Pérez Art Museum Miami To Honor Craig Robins and Jackie Soffer at 12th Annual Art of the Party Museum's Largest Fundraiser Supports Arts Education Programs

Jackie Soffer and Craig Robins. Photo by Mary Beth Koeth/for Commercial Observer. Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) is pleased to announce Craig Robins and Jackie Soffer as the honorees for the 12th annual Art of the Party, the museum's largest fundraiser of the year, on Saturday, November 15, 2025.  The evening celebrates Robins and Soffer for their visionary leadership at the intersection of art and design, through their leadership in retail, hospitality, real estate, and philanthropy, which has helped shape Miami into the world-class cultural destination it is today. Art of the Party features live music, a cocktail reception, and a seated dinner, as well as the announcement of the seventh annual Pérez Prize, which recognizes outstanding achievement by an artist who has created a meaningful impact on artistic practice and the global art historical narrative. "In addition to their leading roles as philanthropists supporting Miami's cultural institutions, Craig and Jackie have done more than anyone in Miami to share great works of art as an integral part of our environment. They have truly made art a part of people's daily lives in Aventura and the Miami Design District, something to be admired, contemplated, and shared by anyone and everyone," said Franklin Sirmans, Sandra and Tony Tamer Director at PAMM. Art of the Party celebrates Miami's flagship art museum by bringing together cultural philanthropists, artists, civic leaders, and arts supporters from around the world. Funds from Art of the Party support the museum's robust arts education program, the largest of its kind outside the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system—the fourth largest school system in the nation—while also funding PAMM's broader mission. As a member of PAMM's board of trustees since 2013, and co-chair of its Collectors Council, Robins helps guide the museum's vision. Together, Robins and Soffer have enriched PAMM's collection with more than 300 donated works, and co-chaired Art of the Party 2023, among further enduring gestures that anchor their civic and cultural legacy at PAMM and beyond. As partners in life and vision, Robins and Soffer continue to fuel Miami's creative spirit—building spaces, championing artists, and leaving a lasting mark on the city's cultural landscape For event information or to purchase individual tickets online, visit pamm.org/aotp25. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Sabrina Flores, director of major gifts, at sflores@pamm.org.  Chef's Table Seated Dinner | 6:30pm Kick the night off with Chef's Table, an unforgettable dining experience under the stars on PAMM's East Portico. Dinner guests will enjoy live music, a cocktail reception, and a seated dinner featuring the evening's program. Celebrate as we announce the seventh annual Pérez Prize winner.  REMIX After Party | 9:30pm The evening culminates with REMIX After Party, a late-night dance party, on PAMM's North Terrace Platform. Enjoy a live set by DJ Ruckus with cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and decadent desserts. Includes access to PAMM galleries at 8:30pm.  2025 Art of the Party Chairs Darlene and Jorge M. Pérez Dorothy and Aaron Podhurst Host Committee Co-Chairs: Alexa and Adam Wolman, Jessica and Franklin Sirmans Sarah Arison and Thomas Wilhelm   Arlene and Wayne Chaplin   Jose M. Daes  Matthew B. Gorson  Camille and W. Patrick McDowell   Brandon Moore  Upacala Mapatuna and Quinn Morgan   Silvia Ortiz   Pete Scantland   Sandra and Tony Tamer  NextGen Committee Co-Chairs: Illianna Acosta, Christopher Adeleke, Marcel Anderson, Gloria Hernando, Desert Horse-Grant, Karim Simplis Anthony T. Abraham   Mischaël Cetoute  Daniela Cimo   Monica Defortuna  Dahlia Dreszer  Wendy François and Kevin Michael   Alexandra Gonzalez Burke and James Burke  Ellie Hayworth and Patrick Murray   Warren Ho  Ebba Holm Cinotti   Reyna Noriega   Ariel Penzer Milgroom  Veronica Sesana Grajales   Eden Xu-Martinez and Steve Martinez ABOUT CRAIG ROBINS & JACKIE SOFFER Craig Robins, founder and CEO of Dacra, has redefined Miami through projects that unite architecture, design, and community. He has spearheaded transformative developments, including the revitalization of South Beach, Lincoln Road, and most notably the Miami Design District. Robins also played a pivotal role in bringing Art Basel to Miami Beach, permanently shifting the global art calendar, and co-founded Design Miami, one of the world's premier fairs for collectible design. Jackie Soffer, chairman and CEO of real estate development firm Turnberry, leads some of South Florida's most dynamic developments, including Aventura Mall, which she has shaped into both a retail and cultural landmark with an iconic collection of public art. She has expanded her family's legacy with large-scale projects across hospitality, residential, and commercial real estate, redefining how culture and commerce converge.

SaveArtSpace New Open Call For Art!

Announcing New Open Call For Art! SaveArtSpace: #FreeHappy Curator: Cynthia von Buhler Location: New York, NY Open call ends: October 20, 2025 SaveArtSpace is proud to present #FreeHappy, a public art exhibition on billboard ad space in New York, NY, starting December 1, 2025, curated by Cynthia von Buhler. Happy is not happy. Torn from her natural habitat and herd in Thailand as a baby, Happy has spent nearly 50 years in captivity at the Bronx Zoo. Like humans, elephants are deeply social animals—they don't thrive in isolation. Alone, they suffer from loneliness, stress, and depression. We want to give Happy the life she deserves: freedom, companionship, and care in an elephant sanctuary where she can finally be with others of her kind. The only parameter is that the art features an elephant(s). It can also have people or other animals in it.  We invite artists of all ages, styles, and talents to submit their artwork between September 22 and October 20, 2025 in order to be considered for the exhibition. This is an opportunity to have your work exhibited on billboard ad space in New York, NY. Learn More For All Available Open Calls Please Visit SaveArtSpace.org/submit

The Official Art Deco Walking Tour by The Miami Design Preservation League

 

Wednesday, September 24th from 10:30am – 12:30pm experience the Official Art Deco District Walking Tour presented by the Miami Design Preservation League. This 1.5 to 2-hour walking tour provides an introduction to the Art Deco, Mediterranean Revival, and Miami Modern (MiMo) styles found within the Miami Beach Architectural Historic District. Explore hotels, restaurants, and other commercial structures with a visit to a number of interiors. Choose from select dates / PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.

Tour ticket includes free entry to the Art Deco Museum as well as 10% off at the Gift Shop.

Renowned Autistic Artist Vito Bonanno's Artwork in the Corporate Collections of AMAZON and Google

 

Artist Vito Bonanno pictured beside his work at Six Summit Gallery NYC

Vito Bonanno is an internationally collected artist who lives and works on the Connecticut shoreline. He has exhibited in solo exhibitions at Spectrum Miami during Art Basel in Miami, FL, Umbrella Arts Gallery, NYC and Akus Gallery, Willimantic, CT.

Internationally collected artist Vito Bonanno taps into the daily emotional and social challenges of living with autism, placing his innermost feelings onto canvas. The New England-based artist's work is image and concept-driven and embedded in his personal philosophy. His art contains the essence of his life, feelings, thoughts, and dreams, coupled with objects or topics that "get stuck in his head", including traffic lights, grids, ceiling fans, graffiti, and pop culture. Corporate clients include AMAZON, Google, and The Hartford.

Bonanno taps into the daily emotional and social challenges of living with autism, placing his innermost feelings onto canvas. He is an award-winning, world-famous artist with a career spanning back to his childhood. The artist has participated in numerous art fairs, as well as national and international exhibitions, in addition to many art shows and high profile events during Art Basel Miami Beach - such as a past NIKE pop-up in Wynwood during Miami Art Week, as well as traveling in an art van Truck'N With Vito! at Umbrella Arts Gallery in NYC's lower east side, selling his art and spreading awareness about being an artist with autism.

He unveiled his first Solo Exhibition, 'Unfiltered V: Vito Bonanno Riding with the Train Girls', in January 2012 at Akus Gallery at Eastern CT 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." 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.

He is one of only 16 artists in the United States selected for a prestigious exhibition of previous awardees from the VSA Emerging Artists Program in the Kennedy Center Hall of Nations with sponsorship from the Volkswagen Group of America. As part of the celebrations for the 25th Anniversary of the ADA and 40th Anniversary of VSA in 2015, the exhibition included the work of select artists who represented the past 13 years of the VSA Emerging Young Artist Program; Curated by Stephanie Moore, she chose Bonanno's 'Daffy Goes to Waterbury with a Ninja Turtle' and 'SECR Toilet' to be part of the exhibition.

Vito is aligned with ArtLifting, which is a non-for-profit art organization that empowers artists living with disabilities through the celebration and sale of their artwork. ArtLifting is about creating opportunity, empowerment, and validation. This collaboration opened many new and exciting opportunities for the artist, which includes his work in Google's corporate collection, with art hanging in their Leesburg, VA offices, as well as Amazon, for one of their corporate buildings in Seattle, Washington.

Bonanno was diagnosed with PDD/Autism just before his 4th birthday. Because he was language delayed, his parents and teachers developed strategies that tapped into his high visual acuity, utilizing storyboard styles to relay academic and social information. He was also encouraged to draw in storyboard format to express his feelings. The storyboard grid remains prominent in his work and studio preparation today and is a poignant reminder of a boy who was trapped in his own mind.

The New England-based artist's work is image and concept-driven and embedded in his personal philosophy. His art contains the essence of his life, feelings, thoughts, and dreams, coupled with objects or topics that "get stuck in his head", including traffic lights, grids, ceiling fans, graffiti, and pop culture. For more information about this artist, for inquiries, or to commission work contact vito@vitobonanno.com / visit www.vitobonanno.com

Romero Britto Takes Aventura!

 

Art duo, artists and sisters KX2 (Ruth Avra + Dana Kleinman) are known for their striking wall and freestanding sculpture together

Art duo, artists and sisters KX2 (Ruth Avra + Dana Kleinman) are known for their striking wall and freestanding sculpture together. From a distance, the work looks sleek and high contrast with hyper-pigmented painting and shiny metal. Yet, up close the viewer is struck by textural multilayered paintings inspired by natural surfaces. Their work has been featured in numerous museums and galleries across the United States and abroad. The art duo's work aims to create a moment of pause, inviting the viewer to escape the stresses of the day and find a space to achieve balance. In their most recent work, themes related to environmental issues are presented with the hope to raise an awareness of the fragility of our natural ecosystems.

IMAGE:

Pipeline Series: Power Grid (16 pc), 2019.

Repurposed industrial pipe with acrylic on wood

54H x 54W x 3.5D inches installed

(10.5" diameter x 3.5D in. each)

www.kx2art.com

Adrienne Arsht Center presents Brushes With Cancer: An Evening of Art, Resilience & Hope

This September, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts invites art lovers, collectors, and the Miami community to experience an extraordinary evening of creativity, connection, and courage. Brushes With Cancer, an artistic celebration of hope and healing, culminates with a special art viewing and silent auction on Thursday, September 25, 2025, at 6pm in the Knight Concert Hall Lobby. The viewing is free and open to the public. RSVP HERE.

Now in its second year, the Arsht program is presented in collaboration with the international Brushes With Cancer program, an artistic celebration that pairs accomplished artists with “inspirations,” people whose lives have been impacted by cancer as previvors, current patients, survivors or caregivers. The artists bring to life the inspirations’ twist on cancer — stories, feelings and experiences — with works of art that represent the inspirations’ personal journey with the disease.

Brushes with Cancer is one of more than a dozen free-admission community events produced and hosted by the Arsht each season in addition to 400 performances and 40+ cultural opportunities for students and schools. For its upcoming 20th season, Arsht Impact education and community engagement programs will create magical experiences and enrich the lives of more than 120,000 people of all ages in Miami.

Event Details:
● Contact: Box Office at 305.949.6722
● Date: Thursday, September 25, 2025, at 6 PM
● Location: Knight Concert Hall Lobby, Adrienne Arsht Center
● Admission: Free / RSVP HERE.

For further information visit: www.arshtcenter.org
Follow the Arsht Center on Instagram @ArshtCenter

The Contemporary Art Modern Project (CAMP Gallery) presents “Aquí No Pasa Nada” featuring Miami artist Hermes Berrio

 

The Contemporary Art Modern Project (CAMP Gallery) in North Miami is currently showcasing Miami based artist Hermes Berrio in his solo exhibition: Aquí No Pasa Nada. Berrio, known for his intense exploration into the everyday and what may be termed even as the mundane, deftly elevates the everyday to the sublime. Focusing on the often over looked awe that these moments contain, as well as the potential of each and every moment, he speckles his work with mixes of mediums to compel the viewer across the entire tableaux that is his canvas. On view September 5 through October 3, 2025.

Berrio has this to say about the recent series:

 "I  walk,  observe,  absorb,  and  translate.  This  work  doesn’t  begin  in  the  studio;  it  begins in the streets of Miami: Little River, Allapattah, Overtown. I’m not inventing  new realities; I’m amplifying the ones we pass by every day, the visual noise of the  city, the discarded, the improvised, the overlooked.

Aquí  No  Pasa  Nada is  a  series  rooted  in  stillness;  in  the  everyday  moments  that  rarely make it into the frame. A slouched chair on the sidewalk. A sagging wire fence.  A  soggy  cardboard  box  splitting  open  after  the  rain.  These  are  not  landmarks  or  symbols. They’re simply there. And that’s exactly why I paint them. 

These  images  don’t  romanticize  poverty  or  decay.  Instead,  they  call  for  a  kind  of  radical attention;  to  see  the  poetry in  the  peripheral.  Each work is  built  from  real  places and  found moments: an ice cream  truck plastered with chaotic signage and  cartoon stickers; a “No Trespassing” zone turned into a playground for a sun-faded  teddy  bear  on  a  rusted  truck;  an  alligator  crossing  a  handicapped  parking  space,  part myth, part reality, entirely Miami. 

 

Rendered  in  mixed  media;  acrylic,  gold  leaf,  spray  paint,  fabrics,  charcoal;  these  paintings are tactile, dense, and full of interruptions. They mirror the city’s layered,  chaotic  texture.  The  human  figure  is  mostly  absent,  but  never  far.  Every  image  carries the trace of someone: the person who built the fence, hung the laundry, fed  the birds, or left the chair behind. These scenes are haunted by labor, improvisation,  and the quiet resilience of everyday life. 

Miami  appears  here  not  as  spectacle,  but  as  a  patchwork  of  gestures.  The  work  resists  grand  narratives  in  favor  of  the  intimate  and  the  fragmentary.  There’s  no  agenda; only an invitation to slow down, to pay attention, and to notice the strange  beauty pulsing just beneath the surface. To find gold in the gutter. 

These are scenes for no one in particular; which is exactly why they matter."

Between Berrio's work and in the sister exhibition with Katrina Makjut, each artist asks the viewer to slow down, to look and to focus on both possibility and accomplishment - let everything else become silent. 

Explore the Sculptural Universe of Mylene Costa: Sculpting Time, Memory, and the Poetics of Form

 

In the contemporary art world, few sculptors evoke such a harmonious blend of strength and sensuality as Mylene Costa, a Brazilian artist whose work stands out for its feminine power, formal elegance, and refined aesthetic sensitivity. Her sculpture is both language and thought — an invitation to contemplate the body, form, and memory. Based in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, and deeply rooted in her Brazilian heritage, Costa bridges cultures and emotions through organic, timeless structures that resonate on both local and global stages. Art collectors and aficionados are cordially invited to experience internationally recognized and award-winning sculptor Mylene Costa’s exhibition at White’s Art Gallery in Miami, with an Opening Reception on Saturday, September 20th, 2025, from 6 - 10pm. The gallery is located in the Bird Road Art District at 7428 SW 42nd Street in Miami, Florida 33155.

Impulso Vital, Bronze, 18.5 x 15 cm

Costa’s journey as an artist is as poetic as her sculptures. About two decades ago, she experienced what she describes as a nearly spiritual calling. While on a flight, she felt an overwhelming urge to mold clay—an impulse so strong that she purchased materials immediately upon landing. Within ten minutes, she created Impulso Vital, her first sculpture, marking the awakening of her artistic gift. Today, her body of work spans bronze, resin, and mixed-media sculptures, each piece born from the fusion of intuition and reflection, evoking questions of time, ancestry, human relationships, and the silence of expanding forms. Recognized for her unique artistic signature, Mylene has exhibited in cultural centers across Europe, Latin America, and Brazil, gaining increasing visibility in major contemporary art shows and attracting the attention of critics, curators, and collectors alike. Her award-winning works, such as Fenda do Tempo (2023), embody a dialogue between the tangible and the intangible, merging industrial techniques with a lyrical approach to shape and space. We recently had the pleasure to chat with the artist to learn more about her work and current projects:

Q – What is the best part about being an artist?

A – For me, the best part of being an artist is the connection with a three-dimensional sphere where I almost detach myself from matter in order to give life to another. This process brings lightness and a profound transformation, often leading me to reflect on the true needs of existence. Being in contact with the raw material, stripped of any interfering elements, reveals the essence of creation and the essential truth of being.

Q – Where does your inspiration come from, and how would you describe your work?

A – Everything can be a source of inspiration for me. A space, an object, a gesture, all have the potential to become art. Often, even the rhythm of a song guides the movement I bring into a sculpture or a painting. When the mind is freed from constraints, a fertile ground opens for intuition, and it is in this state that my creation unfolds: a dialogue between the visible and the invisible.

Q – How did you get started as an artist? Tell us about your background, influences, and the path you took to becoming an artist.

A – Art has always been present in my life in many forms. From an early age, I felt deeply connected to theater, dance, and painting, but for a long time these passions remained in the background, as something I simply admired. Yet when a gift truly exists, there comes a moment when it insists on being revealed, and for me, that awakening was profoundly transformative. About twenty years ago, while on a flight, I felt an uncontrollable urge to place my hands in clay. It was an intense, almost spiritual experience. As soon as I landed, before even arriving home, I stopped to buy clay, not fully understanding what was happening within me. In less than ten minutes, I created my very first piece, Impulso Vital, a work with echoes reminiscent of Rodin. In that moment, I understood my true calling and the depth of my artistic gift.

Incepta, Pigmented resin sculpture (originally in steel), 90 x 60 x 20 cm

Q – Which artist or artists (past and/or present) do you admire most and why?

A – I deeply admire artists such as Rodin, Modigliani, and Paul Cézanne, each with a singular contribution: Rodin for the expressive power of sculpture, Modigliani for the poetic elegance of his elongated human forms, and Cézanne for his transformative vision that paved the way for modernity. Among contemporary artists, I particularly admire Anish Kapoor and Jaume Plensa, whose material and symbolic explorations resonate strongly with my own sensibility. Kapoor for the way he investigates matter and the void, creating almost spiritual experiences, and Plensa for the monumental poetry of his human figures, which evoke presence and silence.

Q – What is your creative process like, how do you describe how you create one of your masterpieces?

A – My creative process unfolds in different ways, depending on the stage I am in. At times, I feel that the work already exists within the material, as if it were silently present, and my role is simply to remove the excess to reveal it. In other moments, creation emerges from a sudden vision, a flash that appears in my mind like a scan of the form before it even exists. There is also always a dimension of research, both material and conceptual. I explore the relationship between matter and presence, experimenting with different mediums while reflecting on themes that permeate my artistic poetics. This movement is always intuitive and dynamic, a constant dialogue between what is already there and what still needs to be revealed.

Q – What is your favorite piece you created and why?

A – It is difficult to choose just one favorite piece, as each creation marks a special moment in my journey. Impulso Vital holds a unique place in my life as it was my very first work, the awakening of my artistic gift. At present, I am deeply captivated by Sol, which is currently in the casting phase, a sculpture I feel truly passionate about. And Fenda do Tempo represents a new stage of modernity in my practice, a language I greatly appreciate and one that opens paths to new creative possibilities.

Q – What message or emotion are you trying to convey in your work, are there any recurring themes or motifs?

A – I strive to create works that speak to the unconscious, capable of capturing the gaze and inviting an intimate interaction with the viewer. Sensuality is a constant presence in my creations, expressed through lines and forms that evoke seduction both in the feminine and in the abstract. Organicity, flow, and the transformation of matter are recurring paths, guiding the work beyond mere aesthetic contemplation toward a profound and sensitive reflection.

Fenda do Tempo, Automotive resin with internal acrylic painting, 60 x 25 x 20 cm

Art collectors and aficionados are cordially invited to experience Mylene Costa’s art exhibition at White’s Art Gallery in Miami, with an Opening Reception on Saturday, September 20th, 2025, from 6 - 10pm. The gallery is located in the Bird Road Art District at 7428 SW 42nd Street in Miami, Florida 33155.

For further information visit: www.mylenecosta.com

Follow Mylene Costa on Instagram @MyleneCostaArt

#Artists --> MIAMI ARTIST™ | Art Basel Week Pop-Up

 

MIAMI ARTIST™ | Art Basel Week Pop-Up

Something special is brewing for Art Basel Miami Beach Week 2025 — and it’s not your typical gallery show. We’re curating an exclusive, juried Pop-Up Art Showcase during Miami Art Week for serious professional artists only.

Event Dates: December 1–7, 2025
Location: Miami, Florida – details to be revealed to selected participants.
Mediums: All professional mediums and genres considered.

Submission Requirements (Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed):

• 5–7 high-resolution images of recent work

• Link to a professional artist website (no social media pages)

• Contact information (Attn: Katerina Wagner)

Deadline: Wednesday, October 1st, 2025
Email: miamiartscene@gmail.com

Note: Space is highly limited. Only artists who meet submission guidelines and present professional-level work will be considered.

 

www.themiamiartscene.com