The monthly Second Saturday Art Walk in the Wynwood Art District of Miami can be a somewhat daunting affair, with more than 60 galleries showcasing works than run the gamut from brilliant to dubious at best.
As such, it can also be somewhat snooty – in that Miami fashionista sort of way. Amid this sea of pretension stands the Harold Golen Gallery, a down-to-earth beacon that showcases the best in pop surrealism and mid-century culture.
This month, the gallery continues to thumb its nose at the nearby artsy elite with a show that’s sure to warm the hearts of South Florida’s lowbrow art fans: “Simian Spectacle,” billed as “a show with teeth … and fur!” The show’s opening night coincides with July’s art walk this Saturday and runs from 6 to 11 p.m. It continues through Aug. 4.
The Greedy Mouse Group Show that opens Friday at Howl Art Gallery in Fort Myers promises to take the iconic Disney character on a much more dark and dangerous journey than he’s accustomed to.
Some of the most talented artists practicing pop surrealism today – Skot Olsen, Scott Scheidly, Andrew Spear, Todd Nolan, N! Satterfield, and many more – have put their own wicked spin on Mickey. The opening reception is 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, and the exhibit runs through July 31 at the gallery and tattoo studio run by artists Andy Howl (who also has a piece in the show) and Alainna Zwiernik.
Some of the top artists in the world of pop surrealism and lowbrow art pay homage to the world’s most famous mouse in a group show coming to Fort Myers this summer.
The Greedy Mouse Group Show honors Disney’s icon in a way not imagined by Walt or his Imagineers. Among the artists taking Mickey down to their level is a who’s who of lowbrow: Derek Hess, Bask, Skot Olsen, Pooch, Scott Scheidly, Andrew Spear, Todd Nolan, N! Satterfield, Rodney Jackson, James “Jimmy Utah” Peterson, Clay McCay, Matt Lackey, Andy Howl, Raymond Hernandez, Mark Stewart, Scott Snyder, Stephen Hayford, Mark Cranford, Mandalin Paul, David Acevedo, Christina Penuel, and Cesar Aguilera.
The show kicks off with an opening reception at Howl Art Gallery and Tattoo Studio in Downtown Fort Myers from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday, July 6. It continues through July 31. The gallery is at 1514 Broadway #101. Call (239) 332-0161 or visit HowlGallery.com.
You have one last chance to check out the eye-catching exhibit of surf culture at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. Saturday’s closing event runs from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. and includes slide shows, a movie screening, a surf music lecture, a DJ spinning some reggae and surf tunes, plus prize raffles, food and drinks.
“Surfing Florida: A Photographic History” features the works of more than 50 photographers and 100 surfers, including archival photos; media stations featuring video, music and interviews; and lots of custom boards.
All special programs will take place in the lecture hall next to he Schmidt Center Gallery on the FAU campus:
* At 2 p.m., the New School Surf Photography Slide Show will be presented by photographer Nicola Lugo, whose work has been featured in all the major surfing magazines.
* At 3 p.m., the film Surfing at Summer’s End will be screened, and Will Lucas of Surf 64 Productions will be on hand to discuss his work, a historic documentary that combines vintage 8mm film, still photography and contemporary interviews.
Hundreds of Tikiphiles from around the world gathered in Fort Lauderdale on April 19-22 for the 11th edition of the largest event on the U.S. East Coast dedicated to Polynesian Pop culture. It was a jam-packed four days of informative symposiums, live music, artists and vendors, and – of course – many tropical-themed cocktails.
Here’s a full recap with highlights and first-hand reports. Check back soon for more in-depth features on several of the symposiums, plus a special audio slideshow when all the photos are released.
The party actually started a day early on Wednesday, April 18, when early arrivals migrated to the legendary Mai-Kai restaurant for happy hour and a full evening spent reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. And with the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival holding its Tiki Time event that same evening, there were plenty of cocktail lovers in the house. Rum fest DJ Mike “Jetsetter” Jones provided the tunes in The Molokai bar and a large group enjoyed the authentic Polynesian dinner show, the longest running in the United States.
Surfing Florida: A Photographic History – Traveling exhibition and book project at Florida Atlantic University’s Schmidt Center Gallery runs from March 17 through May 12. Opening reception Friday, March 16.
* Official FAU galleries site | Exhibit Facebook page | March 16 Facebook event
When one thinks of the history of surfing, Florida – with its lack of monster waves and international acclaim that made Southern California and Hawaii famous – often takes a back seat. But the Sunshine State has its own rich surf history and culture, which will be getting its due respect this spring at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.
Artwork by Liam Milano (courtesy of PureHoney)
Surfing Florida: A Photographic History presents the history of Florida surfing through contributions from more than 50 photographers and 100 surfers. The comprehensive exhibit kicks off Friday with an opening reception featuring live music by Guy Harvey and Cutback. Housed at the university’s Schmidt Center Gallery, it will run through May 12 and include other special events, such as film screenings and lectures by “surf scholars.”
Starting March 22 and continuing for 10 weeks, there will be a screening of a surf film every Thursday in the lecture hall next to the gallery. The first film will be Evolution, the classic 1969 movie by New Zealand director Paul Witzig. On March 29, the 1972 film Morning of the Earth will be shown. Featuring stunning surfing sequences from Bali, Angourie, Kirra, Oahu, Maui and elsewhere, it’s considered by some the greatest surfing film ever made.
With Dick Dale coming to town in April, it’s shaping up to be a surf-happy spring. Tickets to Dale’s West Palm Beach and Miami concerts April 21-22 will be given away at the film screenings.
As if Miami isn’t surreal enough, here comes a first-of-its-kind exhibit featuring the largest privately owned collections of the work by the father of surrealism, Salvador DalÃ.
“Dalà Miami,” featuring more than 200 pieces including original paintings and sculptures, opens tonight with a VIP party and runs through Sunday at the Moore Building, 4040 N.E. Second Ave. It promises to be a museum quality collection of works that span DalÃ’s long, storied career.
The collection is said to include some of the most significant works under private ownership, outside of the museums in DalÃ’s native Spain. According to DaliMiami.com, the exhibit “will provide viewers with an unparalleled exposure to this master on a scale unavailable outside of the major museums of the world.”
Two art shows on the opposite ends of South Florida offer not only the sights but also a glimpse into the sounds and tastes of a bygone era when style and cool ruled our culture.
These exhibits won’t be around long, however, so catch them now if you can:
Cocktail Culture at the Norton Museum of Art
Tucked into the large ground-floor gallery used for rotating exhibits at the upscale Norton Museum in downtown West Palm Beach is a somewhat unlikely sight. Just one floor below priceless artifacts from ancient China and two floors below the paintings of European masters is a motley assortment of relics of 20th century excess: silver cocktail shakers and champagne buckets, vintage jewelry, and glamorous cocktail dresses and shoes.
Floridiana – A term referring to artifacts relating to Florida history, geography, folklore, and cultural heritage.
Florida is a curious state. To outsiders, it may seem kitschy, exotic and just plain weird. To some of us residents, it’s an odd cultural and artistic melting pot that way too often is bulldozed for the sake of progress.
But many natives and longtime Floridians appreciate our quirky history and think it’s something worth preserving. From time to time, shows and exhibits pop up that deserve attention and attendance. Once such event honoring vintage Floridiana, including the legendary Florida Highwaymen artists, will be held Sunday, Jan. 29, in downtown St. Petersburg.
The Floridiana Festival & Highwaymen Artist Show is held at least once a year in the Tampa Bay area, organized by the fine folks from Hula Hula Productions. Billed as the Sunshine State’s longest-running show and sale of vintage Floridiana, the event also gives attendees the unique opportunity to meet and mingle with many of the original Florida Highwaymen artists.
It’s a good sign that the blossoming interest in mixology and cocktail culture is reaching mass appeal when exhibits pop up at acclaimed art galleries. One such gallery, the Norton Museum in West Palm Beach, is taking a highbrow approach to an intoxicating topic with a fine art exhibit that premieres tomorrow (Dec. 15) and runs through March 11.
Summer Cocktail Party with English Butler, 1961. Watercolor, gouache, ink on paper by Larry Salk.
Titled simply Cocktail Culture, it’s one of the first multi-disciplinary exhibitions to explore the social rituals of the cocktail hour through the lens of fashion and design. It features more than 150 objects, including attire, accessories, ads, decorative arts, illustrations, photography and more from the 1920s to the present.
The show is like a travelogue through decades of cocktail history, from the 1920s jazz age to today. Each decade features a different cocktail (the Flapper, the Prohibition, etc.), plus period clothing, objects and accessories. Also included are advertising illustrations and movie clips.
