Art, Like Bread: November 2019

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Art Review: Artweek 2019 - Fall BFA Thesis Exhibition La Concha Happy Hour at FIU

In an effort to be more involved locally and support the work of up and coming artists, I am excited to welcome photographer Byron Gramajo to my team.

He recently attended "La Concha Happy Hour," which was a student thesis exhibition at his school, Florida International University. The exhibit ran from November-December 2019, and featured various student artists, named below.

A Pearl is a Parasite: Sonia Royal, Shirley Chong, Elizabeth Pino, Karolina Eguino. I am afraid to own a Body: Iman Hassan, Allison Rapport, Yeinely Duran, Victor Barbero, Naomi Peguero. All FIU BFA candidates Fall 2019.

The exhibit was grouped into two categories: A Pearl is a Parasite, and I am afraid to own a body.

Shirley Chong was part of the "A Pearl is a Parasite" portion. She created ceramic bowls and a meditation space, as seen below. In her piece, she connects with materials as well as the audience. There is a performance element. The audience becomes a co-creator with the artist. As they enter the space, they feel the space, and experience the feelings of calm. This experience is now something the audience holds with them. They leave transformed.

Shirley Chong, A moment, 2019, Terra Cotta Clay, Wood, Chamomile tea, photo @gramabyron.jpg

The complex artwork of Karolina Eguino is of particular interest. Her technique is to layer photographs atop one another. In this, she is creating a space where the past, present, and possible future exists simultaneously.

Karolina Eguino, Untitled 1 (2019), Untitled 2 (2019), Untitled 3 (2019), inkjet prints, photos by @gramabyon.jpg

I am afraid to own a Body by Emily Dickinson, photo by @gramabyon.jpg

In the next section, artist Iman Hassan offers us a record of the natural world and a glimpse into natural order in this world that can appear chaotic. Each of the prints were selected for what they could offer to the paper. Which were willing to be fossilized, and which were uncooperative, insisting to pass through time on their own terms?

Iman Hassan, Study of plants (2019), monoprints: black ink, paper, photo @gramabyron.jpg

It is an absolute honor and a pleasure to welcome Byron to my team. I am excited about his talent and knowledge of the art world. I am excited about what this collaboration will bring. If his sensitive coverage of this exhibit is any indication, then the sky is the limit.

If you would be interested in learning more about the local art scene in South Florida, please let me know by leaving a comment or contacting me at artlikebread (at) gmail (dot) com. As always, thanks for reading the blog!

Please leave your thoughts, ideas and questions in the comment section below. If you liked this post, please share this post with a friend through social media and get yourself to a local student show!

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Thursday, November 28, 2019

Art Review: Happy! at NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale

If you know me, you know I am always ready to bliss out, but sometimes that is harder to do than other times. Sometimes I just want everything to be cute. I want cute so much sometimes that I don’t know what to do! So when I was looking for current exhibits to review, Happy! at NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale caught my eye with its bold, iconic, smiling cloud. Cute! I’m in.

And yet, before I even entered the exhibit, I starting thinking. In this world that appears to be self-destructing, when and how can we practice happiness? What makes us happy? What makes us escape? Do we need sadness in order to have happiness?

I placed a wish on the Wish Tree by favorite artist Yoko Ono, and walked inside.

Three big, happy clouds greeted me as I ascended the stairs.

Little Cloud

Then I saw a big pile of candy! CANDY!!

Felix Gonzalez-Torres

"Untitled" (Portrait of Dad), 1991

White candies individually wrapped in cellophane, endless supply

And a big stack of paper! PAPER!!

Felix Gonzalez-Torres

"Untitled", 1989/1990

Print on paper, endless copies

The museum guard told me I could take a paper. I took one of each. I’ll be making art with those papers later.

Such divine curation. I’ve seen similar exhibits at MoMA and the Guggenheim.

And I got to walk underneath a rainbow!

And all of these bows remind us that the December holidays are right around the corner!

Kathryn Andrews

Gift, 2011

Serigraphs

And. I saw. This.

Keith Haring

Untitled (Pink Smiling Face), 1981

Baked enamel on metal

It’s Keith Haring. KEITH HARING. In Fort Lauderdale. Yes, seriously. These are seriously impressive gets. I was floored and it was just beginning.

More Haring.

Keith Haring

Untitled (For Salvatore), 1984

Acrylic on glass

Remember when Target ripped this guy off a few years ago? I saw the balloon animals of Jeff Koons in person, baby!

Jeff Koons

Balloon Monkey (Blue), 2017

Balloon Rabbit (Red), 2017

Balloon Swan (Yellow), 2017

And the ultimate picture wall.

What did I think?

Alma Thomas

Night Sky Mysteries, 1973

Acrylic on canvas

This exhibit is so rich and complete. There is absolutely no way I could cover it in just one blog post. And there is so. much. more. to see and experience in this exhibit. If you are anywhere near South Florida before it closes on July 5, 2020 - GO!!

I am incredibly thankful for an enriching visit to the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale. I loved it so much, I bought a membership! I will definitely want to go back to this exhibit over and over again. It doesn’t close until July 5, 2020. That’s a lot of months to enjoy this amazing exhibit. See you on Instagram!

If you are interested in learning more about the thriving art scene in South Florida and also learning and making stuff, please join my mailing list. As always, thanks for reading the blog! Please leave your thoughts, ideas and questions in the comment section below & find your bliss wheresoever it is!

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