, if I then had waked after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again; and then, in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open, and show riches
Ready to drop upon me, that when I waked,
I cried to dream again.

Poem of the Day - by Thom Gunn

2009-07-10T14:36:00.033-04:00

THE HUG

It was your birthday, we had drunk and dined
Half of the night with our old friend
Who's showed us in the end
To a bed I reached in one drunk stride.
Already, I lay snug,
And drowsy with the wine dozed on one side.

I dozed, I slept. My sleep broke on a hug,
Suddenly, from behind,

In which the full lengths of our bodies pressed:
Your instep to my heel,
My shoulder-blades against your chest.

It was not sex, but I could feel
The whole strength of your body set,
Or braced, to mine,
And locking me to you
As if we were still twenty-two
When our grand passion had not yet
Become familial.
My quick sleep had deleted all
Of intervening time and place.
I only knew
The stay of your secure firm dry embrace.

KIDSART: Free Art Program For Children

2009-07-08T17:26:00.028-04:00

With all the recent budget cuts in public schools, art programs are often the first to go. But one light at the end of the tunnel exists: Artocenecto's KIDSART.

Artocenecto, a non-profit organization focusing on "connecting the community through art", is offering children in Miami-Dade county an opportunity to discover their inner artist in a series of five free workshops. The sessions will take place in a variety of art studios, from Little Havana to the Upper East Side, and will focus on themes such as recycling, diversity and nature.

Each workshop will be conducted by a South Florida based artist, such as Tracy Hagen, who is planning a collage session involving family photographs.

The sessions will run on Saturdays from July 18 to August 15, beginning at 10 a.m. until noon. Kids ages 7 to 13 can participate. The last day to sign up is tomorrow: July 9.

And here's something to make the deal even sweeter: kids participating in the workshops will have their artwork displayed at the Second Saturday Art Walk in the Wynwood District on September 12.

For more information and registration forms contact:
Danny Brody
Community Relations
artoconecto@gmail.com
786.246.2047

Seeking Art in Unlikely Places: The Library

2009-07-06T17:58:00.015-04:00

Did you know that several branches of Miami-Dade County Public Libraries offer art exhibits? The exhibits are free, open to the public and differ from branch to branch. Here's a rundown of what's currently on display:

Dog Tales: Words and Images, Fact and Fiction
Main Library – Auditorium
June 11 - August 23
Over twenty artists explore the many facets of a dog's relationship to man, from companionship to protector and more.

Analog/Digital – Part 2
Miami Beach Regional
2nd Floor Exhibition Space
June 18 - August 19
Analog/Digital, by a group of eleven artists, explores the tension between old and new technologies using analog and digital media, found objects, painting, audio, photography, installation, and new media.

Puppy Dog Tales: Stories and Images of Dogs and Other Critters
Miami Beach Regional
Pinecrest Branch
South Dade Regional
June 20 – August 9
This exhibit features stories and artwork about animals by K-6th grade students.

Asser Saint-Val: The Melanin Project
Main Library –1st Floor Exhibition Space
June 1 - August 31
Melanin is the pigment that gives human skin and hair its color and artist Asser Saint-Val's exhibit at the Main Library studies "the phenomenon of melanin" and the roles it plays in people of all races.

Patches, the Disgruntled Carrot and Other Stories
Main Library – 2nd Floor Exhibition Space
April 18 - June 18
This exhibit by New York based Benjamin Entner, an artist influenced by author/illustrators such as Edward Gorey and Tim Burton, was created especially for the Library’s Art of Storytelling International Festival.

Journeys, Stories and Healing through Art
North Dade Regional
May 20 – August 13
All the artwork displayed was created by Miami-Dade County Public Schools students during art therapy sessions.

The Language of Flowers
Pinecrest Branch
April 11 - August 5
A group of Miami artists developed an exhibit of watercolor and mixed media paintings depicting local native flora.

The Sword and the Sorrow
West Dade Regional
March 26 - September 15
Writer and poet James Slater Geggis, Jr. and visual artist Marlon Zuniga joined forces on a series of poems and drawings that explore the wastefulness and absurdity of war.

Follow Me On Twitter!

2009-07-05T20:48:00.003-04:00

I finally joined Twitter! So far, I'm really enjoying it because it's like the fast food of communication! Anyone else out there on Twitter? Hit me up here: http://twitter.com/LocalMotionMia

Inside My Mind's Eye

2009-07-03T19:35:00.014-04:00

I was supposed to go to a poetry reading and planned on blogging about it. But due to a cold and the incessant rain, I'm home. So instead of a poetry review, enjoy a peek into some of the ins and outs that are me:

Film Still From Kenneth Anger's Rabbit's Moon

Film Still From Maya Deren's The Very Eye of Night

A Cassavetes Classic

Maya Deren

Of Human Bondage

Doll Parts

Morrissey

Silent Siren Louise Brooks

Flappers

Hamlet's Ophelia

Persephone's Treat

An Alternative to a Lazy Sunday

2009-07-02T19:06:00.004-04:00

Here's a nice, artsy option for an upcoming late Sunday afternoon: a collection of Miami-based artists and fashion designers will come together on July 19 at the Redland Koi and Pond Gardens between 3pm and 9pm to showcase and sell their work.

Click on the flyer at the bottom for more information and check out some of the fashion styles you can expect to see below:

I Love the 80s - Volume 8

2009-06-29T20:01:00.007-04:00

I adore Kate Bush. Her music is whimsical, theatrical, melodic and filled with references to classic British literature. Her song The Sensual World was released in 1989 and inspired by the novel Ulysses by James Joyce. The lyrics mirror a monologue by the character Molly Bloom at the end of the book:

...Stepping out of the page into the sensual world...Stepping out...To where the water and the earth caress...You don't need words--just one kiss then another...Stepping out of the page into the sensual world Stepping out, off the page, into the sensual world...And then our arrows of desire rewrite the speech, mmh, yes...Stepping out of the page into the sensual world...

Kate Bush - The Sensual World

MAM Fourth of July Special

2009-06-29T12:16:00.010-04:00

It's been raining in Miami everyday since June 1st. So, one way to ensure you won't get soaked this Fourth of July, is to head over to the Miami Art Museum and take advantage of their two-for-one admission special. The entrance fee is usually eight dollars but, if you invite a buddy to go with you on Saturday, it will only cost four.

If you're too busy setting up fireworks that day, try going on July 11th instead and take advantage of their Second Saturdays Free for Families day. The monthly event, from 1 pm to 4 pm, features hands-on activities for children and adults, such as storytelling, guided tours, gallery games and dance performances.

Or check out their MAM Summer Nights, which occurs every second Thursday of the month during the summer from 6:30 pm to 9 pm. The next installment on July 9th will feature a live dance performance called, Re-visit, Re-vision, Re-verb. The cost is ten dollars.

For more information on these events or to check out their current exhibit, go here.

Eye Candy - Anne Siems

2009-06-28T11:42:00.002-04:00

From the Artist:
What I paint comes from an intuitive visceral place. Elements that are found in my work through the years are there because they feel right: they have no specific symbolism. What you see is an open ended narrative, one that I invite the viewer to enter into and complete or continue.

On the Trail of The Stoning of Soraya M.

2009-06-26T11:13:00.004-04:00

Good news! I found one theater in Aventura (Aventura 24 Theatres 19501 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, FL 33180) that will be playing The Stoning of Soraya M. on July 10. However, no dates are set for Miami yet. For those of you who missed my last post regarding the film, here is a description of it:

The movie is based on a true story of one courageous Iranian woman's attempt to expose atrocities that befell on her niece, who was stoned to death because she was accused of adultery. The allegations against her are false and the very nature of stoning a person to death is barbaric and goes against basic human rights. The news reports I have read have given this movie raving reviews and the film has opened its audiences' eyes to the lack of women's rights in Iran.

The Stoning of Soraya M.

2009-06-24T21:46:00.006-04:00

UPDATED

Good news! I found one theater in Aventura (Aventura 24 Theatres 19501 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, FL 33180) that will be playing The Stoning of Soraya M. on July 10. However, no dates are set for Miami yet.

-------------------------

I wrote an e-mail today to the Miami Beach Cinematheque- an arthouse movie theater and home of the Miami Beach Film Society - about a topic I feel very strongly about right now. Here's a copy of what I wrote:
--------------------------------------
Hello,

My name is Larissa. I'm a huge fan of the Cinematheque and wanted to thank your organization for granting me the opportunity of watching exceptional films.

Having said that, I noticed that one film, which I'm interested in watching, is not listed on your calendar of events for June or July. The movie, The Stoning of Soraya M., is set for limited U.S. release on June 26.

Do you know if this movie will be released in Miami anytime soon? So far, not one theater in the entire state of Florida is listed to premiere this film!

The movie is based on a true story of one courageous Iranian woman's attempt to expose atrocities that befell on her niece, who was stoned to death because she was accused of adultery. The allegations against her are false and the very nature of stoning a person to death is barbaric and goes against basic human rights. The news reports I have read have given this movie raving reviews and the film has opened its audiences' eyes to the lack of women's rights in Iran.

I feel that this is an incredibly important movie, especially given the recent protests in Iran. Art is not merely a vehicle for beauty, but also serves as a means for social and political change, which is why historically all oppressive societies have censored books, movies, paintings, etc.

Please bring this important movie to Miami. Or please advise me on what I need to do to get this film shown here.

With much admiration and respect,

Larissa
------------------------------------------

Here's a preview of the movie:

Classic Moments in Cinema: Last Tango in Paris

2009-06-23T19:29:00.010-04:00

Year: 1973
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci

Plot: Paul - played by Marlon Brando, of Godfather fame- portrays an American expatriate living in Paris and crazed by grief after his wife commits suicide. So he roams through the Parisian streets until he meets Jeanne, an unknown girl, while apartment hunting. Without a word, they have sex. Later, while Paul arranges his wife's funeral, he decides to lease the apartment where he met Jeanne. They begin meeting there for frenzied afternoons. "No names here," he tells her. They shut out the world and forfeit their pasts and identities, temporarily forgetting grief and responsibilities.
Category: One of my favorites films

Pop! Pop! - A Review

2009-06-22T22:00:00.010-04:00

This past Saturday I ventured over to Pink Ghost - a Ft. Lauderdale-based store that sells vinyl toys, art books and magazines- for their opening of Pop! Pop! - a collection of low brow paintings and drawings representing aspects of modern 'pop' culture.

Though each artist invoked 'pop' in their own individualistic way, the collection - as a whole - was fun and playful. But two artists stood out.

The first: Helena Garcia. Her paintings were feminine, colorful and all around adorable! She had three pieces displayed, which focused on the fashion styles of: Berlin, Bogota, and Tokyo.

Peek through the kaleidoscope:

The second: Justin Rose. His paintings focused on the reshaping of popular fairy tales by adding elements associated with death, such as skulls and ghosts.

Spy down the rabbit hole:

All in all, the entire show was innovative and cheeky. I definitely recommend checking it out before it closes in July. But, if you can't make it, check out the rest of the show here.

Eye Candy - Camille Rose Garcia

2009-06-19T15:19:00.005-04:00

From the artist:
Camille Rose Garcia was born in 1970 in Los Angeles, California and grew up in the generic suburbs of Orange County, visiting Disneyland and going to punk shows with the other dissenchanted youth of that era. Her paintings of creepy cartoon children living in wasteland fairy tales are critical commentaries on the failures of capitalist utopias.

See and read more here.

Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder

2009-06-17T01:08:00.007-04:00

My taste in art ranges from classical to abstract. I appreciate detailed craftsmanship as much as I appreciate abstract figures and forms; variations in style, color and theme usually exemplify the moral, social and political values of a century. These stylistic differences also display how the definition of beauty has changed over years. For example, when you look at a Botticelli painting, the women are slightly obese [when compared to modern/waif Miami standards] and are extremely pale. But paleness and obesity, at that time, were associated with wealth. The poor worked all day in the sun and consequently became extremely tanned. But wealth was synonymous with beauty - two things very few people could hope to achieve in that point in history.

Having said that, I purchased today a beautiful print from Ft. Lauderdale-based Bear and Bird Gallery! The print -a recreation of an original painting by the Mexican artist Anita Mejía- is cartoonish. It's also slightly unnerving in its perceived cuteness and innocence since it involves a subtle undercurrent of violence [see left]. I truly believe that many people in my age group - the late 20 somethings and the early 30 somethings - are stuck in some kind of eternal adolescence. I think the decadence of the 80s and the introduction of video games and MTV seeped into our minds so deeply that we still cling unto to some kind of idyllic and 'the skies are limitless' past that no longer exists except in our own minds. So, it manifests in buying cartoonish art, collecting vintage Star Wars toys, watching 80s movies that you've seen 20 times before or simply by trying to convince your son or daughter that bands like the Flock of Seagulls or Run DMC are truly kings.

Wynwood Art Walk: A Pictorial Review

2009-06-14T17:04:00.013-04:00

It was the good, the bad, the ugly and the WTF? at last night's installment of the Wynwood Gallery Walk. And though the humidity was thick enough to cut, a large crowd gathered to enjoy the art, drinks and rainless summer night. Here's a recap for those who missed it:

Poem of the Day - by Nikki Giovanni

2009-06-12T12:34:00.011-04:00

JUST A SIMPLE DECLARATION OF LOVE

In the reddish gray of morning just before night concedes I know the silhouette of Sunflowers turning their heads to the east

I hear birds gathering at the bird bath chattering away singing warning gossiping about the cat in the bushes

I watch the rabbits starting for the warren under my shed to rest from another night of survival

Mother 'Possum with six youngsters on her back slowly like any other overburdened woman makes her way back home

I look at the clouds push off against the lighter blue and making coffee I hear the friendly gurgle of the drip maker the sigh of the toast softly browning

I watch the world come awake sitting in my kitchen hearing smelling tasting another day but nothing is clear until you

Smile

Calling the sun to work

Local Artist Meet and Greet: Gerry Stecca

2009-06-09T20:00:00.032-04:00

Gerry Stecca is a Venezuelan painter and sculptor who earned his Visual Arts degree from the University of California in 1987. He moved to Miami in 1989, where collaborations with designers in the retail, travel and hospitality industries led him to an interest in "the potential use of 'space' as a medium". This and other experiences in Miami eventually inspired him to create sculptural installations involving clothespins [see the last two photos below]. You can currently see a Stecca mural on the side of the Design District Club The Vagabond.

You studied art in San Diego. How does the art scene there compare to Miami?

Well... it's been a while since my San Diego days and it would not be a current opinion. [But] I do know that the concept of an art opening, gallery walk, or even art fairs is treated different in the West coast. In Miami, any art event that does not have hints of a party mixed in suffers in attendance. Also, we run our events much later than most of the country [and] even advertise after parties! [I’m] not sure about the immediate benefits of this festive approach for the artist and the venue but it is the norm followed around these parts.

What's the best thing about being an artist in Miami? Please elaborate.

Without a doubt, Miami is frequently an international stop, attracting people from all over the U.S. and the world and offering a priceless opportunity to share our work with so many people and nations, almost without having to leave home. How to do that [though] is up to each artist to figure out. But the opportunity is right at hand.

Also, compared to important cities in the world of art, we do not have as many artists competing for attention, space and clients. It [also] does not hurt to have fairly good weather most of the year either, which is good for morale even when times are hard.

Who is your favorite local artist [besides yourself]? Why?

There are more artists in Miami than the major local media lets people know (an old sore point with me) therefore answering that question is rather difficult. I will say that Wendy Wisher's work has consistently pleased and intrigued my imagination. There is also Federico Uribes’ sculptures and installations. Although we work differently, our minds follow the same road of repetition and pattern, thus I always look forward to seeing his work.

If you could have a drink with any artist living or dead, who would it be and why?

If it is only one [artist] that I get to choose, it would have to be Leonardo da Vinci, the all inclusive, one stop talent-do it all well-mastermind. I would probably just shut up and listen to what his vast mind would have to say. My drink would probably get forgotten.

Please choose your favorite: Picasso, Miró or Marcel Duchamp? Why?

Of those three, Picasso. I have seen a lot of his work in person and studied it in art school as well. [I’m] not crazy about most of it, but I
truly admire his relentless productivity and the intense approach he took to life. At a time when the world was a lot smaller than it is now - lacking the Internet, TV, international newspapers, etc.- Picasso was noticed and became one of the first art superstars [and has] retained his titled to this date (unlike most of the current [superstar artists], often fabricated by savvy art dealers).

How influential are other modes of art, such as film and music - on your own work? Has a poem, song, or film etc ever inspired you to create?

When it comes to my sculptural work, without a doubt, my inspiration is sparked by the discovery of the object, the unit, the one "thing" that I quickly see in my head as being used in single or in mass repetition as part of something larger. After, what seems like a mandatory period of trial and error, the object becomes an obsession or it is a bust.

As far as painting, drawing or designing something, the inspiration may come from just anywhere. The best ideas happen precisely when I am not trying to think of one, often while working on a very repetitious piece.

How/where did the idea of creating sculptures from clothes pins originate?

Most often asked question and the funniest to answer. While planning to attend a local fetish theme party, I offered to make a dress for my best friend. On an artist’s budget, I went to the closest dollar store and choose to buy a lot of clothespins. A few hours and close to 400 wood clothespins later, the first dress was created.

The satisfaction from that quickly improvised piece and the attention we got that night, led to a six year long [and] slow progression of the technique I use now, modesty aside.

Do you need long periods of time alone for artistic inspiration or are you energized by interaction?

Inspiration just happens. Be it while working on something, at a party, or driving across country (road trips are great thinking opportunities). Interaction with others is the most important source of experience, which in essence is the root of all true creative work. Musicians are born with the mathematical musical capacity already in them. Visual art, on the other hand, comes from experience earned throughout life.

Imitation is the Highest Form of Flattery

2009-06-09T00:14:00.009-04:00

Originality is the art of concealing your sources.
- Benjamin Franklin

70s American punk rocker Iggy Pop, now a Miami resident, wrote this catchy tune, which inspired the British Siouxsie and The Banshees to perform their own version years later...

Lights, Camera, Action!

2009-06-03T17:55:00.033-04:00

Listen up Miami: the 13th Brazilian Film Festival kicks off this Friday with free double screenings of the film, My Name Ain't Johnny. The flick will premiere at the Colony Theatre in Miami Beach at 7 p.m. and also at the Hollywood Beach Theatre at 8:30 p.m. For more information, click the image to the left.

There will also be plenty of other movies showing until the 13th, including a special tribute to Bruno Barreto - one of Brazil's premiere auteurs. If you haven't seen Barreto's work before, I highly suggest you do! The festival will showcase six of his films. His movies range from light romantic comedies to serious dramas. A great introduction to his work, and one that truly captures the spirit of Brazilian culture, is the film, Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands. The movie will be shown on June 8 at the Miami Beach Cinematheque at 8 p.m.

Here is a description from Rotten Tomatoes:

Dona Flora is a young widow who remarries only to have her dead husband returning to her in spirit. While her ex never treated her right except in bed, her new husband is dependable if dull in the sack. What's Dona to do but take the best of both worlds--even if one of them is, strictly speaking, beyond the grave? This magical realist sex-comedy was a huge hit in its native Brazil and is based on the novel by Jorge Amado; it was later remade into the Sally Field film KISS ME GOODBYE.

Most tickets cost ten dollars and locations vary. Find more information here.

Crooning on Venus - The Singers

2009-06-02T22:30:00.003-04:00

L has been kind enough to spare me a tile or two here. I am Janus, an art and music enthusiast and to say anymore about me would contribute to overstaying my welcome. From time to time, I might write a bit about music, about art, about food. Today, music.

Scratch the surface of many an avant-garde jazz musician and you’ll find a populist at heart; only a decade separated Miles Davis’ Stockhausen-draped-in-funk epic On the Corner from his anodyne covers of Michael Jackson and Cyndi Lauper hits in the 80’s. Lester Bowie went from founding the (much beloved by French underground filmmakers) Art Ensemble of Chicago whose charter declared a commitment “to nurturing, performing, and recording serious, original music” to playing Spice Girls hits before he died.

But what of those pop performers whose riches and hordes of adoring fans were secretly coveted in the farthest recesses of the art-music world. Sure David Bowie gave good Stockhausen in magazine interviews, and Joni Mitchell even recorded an album with (a sadly fading) Charles Mingus; but at the end of the day, Bowie still placed the chorus where the chorus was supposed to be and Joni just did Joni, but with more jazz.

Three pop (or should I say former pop) performers on the other hand, really did the unforeseeable and over the course of their careers jettisoned melody, fan base and bank balance alike to each pursue a dissonant muse. Scott Walker, Mark Hollis and David Sylvian each started off as a minor variation on the teen idol theme but, like the Jonas Brothers exploring Ornette Coleman, each became (despite having the voices of angels) a noisy, cantankerous and yet beautiful thing.

I start with Scott Walker, the oldest of this lot, a teen idol in the sixties, here he is with his then band of make-believe siblings, the Walker Brothers, singing their 1966 number-one hit "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore".

Within a year of this he was off to a monastery to study Gregorian Chant and began to record his own series of solo albums consisting of Jaques Brel covers and his own idiosyncratic compositions. This would have been dramatic a change enough for most, but by the 90’s he was setting Pier Paolo Pasolini to music described by one reviewer as "Samuel Beckett at La Scala". On his most recent full length recording, The Drift, he sings about Mussolini and his mistress with percussion provided by musicians beating raw meat . Here is an excerpt from the Scott Walker Documentary 30th Century Man.

You may not know Mark Hollis, but you know his songs. The voice of, songwriter and primary musician behind synthpop wonders Talk Talk. Often called the “poor man’s Duran Duran” they had massive hits with the eponymous track Talk Talk, Life’s What You Make it and of course, It’s my Life.

By 1990, the synthesizers (and most of the band) were gone. Hollis was listening to Miles Davis, Hector Berlioz and the strange voices in his head. It all peaked with the Laughing Stock album that year. Six tracks recorded with a classical ensemble that manage to be ambient, jazz with the occasional burst of well placed noise, all with Hollis’ plaintive vocals and strangely unsettling lyrics stitching it all together. This could have been the start of a good thing, but it was not to be. Hollis recorded one solo album in 1998, almost as good as Laughing Stock (but painted with watercolors where Laughing Stock used heavy acrylics) and then retired to his study to play piano and hasn’t been heard from since.

Perhaps of the three artists mentioned here, David Sylvian’s path to the esoteric was probably the most predictable. The final album released by Japan, his early glam rock band, experimented with ambient textures and tribal rhythms and his first solo album included contributions from artists outside the mainstream such as Holger Czukay, Jon Hassell and Ryuichi Sakamoto. This early arty period peaked with the moody Secrets of the Beehive, recorded in the middle of a span of albums that alternated song oriented outings with full length ambient recordings. Here’s Sylvian doing Orpheus, an unlikely hit with a brilliant Mark Isham trumpet solo.

In the 90’s, Sylvian got married, studied eastern religions, joined Robert Fripp to record a couple of surprisingly rockist albums and then seemed to disappear for a bit. When he returned, bearded, divorced and shorn of all artifice, it was with a raw album. Blemish recorded in his home studio features just three musicians, Sylvian, free-jazz guitarist Derek Bailey and synthesizer/guitar avant-electronica artist Fennesz. Songs about the dissolution of a marriage perhaps? “I fall outside of her/She doesn't notice/She doesn't notice at all/And mine is an empty bed/I think she's forgotten”

Of the three, Sylvian also remains the most prolific, collaborating with others under the name 9 Horses, working with Joan as a Police Woman and his old mate Ryuichu Sakamoto. A new album is due this year.

I Love the 80s - Volume 7

2009-06-01T23:13:00.007-04:00

It's been raining everyday for the last two weeks and I've had this song stuck in my mind since then. So, I nominate Here Comes the Rain Again as Miami's official summer anthem. Admittedly, most people probably won't associate its haunting and nostalgic melody with the city. But this is the kind of song you listen to at 6 a.m. when driving home from a long night out or early in the morning when you just wake up. This is the kind of song you listen to before or after making love; the kind of song that reminds you of your awkward teenage years and reminds you of your first love...

Eurythmics - Here Comes The Rain Again

30 Americans: A Review

2009-05-29T21:00:00.005-04:00

A couple of days ago I visited the Rubell Family Collection’s 30 Americans, an exhibit of thirty African Americans artists featuring heavy weight hitters like Basquiat, local artist Purvis Young and Kara Walker –listed as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine in 2007.

The artwork left my mind swarming. I was overwhelmed by the beauty and complexity of the images, which grappled with issues of gender, identity, race, sexuality, U.S. slave history and violence.

It also left me feeling that a truly liberated society is not color blind but rather exults and celebrates its technicolored population. There is nothing wrong with noticing the features that make each of us unique. It would be an awfully boring world if everyone looked like carbon copies of each other.

The human body is a canvas, too. And it’s always a joy to encounter someone beautiful, different and new. No one looks at a painting and thinks, “That shade of green is racist.” It takes well crafted colors, shapes and a certain measure of the exotic to make art beautiful and it’s the same with people, too.

Take a peek at the exhibit, which alas, ends tomorrow:

Eye Candy - Irina Ionesco

2009-05-25T23:54:00.008-04:00

Irina Ionesco is a French photographer born in the thirties whose work is largely erotic and sensual. She first showcased her photography in 1975 and created a minor scandal in the art world when she started taking pictures of her five year old daughter in a seductive manner [see the second and third pics below.] What's interesting about those particular photographs is that they don't appear to be of a child. And, they are strangely beautiful and unnerving, as is most of Ionesco's work.

Viva La Pin-Up Queen!

2009-05-20T20:21:00.006-04:00

I Love the 80s - Volume 6

2009-05-18T21:16:00.003-04:00

The Swiss band Grauzone only made two albums in their short time together but created this catchy little tune that always puts a smile on my face.

Grauzone - Eisbaer

The Best Things in Life Are Free

2009-05-15T16:43:00.006-04:00

Check out this great event happening on Sunday at the News Lounge (click on the image to enlarge it):

Poem of the Day - by Walt Whitman

2009-05-14T16:37:00.005-04:00

O ME! O LIFE!

O Me! O life!... of the questions of these recurring;
Of the endless trains of the faithless—of cities fill’d with the foolish;
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light—of the objects mean—of the struggle ever renew’d;
Of the poor results of all—of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me;
Of the empty and useless years of the rest—with the rest me intertwined;
The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?

Answer.

That you are here—that life exists, and identity;
That the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse.

Larissa in ExxxoticaLand

2009-05-11T21:17:00.003-04:00

On Saturday, I fell down the rabbit hole and landed in a wonderland of sex and glamor: Exxxotica 2009 - the 'largest adult event on the east coast', according to exxxoticamiami.com. It was my first time attending and it was surreal to see the faces and bodies of porn in 3D. In some instances, the 'actors and actresses' were much more attractive in person and, at other times, I couldn't believe how unattractive they were! It made me realize the amazing ability a camera has to alter reality; the careful and manipulative play of illusion.

The event was smaller than I thought it would be. I imagined a giant circus of porn. But instead I saw a medium sized crowd and about twenty booths selling DVDs or other assorted paraphernalia. The best booth, by far, belonged to Digital Playground, which featured porn superstars Jesse Jane, Sasha Gray, Stoya and others signing autographs and taking pictures with fans.

Though I had a great time and definitely plan to go next year, I felt the event was a little disorganized. There were a number of 'free' seminars advertised on the event's Web site that I completely forgot about because I didn't know where to find them. There were no signs pointing where to go. Later, I realized that the seminars were on the far right of room, which was completely separated from the rest of the event.

Also, when you buy tickets, you have the option of either paying 35 dollars for general admission or 65 dollars for 'VIP'. If you plan to go next year, don't waste your money on VIP! The ONLY difference between the two prices is that you can buy alcoholic beverages in the VIP area, which is a small room with half naked girls dancing in the dark. With general admission, you see half-naked girls dancing in the light.

All in all, I had fun and was able to take some interesting pictures, so to speak. I decided to record my first porn convention experience in sepia:

The lovely Sasha Gray

AND THEN...some people were just standing outside...I guess no one ever taught them how to have a good time...

Eye Candy - Ray Caesar

2009-05-09T13:21:00.006-04:00

From the artist:

I was born in London, England on October 26 1958, the youngest of four and much to my parent's surprise, I was born a dog. This unfortunate turn of events was soon accepted within my family and was never again mentioned in the presence of polite company. I was a rambunctious youth as was natural to my breed but showed a fine interest in the arts as I drew pictures incessantly on anything including the walls and floors of every room of our tiny house.

Read more and see more here.

Silent Siren: Clara Bow

2009-05-07T18:18:00.009-04:00

Clara Bow -one of the quintessential flapper girls of the 1920s - is my favorite silent movie star. Her eyes and body language are so expressive that you sometimes forget about the lack of verbal dialogue in her films. And, on top of that, she's completely adorable and charismatic as hell.

Filmography: Love 'Em and Leave 'Em; Dangerous Curves; Hula; Wings; Rough House Rosie; It; Mantrap.

If It's Free Then It's For Me

2009-05-07T10:33:00.020-04:00

Here's a Mother's Day Treat:

On Sunday at 5 p.m., there will be a free outdoor concert at Collins Park, 2121 Park Ave., with the cast members from Florida Grand Opera's production of Madame Butterfly. The performers include Shu-Ying Li, Kate Mangiameli, Jake Gardner, Jeffrey Halili and conductor/pianist Andrew Bisantz performing selections from some of the world's most famous operas. And, before the show, check out the Bass Museum also for free between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Brain Candy: Holy Mountain

2009-05-05T21:54:00.007-04:00

If I was condemned to a deserted island and only allowed access to one film, I'd pick Holy Mountain.

The movie is directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky, who famously once proclaimed, "Most directors make films with their eyes; I make films with my cojones [balls]."

It would be a waste of time to describe the plot [for those who haven't seen it.] I'd probably end up either confusing or scaring the average movie-goer. But I will say this: it's an epic journey where the characters battle with the demons and dragons of their own mind.

Here is a clip, addressing the Spanish invasion of the Aztecs, Jodorowsky-style:

I Love the 80s - Volume 5

2009-05-04T08:03:00.007-04:00

I nominate this video for the 'tackiest video ever made' award. Enjoy!

Dead or Alive - You Spin Me

Local Artist Meet and Greet: R. E. SANCHEZ

2009-04-28T19:36:00.009-04:00

R. E. SANCHEZ is a Salvadoran expatriate who received his Bachelor of Art (BFA) from the San Francisco Art Institute in 2000 and now resides in Miami. He's exhibited in cities such as Beijing, Chicago, New York and San Francisco. Currently, he is the art director for Life is Art, a non-profit group dedicated to the promotion of Miami artists. His solo exhibit, Stabbing Hate, will be on display at the CS Gallery in North Miami Beach until May 24th.

How influential are other modes of art, such as film and music - on your own work? Has a poem, song, or film etc ever inspired you to create?

I think the most influential modes of art for me have been music, film and photography. I created an original sound piece from samples for an exhibition dealing with money a few years ago. Music is constantly playing in my studio. I wake up and go to sleep with music. I believe the world would be a very boring place if music didn’t exist. I can’t really specify if one song in particular has inspired me. I like to have my music collection play on random because to me it offers a good variety, just like life in general.

What was the last book you read?

No One Here Gets Out Alive by Jerry Hopkins and Danny Sugerman. It was the first biography of Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors. I really appreciated the book because it gave light to the literary inspirations of Jim Morrison. He considered himself more of a poet than a rock star in many respects and in many ways felt disappointed that his poetry was never as popular as his music.

If you could have a drink with any artist living or dead, who would it be and why?

Jim Morrison: for his extreme decadence. I have been attracted to decadence in people for as long as I can remember. Michelangelo: for his extreme passion, craftsmanship and skill. Leonardo DaVinci: for his wide intellect and curiosity. Diego Rivera: for his ability to melt art and politics in such a pleasing manner.

Please choose your favorite: Picasso, Miro or Marcel Duchamp? Why?

Duchamp had a great sense of humor and an intense conviction to his art. He turned Western Art on its head with his early works.

Picasso was very good at reinventing himself and working in a multitude of mediums, but my favorite at present is a contemporary by the name of Tom Friedman. I saw his solo show while working in San Francisco at The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and was blown away by his ability to melt body, mind and humor so well.

Do you believe that Miami is an 'artist friendly' city that promotes local talent? Please elaborate.

Miami has grown a lot since I moved here five years ago. I think more artists are moving here and discovering that it is still uncharted territory. Every time I walk around Wynwood, I see new galleries popping up from nowhere. My experience has been that it is very hard for young artists to find quality galleries to represent them. I find the art world to be a very political arena in which an artist’s work is not as important as who he/she knows or who finds his/her work appealing enough to collect it and influence his/her friends to collect it. In light of that, I recently teamed up with a very talented group of people to form a non-profit organization called Life Is Art. Our objective is to be able to bring more art to a bigger audience in Miami. We are planning our next events for this summer and are very excited to be able to make our mark in the promotion of up and coming artists in Miami and beyond.

Please choose your favorite: The Beatles, Rolling Stones or Run DMC.

Bob Dylan has managed to change his style in many ways throughout the years and continues to put out material that is fresh and poetically complex. I saw him perform live a few years ago and found it really hard to relate because he is very interested in always playing new versions of his songs. I had read that he does this during his performances but I never knew he was so drastic with his rearrangements. I recently purchased one of his bootleg albums and felt the same way the first time I listened to it. But, after a few more plays, I discovered that his talent is enormous and his passion for variety is never ending.

What were you doing at 8:45pm last night?

I assisted in the creation of my first marble cake with my lovely wife Marylene. She is an amazing cook and one of my biggest inspirations.

Ode to the Toy Piano

2009-04-27T17:25:00.017-04:00

Dear Wendy Mae Chambers,

I have fallen in love with the toy piano!

I had the pleasure of attending the performance of your composition “Kun” at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens yesterday and it was surreal and whimsical. If Alice in Wonderland had a soundtrack, Kun would be it!

So, I just wanted to write a quick thank you note because your tiny pianos and dainty melodies allowed me to see through the eyes of a child; the world grew tall and full of wonder again.

You fan,
Larissa, aka Local Motion Miami

Taste the Avant Garde: Sunday

2009-04-24T11:56:00.011-04:00

Oh heavenly Gods of the Avant-Garde, I thank you!

The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens - which is a delightful and stunning homage to Italian Renaissance architecture - will feature 64 toy pianos playing continuously on Sunday, April 26th from noon to 4 p.m. The event is free with the price of paid admission [$10 for Miami Dade residents and $15 for non-residents].

The pianos will be performing a piece called Kun by the toy pianist and composer, Wendy Mae Chambers.

According to a press release from Vizcaya's Web site:

"Kun" musically represents the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching, the ancient Chinese book of divination that was also used by the avant-garde composer John Cage. "Kun" will feature 64 musicians performing on 32 white toy pianos and 32 black toy pianos placed in pairs throughout the gardens, representing the yin/yang formation. Each pair will perform a six-minute duet, for a total of 32 linked compositions. Each toy piano will represent one of the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching and, as such, have a unique 6 note scale.

Kun, the second hexagram of the I Ching, represents Mother Earth and is comprised of six broken lines. All of the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching are derived from the first two hexagrams. The first hexagram, Ch'ien, represents Heaven and is comprised of six unbroken lines.

Eye Candy - Camilla d'Errico

2009-04-23T17:59:00.010-04:00

See more of d'Errico's wide eyed beauties here.

Poem of the Day - by Mina Loy

2009-04-22T08:16:00.006-04:00

There is no Life or Death,
Only Activity
And in the absolute
Is no declivity.
There is no Love or Lust
Only propensity
Who would possess
Is a nonentity.
There is no First or Last
Only equality
And who would rule
Joins the majority.
There is no Space or Time
Only intensity,
And tame things
Have no immensity.

The Mystery of Migrations

2009-04-19T15:10:00.008-04:00

Two weeks ago I did the Wynwood Gallery Art Walk and was pleasantly surprised by a beautiful exhibit in the Pan American Gallery by the Cuban artist, Carlos Estevez. The collection of images - titled The Mystery of Migrations - was spiritual and lyrical. I felt like I was peeking into the mind of a modern alchemist who adapted to technology by incorporating bicycles and other modes of 'migration' in his quest for spiritual enlightenment. It's definitely an exhibit not to be missed! The show will be on display until May 23rd. Find out more information here.

Miami Weekend Planning Guide

2009-04-17T17:39:00.034-04:00

There's a TON of fun and interesting stuff to do this weekend. Here are my top picks:

HEAR

Sonny Rollins:

The living jazz legend will be playing at the Adrienne Arsht Center on Saturday, April 18th at 8pm. Tickets range from $25 to $125 dollars. Purchase tickets here.

Alfredo Triff:

The Miami-based troubadour will be performing at the Colony Theater also on Saturday, April 18th at 8:30pm.

If you've never seen Triff perform, I highly suggest you do! It's a wonderful sensory experience. Here is a description of him and his music taken from a press release issued by the group sponsoring his show:

Alfredo Triff takes traditional Cuban musical styles—boleros, son and more—and re-imagines them through a lush and sultry jazz-inflected post-modern lens. Classically trained by Russian masters, Havana-born Triff has performed with Sting, Jack Bruce, Eddie Palmieri and Arnaldo Antunes, among others.

Triff's outstanding trio includes Daniel Ponce on congas, who has worked and recorded with musicians such as Paquito d'Rivera, Laurie Anderson, Rolling Stones, Patti LaBelle and Herbie Hancock; and Alex Berti, former member principal double bass with the Venezuelan Symphony Orchestra, who has worked with Yo Yo Ma, Placido Domingo and Arturo Sandoval.

This performance includes guest artists Adrian Castro, with his unique Afro-Latino spoken word poetry; Rosie Inguanzo, actress and poet, as "Es (Linda) Cinfuentes" and the velvet vocals of mesmerizing singer-songwriter Roberto Poveda.

Tickets cost $25 dollars for general admission. Purchase tickets here.

Ximena Sariñana with an opening set by local musician Rachel Goodrich:

The Mexican singer and actress will be doing another Saturday performance at 7pm at the North Beach Bandshell. She is performing as part of the Transatlantic Festival, which includes other performances from a talented group of musicians from around the world. Tickets cost $20 dollars in advance and can be purchased here. That link will also lead you to other performers participating in the festival.

If you're not familiar with her music, check out this description taken from the TransAtlanitc Festival Web site:

Rolling Stone recently proclaimed her [new] CD “one of the strongest debuts from a female singer-songwriter since Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me. In Ximena’s music, one hears echoes of Jones, as well as Mexican compatriot Julieta Venegas, and singers as diverse as Bjork and Fiona Apple.

SEE

Me Me Me Me Me: Self Portrait Group Show:

The comic book store Tate's in Ft.Lauderdale is having an art opening reception on Saturday, April 18th from 7pm to 10pm. It's free and includes the work of over 30 South Florida based artists. I had a chance to interview one of the artists involved in the show. You can read that interview here.

Find out more about the show here.

Tumbleweeds:

The silent Western returns to the big screen for free this Sunday, April 19th from 8pm to 10pm at the News Lounge located at 5580 NE 4th Court. The movie will be accompanied with live music, drink specials and complimentary popcorn.

Find out more here.

The Punches Just Keep On Coming

2009-04-13T18:29:00.018-04:00

I’m letting go of art and kitsch for this post to get down to the nitty gritty reality that people across this country are losing jobs, out of business signs are popping up on every corner, real estate is a complete bust and the American car industry is almost non-existent.

So the question on everyone’s mind is: how did we get here? How did we arrive at this point?

I can answer that by quoting either Republican or Democratic ideologies or by spitting out economic theories by John Maynard Keynes or Adam Smith. But why repeat what’s already been said and written? Especially since, at the end of the day, I truly believe it comes down to one very simple thing: Greed.

Why did the automotive industry ask for bailout money in their jumbo jets? Greed. Why did people ask for loans they could never pay back? Greed. Why did the real estate industry build houses they could never expect to sell? Greed. Why has tax evasion exploded in the last couple of years? Greed.

It’s plain and simple and what astonishes me is that people continue to be greedy and are indulging in practices that hurt the overall economy and will hurt them in the future as well.

Take, for example, the company I work for. Today, a total of eleven people were laid off. This is the third round of layoffs in less than a year’s time span. The CEOs and other higher ups decided that, instead of taking a pay cut, they would just lay off a couple of people and increase the workload of those that remained.

My translation of that decision: forget quality and increase quantity. Produce: you are a money making machine.

I admit - for those that don't know me - that my political ideologies stem from extremely leftist views. But I don’t believe that a person can ever be too radical when it comes to consideration, selflessness and generosity. If each of us was willing to make some type of some small concession - maybe a pay cut or perhaps decreasing our working hours - then layoffs would either stop occurring or happen less frequently.

I think these harsh economic times should be used as a moment where we reveal the best we have to offer instead of the worst. How will history judge us? My answer: either as a generation so steeped in greed that we ruined ourselves or as a generation that took a long and hard look at our past decisions and used our mistakes as an opportunity to incite social and political change.

Perverts of Miami, Unite and Take Over!

2009-04-08T23:12:00.012-04:00

Oh Miami Beach Cinematheque, how do I love thee! Let me count the ways...

Let me take this opportunity to say - joking aside - that the Miami Beach Cinematheque is a cinephile's wet dream come true. It's one of the few places in Miami where you can watch films made for a beautiful frame, a wayward glance, the careful but seemingly spontaneous encounter or chance. The films displayed are made for the art of film-making and story telling; elements too often forgotten or ignored in blockbuster Hollywood films.

The theater fits 30 people at the most and seats fill up quickly - thank God! The walls are lined with movie postcards, books and posters of the latest flicks. Each time I've walked into the place, Maya Deren short films play in the background. For those unfamiliar, I can best sum up her visual poetry by saying this: sensuality wrapped up in a surrealistic knife and kiss.

Every week, the Cinematheque features a dynamic and interesting line-up of films and documentaries. But this particular feature caught my eye and I think it will appeal to many [hell yeah I plan to be there!] Here is a description taken from the Cinematheque's Web site:

April 10 FRI at 8:30pm:

The Pervert's Guide To Cinema

Directed by Sophie Fiennes/UK/Austria/Netherlands/2008
Featuring ZIZEK!

The Pervert's Guide To Cinema takes the viewer on an exhilarating ride through some of the greatest movies ever made. Serving as presenter and guide is the charismatic Slavoj Zizek, acclaimed philosopher and psychoanalyst. With his engaging and passionate approach to thinking, Zizek delves into the hidden language of cinema, uncovering what movies can tell us about ourselves. Whether he is untangling the famously baffling films of David Lynch, or overturning everything you thought you knew about Hitchcock, Zizek illuminates the screen with his passion, intellect, and unfailing sense of humor.

WINNER: British Independent Film Awards Best Documentary

“Highly entertaining and often brilliant.” –Guardian (UK)

“Here's a film guaranteed to make you smarter than all your friends for 48 hours, or at least feel like you are.” –Minneapolis Star Tribune

* * * * * “ESSENTIAL VIEWING FOR CINEPHILES! But also for anyone else interested in the enduring power of cinema.”—Time Out

Buy tickets here.

I Love the 80s Volume 4

2009-04-07T19:27:00.012-04:00

This song follows in the great tradition of Carpe Diem poems! Adam Ant wants to seize the moment and not allow one second to pass him by! Just listen to his 'elegant' words: Lets loosen up with a playful tease/Like all lovers did through the centuries/We're just following ancient history/If I strip for you will you strip for me? ;)

Top 5 Worst Pick-Up Lines I Have Received

2009-04-04T14:34:00.035-04:00

5. This particular event happened six years ago at the Design District club Poplife. I was talking to a friend with a drink in hand when a young man approached me and asked my name. I admit: I thought he was attractive and welcomed the question. I reciprocated by asking his name - big mistake.

“I’m the devil,” he responded.
“What?”
“I’m the devil.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Then I asked, “If you’re the devil, why didn’t you know my name?”

He didn’t have a clever response and continued insisting he was the devil. It was ridiculous. Plus, every time I tried to politely escape, he continued shooting off the mouth about this and that and about being the devil and blah blah blah. Needless to say, the cuteness factor wore off quickly.

4. Once, during my high school years, a friend and I were driving around Kendall and noticed a young man in the car next to us trying to catch our attention. He yelled, drove erratically and made goofy faces. After a couple of minutes of his shenanigans, we lost sight of him and assumed he drove off.

But that wasn’t the case.

We continued driving and hit a red light two or three minutes later. As we waited for the light to turn green, we noticed that same guy's car behind us. Well, guess what he did next? He got out of the car, walked over to us and began hitting on us both. Apparently, he thought it was a perfectly normal thing to do in the middle of 107th avenue.

I remember the event vividly because he was wearing a skin tight silver shirt. The color and material looked like something that would suit a stripper. Obviously, not a shy or insecure young man.

3. One day I was shopping in Dadeland Mall and entered a store that sold gag gifts and other random objects. As I was looking at a board game, one of the employees approached me and started tapping me on the shoulder.

“You look like someone who’s easily annoyed,” he told me and continued tapping me on the shoulder.

I didn’t respond and stared at him in disbelief. He wouldn’t stop tapping me and continued for another minute until I couldn't take it anymore.

"Can you please stop doing that!?"

He finally stopped and responded with, "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean anything by that."

He looked at me blankly for a moment, made a sad 'puppy dog' face and then tried to hug me. But I swiftly pushed him away and walked out of the store.

2. Two years ago a friend dragged me to a club in the Grove that played Salsa and Power 96 type of music, which is a form of torture for me. I made the best of it though and bought myself a drink and started dancing.

After a while, two guys approached us and one asked me to dance while the other started talking to my friend. I politely declined and told him I had a boyfriend. It was a lie but I was trying to be as nice as possible.

"Well, I have a girlfriend. That doesn't mean we can't dance," he replied.

I wasn't sure what to say next and proceeded to lie again - big mistake.

"My boyfriend is downstairs and will be coming up at any moment."
"My girlfriend is downstairs, too. Come on, let's just dance until they arrive."

The guy just wouldn't take a hint.

So, we stood facing each other for a few seconds saying nothing until he grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him to initiate dancing. The move was fairly aggressive because it moved me six steps away from where I was at. At that point, I couldn't take it anymore and told him, "Look, I just don't want to dance with you."

"It's your loss," he responded. "It's your loss."

1. [A two for one special!] About a year ago I was at the club Circa 28 when a complete stranger kicked me in my calf muscle. I thought it was just some drunken idiot who lost his balance and was expecting an apology. But I didn't receive one.

"I can't believe that guy didn't even apologize for accidentally kicking me,"I complained to my friend.
"It wasn't accident," she said.
"What?"
"That guy was checking you out from the moment you walked in here. I saw him come behind you. I thought it was to talk to you... I guess he thought it was a good way to get your attention."
"Damn, what next?"- famous last words. "Come on, let's go upstairs."

So we went upstairs and I started to dance while my friend decided to sit and chill. Less than a minute later, a different drunk guy accidentally bumped into me and almost made me fall over. He took that graceless maneuver as an opportunity to start hitting on me. His breath smelled like stale beer and cigarettes and he was covered in sweat.

That night, in the span of five minutes, I had been pushed and kicked by two different guys. It gave new meaning to being 'hit on'. Apparently, some desperate young men are turning to cavemen tactics.

Remembering Art Basel '08

2009-04-03T02:01:00.015-04:00