Renowned Global Artist Vito Bonanno Teaches Us the Art of Autism

Vito Bonanno lives and works in New Haven, CT. He has exhibited in solo exhibitions at Spectrum Miami during Art Basel in Miami, FL, Umbrella Arts Gallery, NYC and Akus Gallery, Willimantic, CT. His numerous group exhibitions include a sold out exhibition at Metro Curates, NYC in 2014, Uarts & CT Places, Hartford, CT, New England ADA, Boston, Ma, The Outsider Art Fair, NY and Intuit Outsider Art Fair, Chicago.

'Red' 2016. Dead Trivia series, 

In 2009, Bonanno won an Award of Excellence in a juried competition for young people with disabilities, produced by VSA Arts and sponsored by Volkswagen in 2009. He was named one of 15 emerging young artists with disabilities and was honored during the artist reception in Washington, DC. His winning pieces, “Ghost Town on Davenport Avenue” was exhibited at the S. Dillon Ripley Center of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. and then was part of a traveling exhibition that went on a two year nationwide tour of university and independent galleries. Additionally, a second winning piece titled “Southhaven People”, was on exhibit at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C. before also partaking in the nationwide traveling exhibition that ran through September 2011.

Akus Gallery, ECSU 2012 "unfiltered V: Vito Bonanno Riding with the Train Girls"

In January 2012, Bonanno unveiled his first SOLO EXHIBITION, “Unfiltered V: Vito Bonanno Riding with the Train Girls”, at Akus Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University which included works on paper, canvas, video pieces, a student-artist interactive mural project and installations. Akus Gallery Director, Elizabeth Peterson stated, “The characters, objects and ideas that inhabit Vito Bonanno’s work act and interact in striking ways. Caught within the grids and map-like structures he imagines, they are often in a struggle between multiple worlds. He has found a way to tap in the intensity of focus and insight afforded him through autism to unleash a formidable creative power and vision”.

'Skate Park Krusty' 2014. Obsessions & Meditations series. 1st in Show, Art Olympia Competition Tokyo, Japan 2015.

This was the start of an incredible journey that launched the beginning of a successful art career spanning the global landscape from New York, Miami, Los Angeles, London to Tokyo. This is the story of Vito Bonanno, learn more at: www.vitobonanno.com

Sirona Fine Art presents “I Believe in Miracles”, a solo exhibition by renowned artist Brian Keith Stephens – Opening Reception Saturday, November 5th

The Whimsical Fantasy World of Brian Keith Stephens is Back For a Second Solo Exhibition at Sirona Fine Art Sirona Fine Art presents “I Believe in Miracles”, a solo exhibition by renowned artist Brian Keith Stephens – Opening Reception on Saturday, November 5th from 6-9pm. The exhibition will be on view from November 5th through December 2nd, 2016. Stephens paint strokes are applied in energetic, staccato bursts of thick, intense layers of color. Simplified, heartfelt images of both pastoral and intensely personal subjects are of equal importance to the ambiguous, charge color fields that surround them. Join us at Sirona Fine Art Gallery located at 600 Silks Run #1240 in Hallandale Beach, Florida 33009 - The Village at Gulfstream Park. Pick up the November Issue of American Art Collector to preview Brian Keith Stephens solo exhibition "I Believe in Miracles" or view the works via Artsy. RSVP here.

Macaya Gallery presents American Banned, an art exhibition featuring three renowned contemporary artists, Chor Boogie, Stuart Sheldon, and Ashley Reid.

CHOR BOOGIE   Chor Boogie, one of the world’s foremost masters of the spray paint medium, will premier original paintings and multimedia works from his critically acclaimed series In God We Trust. JustU$ 2014 by Chor Boogie - 96 x 96 Mixed Media, Spray Paint on Canvas RSVP : info@macayagallery.com www.macayagallery.com STUART SHELDON   Stuart Sheldon will showcase a new series of artwork I’m With The Banned, an ensemble of intricate works of mixed media on canvas and paper, featuring strong shapes and piercing political statements. Mediums include acrylic, vinyl, oil crayon, gunpowder, glass bottles, spray paint, found objects, shredded pay stubs, and the artist’s own blood. Sheldon will also feature an installation and limited edition video addressing violence in society with first grade chairs, bullets, and chain. I'm With The Banned 2016 by Stuart Sheldon - 8x8ft Mixed Media RSVP : info@macayagallery.com www.macayagallery.com ASHLEY REID   Ashley Reid presents White Power, a passionately, anarchistic photographic and performance representation of social and authoritative culture; what the artist has perceived as the zeitgeist of this generation. With a perspective that is both critical, loving and transgressive in its kitschy approach, subjects of instant gratification, protest, police brutality, appropriation, empathy, and accountability are questioned visually through self-portraiture and her community. Performance self-portrait Privileged, Please Helppresents a white man who is sitting and acting as a homeless man, but is asking for help in being privileged as opposed to being disenfranchised. African American 2016 by Ashley Reid - 3x4 Photograph RSVP : info@macayagallery.com www.macayagallery.com

Keep Your Eyes On Global Art Sensation Vito Bonanno

New England and New York-based artist Vito Bonanno’s mix of hyper-focused Autism inspired work is a blend of street art, pop culture and dreams from his unfiltered world.

'Red', Dead Trivia Series, 2016.

 

Bonanno is an internationally recognized artist who taps into the daily emotional and social challenges of living with autism, placing his innermost feelings onto canvas. The work is image and concept driven and imbedded in his personal philosophy. His art contains the essence of his life, feelings, thoughts and dreams, coupled around objects or topics that “get stuck in his head”, including traffic lights, grids, ceiling fans, graffiti and pop culture.

'Dream Girl', Anxiety & Dreams Series, 2014.

His work is collected by art world luminaries such as Joey Arias, Robert Galinsky, Supermodel Monica Watkins, and the owner of Azucar Ice Cream Company in Miami, Suzy Batlle, to name a few.

'Airplane Crashes into Aerosol Building', Airplane Series, 2015.

Bonanno began his artist representation with veteran NYC Art Dealer and co-owner of New York City based Umbrella Arts Gallery, Margaret Bodell. Bodell helped define and expand the outsider movement during the 90’s in her East Village gallery by including artists with autism alongside contemporary artists, bringing to light the unique visual arts gift that only the autistic can tap into such as Michael Madore, Jessica Park and Ricky Hagedorn.

Bodell encouraged Bonanno to collaborate with “mainstream” artist’s one-on-one-in order to help him round out his artistic voice and philosophy, as well as to encourage him to continue to explore additional artistic mediums. These collaborations have resulted in a discovery of the wide range of artistic styles that Bonanno is capable of and have furthered his independent and unedited artistic voice. Bodell believes Bonanno has a rare form of extreme talent.

'Daffy Goes To Waterbury with a Ninja Turtle', Obsessions & Meditations Series, 2014.

Exclusive Art Installation by by Ivan Toth Depeña at Spotify's 'Clarify' Miami Exhibition

Spotify presents Clarify, a series of exhibitions that explore the connection between music, art, and politics. Enjoy an Opening Reception + Talk on Tuesday, October 18, 2016 at 6:30pm featuring a conversation about the intersection of art, music and climate change. Leading up to the November election, there will be 8 exhibitions in 8 cities around the United States, each one taking on one of today’s key political issues. Join us in Miami for an exclusive art installation by Ivan Depeña plus a conversation about the intersection of art, music, and climate change.

"Reflect" 2012.

Ivan Toth Depeña is an artist who is currently living and working in Charlotte, North Carolina. With a Masters Degree in Architecture from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, Depeña’s production is informed by his experience in art, architecture, technology and design, and encompasses a range of media. Depeña pursues the intersection between different disciplines with the aim of choreographing the moment when these aspects come together seamlessly. Using traditional avenues such as drawing, painting and sculpture then interweaving interactivity/responsiveness, video, light and high-tech methods of fabrication, Depeña explores the fine line between chance and intention.

Although Depeña has been working increasingly in the public realm, he maintains a rigorous and experimental, self directed studio practice. He has exhibited extensively, nationally and internationally, in both solo and group exhibitions, including at the McColl Center, NC; Praxis NY, NYC; New Britain Museum of American Art, CT; Miami Art Museum, Frost Art Museum, and the Palm Beach Institute of Contemporary Art, FL. Depeña has recently completed large-scale public commissions in New York, NY; Denver, CO; Albuquerque, NM; Gainesville, and Miami, FL. His work is held in numerous public and private collections.

“Inside/Out” Public Art Responsive/Interactive Light Installation 2015 at PAMM

In early 2014, he was awarded a prestigious Knight Arts Challenge Miami Grant for his proposal for a first of it’s kind series of augmented reality public art projects throughout South Florida called “Lapse”. Depeña is also currently a finalist for the renowned Cintas Fellowship 2016-2017.

“Prisoner’s Cinema” (Series) Ongoing.

Combining many sources of media, technology, form and materials, Depeña seeks to blur boundaries and create work that exists within a new and amorphous hybrid of various creative disciplines.

“Fail Safe” (Fallen Sky Chronicles) 2013.

Past exhibitions include, ‘Aesthetics and Values 2011’ at the Frost Museum in Miami, ‘Miami in Transition’ at the Miami Art Museum and various group and solo exhibitions throughout the United States. Depeña is the recipient of several grants including the ‘South Florida Visual + Media Artist Fellowship Grant’. He has completed residencies at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in Florida and the Digital Sculpture and Public Art Residencies at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

“Fail Safe” (Fallen Sky Chronicles) 2013.

Join us for Spotify’s Clarify exhibition at 11 11 Lincoln Road on Miami Beach opening on Tuesday, October 18th at 6:30pm. 11 11 is a unique shopping, dining, residential and parking experience located at the gateway to Lincoln Road’s pedestrian promenade. The exhibition features an exclusive art installation by Depeña plus a conversation about the intersection of art, music, and climate change. Free Admission and Gallery Hours are 12noon-10pm.