“Searchers in Rubble” by Joel Meyerowitz

.

Following are City Link’s picks for the week’s top art events in South Florida. For our guide to the local art scene, visit Artmurmurartguide.wordpress.com.

Joel Meyerowitz: Aftermath

Days after the 2001 World Trade Center attacks, Joel Meyerowitz began photographing the devastation and ongoing recovery efforts. The resulting World Trade Center Archive, sponsored by the Museum of the City of New York, contains more than 8,000 images that have prompted 35 exhibitions worldwide.

Meyerowitz, who has authored 17 photography books, was the only photographer granted unlimited access to Ground Zero, which had been classified as a crime scene. He spent nine months photographing the rubble and the people who worked in it each day. On the fifth anniversary of the attacks, Aftermath, the book containing his images and his personal account of documenting Ground Zero, was published.

In a statement about his work, Meyerowitz said he was taking pictures for those who didn’t have access to the site and that his goal was to “provide a window for everyone else who wanted to be there, too, to help, or to grieve, or simply to try to understand what had happened to our city.”

Recently, two dozen of those images were donated to Miami Art Museum which will exhibit the photographs to commemorate the 10-year-anniversary of the attacks.

Aftermath will open with a free reception from 4-7 p.m. Aug. 18 and run through Nov. 6 in the museum’s Focus Gallery, 101 W. Flagler Street, Miami. The $8 admission fee will be waived for police firefighters and emergency personnel for the duration of the exhibition. Call 305-375-1704 or visit Miamiartmuseum.org.

Transformations

Justin “Invi” Vilonna, Mary O’Hara, Brittany Smith and more than two dozen other local artists created nature-themed works for Transformations: Where the Stars and the Moons Play. The show will close the same way it opened — with a party. The seven-hour bash will feature an auction of the artworks to raise money for The Water Project, which helps people in underdeveloped countries gain access to cleaner drinking water, and Women in Distress, which offers support, shelter and training to domestic violence victims and their children.

The party, hosted by artist Vaughn Reynolds’ T-shirt company Sinthetic Designs, will also include music by Evan Sheres and DJ Rich Rox, interactive art, four body painters and Anthony Burks, Rei Ramirez and Serafima Sokolov painting live. The event starts at 7 p.m. Aug. 19 at Stage 84, 9118 West State Rd 84, Davie. Call 954-474-5040 or visit Stage84fl.com.

Anything is Possible

Anything is Possible, a group exhibition featuring work by Raul Mendez, Susan Lee-Chun and Andrew Nigon, examines “three different perspectives on manufactured realities,” according to curator Harumi Abe.

Mendez, an artist and airline pilot, will exhibit paintings and drawings that form the foundation of a fictional world he plans to create. “Eventually the places will have names,” Mendez says in his artist statement. “The population will have faces, identities and histories … The houses will have rooms. … In essence, a fictional realm parallel to our own will come into being.”

In her video installation, “Everybody Suz-ercise,” Susan Lee-Chun explores race, identity and a fictional realm of her own. As founder of “The Suz,” a faux corporation of three egos, the artist presents a product and lifestyle in which one can “pursue ultimate happiness and fulfillment using their gym, garments, music, and choreography.”

Nigon, who recently had a solo show at Primary Projects in Miami, will explore a darker and rather disturbing reality in mixed-media sculptures made from polyurethane foam, parts of old sculptures and used clothing. The artist says his characters are trapped in “an incomplete and fractured world” that continues to fall apart even as they build it. Among his works is “Party Pooper,” which depicts a blue balloon on a makeshift string protruding from the face of a man who is sitting in a chair and seemingly decaying.

The exhibition will run Aug. 22 through Sept. 21, with an opening reception from 7-9 p.m. Aug. 25, at Broward College Fine Arts Gallery, 3501 S.W. Davie Road, Building 3, Davie. Call 305-321-7244.

Jetsetter

Illustrator Lisa “Coma Girl” Perz, painter Katie Sottak and Norma Cockwell, who makes Norman Rockwell-inspired erotic works, are among the 25 artists who will exhibit or create art at Jetsetter, the latest monthly Art Nouveau party. The theme, according to artist and organizer Teresa Korber, was inspired by “fashionable retro-decadence, travel and tiki masks.”

As usual there will be live body painting by Georgette Pressler, sushi, drink specials and a prize for best in show. The six-hour art party starts at 8 p.m. Aug. 24 at The Lounge, 517 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach. Call 561-655-9747 or visit Artnouveauevents.com.

From Judy Polstra’s “Girl Mini-Band Couture”

.

Six months ago, a woman visited Studio 18 in the Pines with a group from Schott Communities, a nonprofit agency that assists deaf and disabled people. Once there, she asked for a photo of a particular painting so she could create her own version of it. Her request was granted and sparked an idea among the center’s staff to develop an exhibition based on that premise.

The resulting Sincerity Project features works by Skot Olsen, Leah Brown, JoAnn Nava and 37 other local artists, accompanied by artistic interpretations by special-needs clients from organizations including Artists With Autism, Henderson Mental Health Center and South Florida State Hospital.

I attended the opening reception on Friday night and brought back some pics (below). If you like what you see (I did), check out the exhibition which runs through Sept. 30 and includes a salon in which artists will discuss their work from 7-9 p.m. Sept. 2.

Studio 18 is at 1101 Poinciana Drive, in Pembroke Pines. Call 954-961-6067 or visit Ppines.com/studio18.

[View with PicLens]

12►

.

During its July 30 Art Walk, F.A.T. Village celebrated its own as the village artists who have studios and gallery spaces united to exhibit their works in a joint show at The Projects Exhibition Space, a 10,000-square-foot exhibition space built in the 1950s.

Below are some pics from the event.  Don’t worry if you missed it, as the exhibition will be on display through the next F.A.T. Village Art Walk, which runs 7-11 p.m. Aug. 27.

[View with PicLens]

From Ruben Ubiera’s new  installation series, The Community

.

While Friday night will be the last chance to catch Ruben Ubiera’s solo show, From Within: A Postgraffism Exploration at 101/exhibit in Miami, his new installations — faces painted on stacks of bricks — could soon be popping up in Pembroke Pines.

Ubiera says The Community, his series of installations, has been approved by the city’s Arts and Culture Advisory Board  but that he’s still awaiting word on locations. “It’s up to the city to decide,” the Miami artist says. “It is my first public project and I want to move it to the city of Miami, Boca, anyplace that wants it. After all, it’s regular red clay bricks, made to build. Legos for adults, I call it.”

Because the installations will be site-specific, sizes will vary. “All four sides have faces,” he notes. “But I try to keep a contrast: Old man on one side, kid on opposite, cop, young black American …”

Asked how he came up with the idea, Ubiera explained: “When I moved to New York City —The Bronx — I was touched by the brick buildings. As I looked to found objects to find my latest directions, I saw a red brick, held it in my hand and realized it looked like a miniature building. The concept grew from there.”

“I believe The Community touches part of my past and part of everyone’s future,” he concludes. “A building cannot be raised without a strong foundation, neither can a community. Brick by brick, everyone equally important. Stroke by stroke. Let me shape my surroundings instead of my surroundings shaping me. “

Ubiera is looking for new faces to paint on his bricks, and pics are welcomed via e-mail to ruben@urbanpopsoul.com. The e-mails must be sent from the individual’s personal e-mail and be closeups  without smiles. The message should have “The Community Picture” in the subject line and contain this statement in the e-mail: “I release this image to Ruben Ubiera for The Community Installation art project.” Not all images will be used, but he’ll post images of the finished works and locations to his Facebook.

“All I need are faces, looking dead on to the camera, serious. No matter the age, race, size, etc. Actually, the more variety, the better.”

Meanwhile, Ubiera’s first such installation can be viewed at his closing reception 7:30-11 p.m. July 8 at 101/exhibit in Miami. Here’s a video of Ubiera at work. and a video about the show.

You can check out some pics of his work on these installations below:

[View with PicLens]

Rishona Cann’s painting of LeBron James

.

The Heat Index, artist Rishona Cann’s series of portraits of Miami Heat players were recently featured on  Channel 10 news. Cann says her “agent,” who is also her father, talked to the manager of Bru’s Room in Coconut Creek about hanging her work for the playoffs. When the manager requested a photo of the paintings, Cann’s father instead returned to Bru’s Room with the actual paintings, including one of Dwyane Wade that the athlete had autographed. “An hour later while at work, Cann says, “I received a text from my dad that said, ‘The chicken is in the pot.’”

Cann’s father and brother then hung The Heat Index at Bru’s room, and a few days later the paintings made their way onto Channel 10 News during a pre-show for the Heat’s second game. “I am not sure how that happened,” Cann says. “But I am very grateful to Bru’s Room for giving an emerging artist this chance.”

Consider the mini-show as a warm-up for “Implosion,” Cann’s first solo exhibition which will open Aug. 1 and run through Sept. 30 at Broward College Library in Coconut Creek. To see more of Cann’s work, visit Rishonasart.com.

In other art news:

● Auteur Explosion, the night of local art, music and film, that was held on and off over the last few years at Cinema Paradiso,will now be held at a new venue and organizer Dawn Dubriel is seeking filmmakers, performers, artists and bands for the first show in August. Those interested in participating should e-mail Dubriel at Orianadawn@yahoo.com with the details.

● 8 Bit Love is the title of a show that will be held July 29 at Propaganda in Lake Worth, and curator Brittany Patterson is seeking art that, as she puts it, “surrounds the beautifully nerdy world of fantastic video games, superheroes and digital nerd love.” The event will feature live music and a video game tournament. Artists who want their works to be considered should e-mail their “name, phone number, jpg of image, title, size, price, and medium” to PelesRevenge@gmail.com before June 20.

● Artists are invited to submit 2D and 3D works for Lucky 7 2011, an open-themed, open-media exhibition judged by Mary Lou Siefker. Fittingly, seven $100 awards will be given at Lucky 7 which will run June 30 through July 27 at Tom Rossetti Fine Art. Fee is $20, and $10 for each additional work. For details on how to submit, visit TomRossetti.com.

● Museum of Contemporary Art in North Miami is seeking film/video submissions from South Florida and for the first time, around the country for its 13th Optic Nerve showcase. Films selected by a jury of film and art professionals will be shown on Aug. 27 at MOCA. The museum will purchase one of the films for its permanent collection. Processing fee is $20 for entry, $10 for entries received before June 26 (half-price for MOCA members). Applications can be downloaded at Mocanomi.org.

● Vaughn Reynolds is accepting submission for Where the Stars and the Moons Play, a show that will open July 6 at Stage 84 in Davie. Fee is $10 per two entries. Entry form is at Sintheticdesigns.com.

● Flagler Arts Space has a blog about all their events and have posted a video of a recent art party where guests smashed a pinata that looked like as Brito work.

● The deadline for 2012 South Florida Cultural Consortium Visual and Media Artist Fellowship application workshop is Oct. 3, 2011 and this is a good time to start thinking about it. A workshop titled “Demystifying the Process” will be held at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 7 at ArtServe in Fort Lauderdale. Each year fellowships of $7,500 and $15,000 are awarded to several artists in Broward, Martin, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. The money is not project-based but is meant to meet artists’ needs, as determined by each artist. Details on the 90-minute workshop, as well as other workshops for artists, can be found here.

● Florida Atlantic University Fine Arts Festival is accepting applications to participate in Florida Atlantic University Fine Arts Festival to be held 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 12 and 13 on FAU’s Boca Raton campus. As stated in in the invitation to artists, “Applications will be considered when received and spaces will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.” Deadline is July 1. The entry form can be found at Faufineartsfestival.com.

● 6th Street Container in Miami has invited artists to send their resume and six images (at least 500kb) of their work to 6thstreetcontainer@gmail.com. Proposals for projects already underway are also welcome. As chief curator Adalberto Delgado states in the invitation, “We look forward to showing conceptual work, installations, film and video (must have own equipment) and we will also look at painting, drawing and sculpture.”

As I drove down Federal Highway through Dania Beach this weekend, I spotted some places that could  use some of the same treatment, but for other reasons. I’m tired of seeing all those big old plywood boards covering the windows of business that have folded, though I’m sure they’re not just in Dania. I wish someone could put up a little money to fill them with local art, which would be so much more beautiful and inspiring than bare wood.

Anyway, here are some of my pics from the graffiti expo where I saw finished works, works in progress, and checked out The Shadows Around You, an exhibition by local artists Japanda and Johnny Zhang.

[View with PicLens]

12►

Susan Lee-Chun, who created this sculpture, took Best in Show.

I checked out A Night of Experimental Music and the fifth All-Media Juried Biennial at the Art and Culture Center on Friday night.  Art and Culture Center curator Jane Hart says they hope to do more music events like this one in the future. I’m all for that … but I hope to get there earlier next time. I caught the last act, Susan Telemetry, which was great, but missed some of the earlier acts, one of which I heard involved sounds made via balloons and marbles. Pics from the night are below:

[View with PicLens]

Pocket of Lollipops will perform at An Evening of Experimental Music tonight (May 13).

ART AND CULTURE CENTER OF HOLLYWOOD
1650 Harrison St., 954-921-3274, Artandculturecenter.org

Fifth Annual All-Media Juried Biennial presents works culled from an open call to artists throughout Florida. This year’s jurors— artist and Girls’ Club creative director Michelle Weinberg and Twenty Twenty Projects owner and director Scott Murray — selected 34-artists from 294 who submitted works that included paintings, photography, site-specific installation, video, sculpture and performance.

The show, a blend of emerging and established artists, includes Antonia Wright and Ruben Millares, Carrie Sieh, Jillian Mayer, Don Lambert, Susan Lee Chun and Nicholas Arehart. The exhibition runs through June 5, and those who missed the opening may want to see it while checking out An Evening of Experimental Music.with Pocket of Lollipops, Richard Vergez, fsik huvnx and Susan Telemetry.

It’s not the opening, but seeing some of South Florida’s best artists while listening to experimental music from local musicians, some of whom are also visual artists, writers and filmmakers, seems a good way to spend an evening. The event runs 6-9 p.m. May 13.

SECOND SATURDAY ART WALK
At the Second Saturday Art Walk in Miami’s Wynwood and Design districts, many participating galleries have begun opening earlier in the evening to accommodate the crowds. As always, the event will feature new shows and carryovers from the previous month.

This month’s openings include the Harold Golen Gallery’s The Fabulous Bunny Yeager, an exhibition of 1950s and ’60s self-portraits of the model and photographer known for her shots of Bettie Page, including a famous image of the late pinup icon posing with leopards on Miami Beach. Limited-edition, autographed self-portraits of Yeager will be sold at the event, which, Golen says, may include an appearance by Yeager. The show will open from 2 to 11 p.m. and run through June 4 at 2294 N.W. Second Ave, in Miami. Call 305-989-3359 or visit Haroldgolengallery.com.

In the Design District, Primary Projects will present Let’s Play, a site-specific installation by Adrian Sonni, who during last year’s Art Basel Miami Beach turned an empty Wynwood building into a colorful boom box. Now, the Argentinean artist has transformed Primary Projects into a fun house with whimsical paintings and murals, watercolors, drawings and wood sculptures. The exhibition, curated by Books IIII Bischof, Chris Oh and Typoe, will open from 7 to 11 p.m. at 4141 N.E. Second Ave, in Miami. Visit Primaryflight.com.

COMA GIRL
Four years after her debut solo exhibition, Lisa Perz, a.k.a. Coma Girl, will return to her longtime hangout Undergrounds Coffeehaus to open her fifth solo exhibition at the café. This time, Perz, who works in markers, ink and digital coloring, will show new works such as “Rhiannon,” a large-eyed girl with blue, green and purple curls.

“I love her peacocklike hair,” the artist says. “I’ve been getting more detailed with the hair, and she was the piece that started it.” As for the show’s theme: “There is no theme, which is very me,” Perz says. “So just consider it random acts of cuteness.”

The show will open 9 p.m. Saturday at Undergrounds Coffeehaus, 2743 E. Oakland Park Blvd., in Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-630-1900.

The Art Walk, held  in the area of North Beach Shoppes (formerly known as Galt Ocean Mile Shoppes) in Fort Lauderdale, takes place the first Saturday of each month. If you didn’t catch this one, you’ll get another opportunity on June 4.

[View with PicLens]