Gallery Talk and Closing Reception on May 30th 2014 at Artopia Art Center in Wynwood

Gallery Talk and Closing Reception at Artopia Art Center in Miami for Remembrance To Pervis Young Tribute on May 30, 2014 from 7-10pm.

Join us for a Closing Reception on Friday, May 30^th at Artopia Art Center that honored Pervis Young with a tribute event on April 25th coinciding with the 4 year anniversary of the artist’s passing. Artopia served as the studio for Pervis Young. Young was one of the most prolific artists of our time, he was the catalyst of Miami’s art scene paving the way for Miami to become one of the world’s greatest art cities. Young's work was often a blend of collage, constructed materials and painting, utilizing found objects and discarded materials to create his masterpieces. A self-taught artist, Young gained recognition quickly with a collectors' following.

The Remembrance to Pervis Young exhibit was on display at Artopia Art Center from April 25 to May 30, 2014. It kicked-off with a spectacular opening reception, Young's family attended the event and a tribute was created highlighting Young’s career, which spanned more than four decades. The closing reception will include light refreshments and a gallery talk with the resident artists of Artopia who knew Young and were inspired by him. Read the write up that was featured in the Miami Herald about the April 25^th opening event.

Also view the work of Artopia’s well-known resident artists Joe Chirichigno, Bayunga Kialeuka, Brett Sauce, Isolda Mora Noli and Mark Cherry, with a special exhibit by Artopia’s rising art star Masplata. Guests will enjoy mingling and talking with the artists while having an opportunity to view the most sought after works by Pervis Young. The gallery offers an affordable selection of artwork for sale by a wide range of artists and a variety of styles.

The Collection at the gallery is comprised of artwork by an array of artists from the US, Latin America, Cuban masters to contemporary emerging painters and sculptors. Artopia has forged a new framework for understanding the momentous changes in Miami's cultural life over the years. The gallery promotes cultural development in the art community by supporting innovative visual art projects and cultivating the early careers of many emerging artists, bringing them to the forefront of the art world.

Artopia sadly lost another well-known and beloved resident artist during the course of the Remembrance Tribute to Young. Artopia’s resident artist Justine Alexander died unexpectedly last week, she was an internationally recognized artist. The gallery will pay its respects with a memorial for Alexander at the closing reception on May 30, 2014.

Artopia Art Center is located at 1753 NE 2nd Avenue in Miami, Florida 33132. The gallery is nestled in the heart of Miami’s famed Wynwood Arts District. Artopia’s staff of industry experts have extensive knowledge and experience of art and are available to visitors and collectors during gallery hours, Tuesday thru Saturday 12pm - 7pm. Contact the gallery at (305) 374-8882 or online at Artopia Art Center.

Media Contact: Kat Wagner (786)571-6112 or kat@themiamiartscene.com

A Glimpse Inside Art Basel Hong Kong 2014

Billionaires flock to Hong Kong for the hottest artworks by emerging artists at Art Basel Hong Kong. Inside Art Basel Hong Kong at the city's convention center there's a booth where guests can apply for instant citizenship to the Republic of Jing Bang. For $10,000 you can obtain a passport, an aluminum "Citizenship Box" briefcase and national flag from Jing Bang, an ephemeral state created for the fair by Chinese artist Sun Xun, whose installation is a satirical comment on art, commerce and nationhood. 

The art world elite, including billionaire Indonesian collector Budi Tek, New World Group scion Adrian Cheng and Canyon Capital Advisors co-chairman Mitchell Julis, won't need any fictional travel documents to converge on Hong Kong, where more than $1 billion worth of art is for sale, according to fair insurer AXA ART. 

Wealthy collectors can snap up a $10,000 painting by emerging Chinese artist Yuan Yuan or pay $75,500 for a fish in formaldehyde work by Damien Hirst. Anchoring what is informally known as Hong Kong art week, Art Basel opened to the public on Thursday. VIPs got a chance to preview the 245 galleries from 39 countries exhibiting on Wednesday, featuring primarily contemporary art.

Every year in the Spring Hong Kong's social life begins to take off with a whirlwind of more than 25 gallery openings, charity art auctions, debates and sophisticated parties held on rooftops, chic poolsides and parking garages. "It's like the Rugby Sevens for the Hong Kong arts and cultural set," says Alice Mong, executive director of Asia Society Hong Kong, which hosted a gala dinner for 400 people on Monday night honoring Asian artists Zhang Xiaogang, Bharti Kher, Takashi Murakami and Liu Guosong.

Launched as Art HK in 2008, the fair was re-branded Art Basel Hong Kong last year after the owners of Art Basel and Art Basel Miami Beach purchased a majority stake in 2012 and it is now a major stop on the international art circuit. About half the exhibitors have space in Asia and the Asia-Pacific, a intentional decision to keep the fair's original regional flavor.

Collectors on more modest budgets can head over to the Conrad Hotel for the Asia Contemporary Art Show where five floors of guest rooms are transformed into temporary gallery spaces featuring emerging artists from 18 countries from May 16 to 18. 

Blindspot Gallery, located in the burgeoning art district of Wong Chuk Hang overlooking the city's Aberdeen harbor, is showing London-based photographer Nadav Kander's latest works that feature nudes of sitters covered in marble dust that evoke Michelangelo and Lucien Freud. Pace Gallery opens its Hong Kong space with oil-on-paper works by Zhang Xiaogang in the heart of downtown on the 15th floor of the Entertainment Building. Next door Antwerp, Belgium-based Axel Vervoordt Gallery is also having its inaugural show with Ghanian artist El Anatsui, who employs youths to weave work with discarded liquor caps and fastenings to create tapestries selling for $1 million a piece.

Artist Vito Bonanno's Solo Exhibition and Indiegogo Launch Party on May 24, 2014

We invite you to become part of a cultural awareness campaign featuring renowned artist Vito Bonanno, an artist with Autism who is spreading the word through his work that Autism is a magical gift of secret resources of creativity and inspiration. The event is called TRUCK'N WITH VITO! and is launching on Saturday, May 24th at the exclusive Umbrella Arts Gallery in New York's East Village, located at 317 East 9th Street. The gallery is known for its rare shows of extreme talent and is bringing Bonanno's art showcase and cultural awareness project into the limelight. Umbrella Arts is a place of discovery, movement and change and they are committed to keeping the artistic spirit alive in the community.

The exhibition will kick-off on May 24th at Umbrella Arts Gallery and Bonanno's mobile project TRUCK'N WITH VITO! will travel on wheels to be seen all over Manhattan and Brooklyn at Bushwick Open Studios, The Howl Festival, The Dumbo Arts Festival and in New York's East Village. The exhibition is taking place from May 24th through July 31, 2014 - the opening reception at Umbrella Arts on May 24th will showcase small, intimate paintings that Vito Bonanno made on the road and in his New Haven, Connecticut art studio. View the fundraising campaign here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/truck-n-with-vito - we invite the public to join the movement and help to continue TRUCK'N WITH VITO! going and spreading the word about Autism and artistic talent.

Vito Bonanno is known for his innovative style of street art merged with images that are inspired by his Autism. Since 2010, the artist has exhibited widely throughout New York, Connecticut, Chicago, Miami and the Hamptons. His work has received huge public recognition and he is the recipient of numerous awards and honors given by creative institutions throughout the Northeast. Bonanno is a role model for other artists with Autism who see the world in a unique and often unfiltered way, and who want to share their vision with us.

During this traveling exhibition, the Artmobile will make stops at Fountain Gallery, LAND Gallery, the Bushwick Open Studios, and the HOWL Festival in Tompkins Square Park. Additional stops in the Summer of 2014 include the SoNo Arts Festival in Norwalk, CT. In the Fall, Bonanno will visit the DUMBO Arts Festival, the IAM Festival, OpSail, Envision Fest, LAMP, the SOFA Fair, and The Wynwood Arts District where he will be joining us during Art Basel Miami Beach this December, as well as METRO Curates in January 2015. 

TRUCK'N WITH VITO! is a beacon of light and inspiration to those on and off the spectrum and will promote the potential of the untapped creative and productive lives that might never have had a chance to be realized unless the public, business community and our society leaders change the way they perceive these artists as cultural contributors and advocate for accessible resources in the local governments and beyond.

The LAB Miami's dynamic duo is stepping down and moving on to new adventures

Wilfredo Fernandez, known as Wifi in the community, recently announced his transition as CEO of The LAB Miami. His co-founder, Danny Lafuente, will be transitioning out as CFO as well. Both gentlemen will become Ambassadors in Residence at The LAB and a search is underway for a Managing Director. The job description can be viewed here: LAB Careers

The LAB Miami is a campus for creative entrepreneurs. The LAB's collaborative work and event space consists of a converted 10,000 sq.ft. warehouse in the Wynwood Arts District known as a collision point for Miami's forward-thinking minds.

Miami Art Scene™ wishes the dynamic duo Wifi and Danny the best of luck, we know for certain that The LAB will continue forging ahead with amazing creative, tech and entrepreneurial events and projects. "This shouldn't be a sad moment, but an exciting one to challenge a new leader in the community to lead the next iteration of the space in Wynwood. It's a LAB. It's an experiment in its own right and a place for others to experiment with new ideas," said Wilfredo 'Wifi'. "Danny and I are also excited to get more hands on with our youth tech programs and maker education through MIAMade, Mini Maker Faire, Wynwood Maker Camp, etc."

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/the-starting-gate/2014/05/labs-dynamic-duo-moving-on-to-new-adventures.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/the-starting-gate/2014/05/labs-dynamic-duo-moving-on-to-new-adventures.html#storylink=cpy

Artist as an Entrepreneur Institute returns to South Florida June 2o14

Miami Art Scene™ is proud to be instructing the Branding & Marketing Module during the Business Clinic & Workshop on June 28, 2o14 at the Artist as an Entrepreneur Institute (AEI) 2o14 for another year in a row. This is a highly acclaimed program that is changing the way that artists do business - presented by the Broward Cultural Division in alliance with The Community Partnership for Arts and Culture (CPAC), and ArtServe. The Artist as an Entrepreneur is an artist-focused course of study designed to assist artists (visual, musicians, writers, media, theater, performing arts) by cultivating and advancing their business skills. 

The program is presented on four (4) Saturdays in 2o14 during the month of June. AEI will be offered as 2o classes convening for full-day sessions, 9am-6pm on June 7, 14, 21 and a Business Clinic & Workshop on June 28 from 9am-2pm. The program is led by a premier faculty composed of leading business practitioners and artists familiar with arts and culture from the South Florida region. Faculty members instruct artists through a series of lectures, panels and discussions. AEI will be held at the renowned arts incubator ArtServe, located at 135o East Sunrise Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, Florida 333o4.

Saturday, June 7, 2014  9 am - 6 pm 

1. Understanding Your Current State                                       
2. Exploring Priorities
3. Writing the Business /Action Plan
4. Defining the Product or Service - Building a Mix
5. Pricing and Practice                            
6. Choosing a Business Structure

Saturday, June 14, 2014  9 am - 6 pm 

1. Protecting Your Rights                      
2. Introduction to Writing a Marketing Plan      
3. Understanding Consumers and Researching Markets
4. Building a Communications Strategy     
5. Civic Engagement  

Saturday, June 21, 2014  9 am- 6 pm

1. Making the Sale        
2. Distribution Outlets
3. Raising Capital and Resources
4. Operational Accounting and Finance                                          
5. Paying Taxes
6. Revisiting the Business / Action Plan 
7. From the Trenches: Stories of Successful `Artrepreneurs'

Saturday, June 28, 2014  9 am - 2 pm 

1. Working Effectively with Lenders
2. Developing a Brand
3. Business Plan Clinic and Workshop
4. Group Conversation, Wrap-up, Evaluation, Next Steps

Please Join us at this exciting and valuable workshop, contact James Shermer, the Grants Administrator at (954)357-7502 or via jshermer@broward.org - mention Miami Art Scene™ to receive the member discounted rate.

ArtMedia Gallery presents 'The Opa-Locka Effect', Photographs by Jorge Sanchez

Join us at ArtMedia Gallery for The Opa-Locka Effect - an exhibit of photographs by Jorge Sanchez. Opening Reception on Thursday, June 12th, 2o14 from 7-10pm. located in The Wynwood Building at 275o NW 3rd Avenue, No.12 in Miami, Florida 33127.

ArtMedia Gallery was founded in 2o12 with a mission to exhibit and promote contemporary art. One of the gallery's central objectives is to explore the vast possibilities of the expanded notion of art through technography media - with photography and video as the major core of its focus.

Art Media Gallery's studio is well known for its integrated services, providing the industry's highest quality graphic reproductions and editing. The company offers superior digital printing services with highly personalized attention using state-of-the-art equipment and materials. 

For more info. contact Kat Wagner at (786)571-6112 or via miamiartscene@gmail.com

Miami-based artist Masplata is the art world's newest rising star

Drawing inspiration from the sights, colors and people of his native Panama, Miami-based visual artist Alfonso Rendon artistically known as 'Masplata' unearths a world of rare beauty onto the public eye. Starting from the premise that "colors, like words, are basic units of meaning that can convey messages when combined", Rendon has created an eclectic body of work and styles that are as diverse as language itself. 

From his signature traces that rival the sharpness and precision of computer graphics, ranging from his ethereal brushstrokes in watercolor and the bold richness of his oil paintings, his styles attest to the ever-expanding nature of his workmanship.

"The unknown has always drawn me from an early age, " states Masplata. "But rather than see it as 'a theme to explore through art', I see it as the driving force that compels me to follow its lead." For this commitment to let medium, materials and circumstances, both internal and external, guide his creative process blindly, he sets himself apart artistically.

Like a deep-sea diver that takes the plunge on faith, Rendon approaches art-making with the fullest aperture of spirit. He never has agenda when starting out a piece and he usually ignores the content and meaning of what his hands are creating until completion. "I don't impose meaning, but rather let the unique backgrounds of my audiences suggest the meaning to their eyes."

For information about this artist and his work contact miamiartscene@gmail.com - his studio is located at Artopia Art Center in the Wynwood Arts District at 1753 NE 2nd Avenue in Miami, FL 33132. Masplata's artwork is on display at Artopia, contact Kat Wagner at Miami Art Scene™ - for a private viewing and pricing call (786)571-6112.

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Miami Art Scene™ obtains powerful results for our clients by providing the type of exposure and visibility that translates into increases in brand equity, profitability, sales, brand recognition and awareness. We pride ourselves in delivering these results and creating impact-driven and engaging communications.

Artist Edward Hopper's sketches of domestic life with his wife, bickering and squabbles included.

It is well known that the 43-year-long marriage between Edward Hopper and Josephine Nivison Hopper was filled with tumult and strife. Edward, a dour, reticent, towering figure, constantly belittled and denigrated his assertive, diminutive wife, who responded with verbal assaults of her own. Hopper drew caricatures to express sour feelings toward his wife Jo, all of which were created from 1933-1952.

The exhibition 'Edward Hopper's Caricatures: At Home with Ed and Jo', on view at the artist's boyhood home in Nyack, New York - now called the Edward Hopper House Art Center - offers visual documentation of the Hoppers' sometimes ansty, occassionally humorous marriage. The 15 small pencil sketches, made between 1933 to '52, were drawn from the collection trust of the late Arthayer R. Sanborn, a family friend.

Rather than express his feelings in words, Edward would often dash off sketches when Jo was out of the room and leave them on the table for her  to find when she returned. In spite of their many shared interested, both Hoppers harbored resentments: Jo because her own artistic career was overshadowed by Edward's, and Edward because he felt Jo was an inadequate wife. The caricatures are one-sided, of course, with Edward portraying himself as the victim of his wife's aggression and alleged failings as a homemaker and mocking of her artistic efforts.

But Edward also executed several watercolors of Jo painting, capturing intimate moments that are sensitive to the subject. Such works are reminders that for all their squabbling, the Hoppers bonded for many years, during which Edward created - with Jo's help as model, muse, record keeper and protector - the masterpieces that have long captured the American imagination.