A Call To Artists… How on earth are we going to explain the elephants‘ extinction to our children?Recent news about the destruction of six tonnes of ivory highlighted the global cull rate of elephants at 30,000 per year, with world estimates at 300,000, mankind is set to eradicate the lovable pachyderm forever in less than ten years or sooner yet. In the 1970’s when Pachyderms numbered 10 million, the cull rate for ivory was 100,000 per an-um until a group of artists dedicated their resources and talents with the World Wild Life Fund to change the public’s attitude and the cull rate dropped significantly. 30 years later the Chinese are circumventing the CITES Lusuka arrangement to only use 25 yr or older harvested tusks, The Chinese alone are buying and processing 80% of the murder of the planet’s most beloved creature, right before the eyes of the ECCAS. [Economic Community of Central African States],The Central African Republic estimating only 17% remaining since 2010
Asian car covered in Ivory Ivory and Africa’s agony
The people who consume products from the murdered elephants need to be shamed and ridiculed, they need to be held immediately accountable before the elephants become extinct. If we are not found to be poking fun, embarrassing them and using our freedoms of speech to show our utmost contempt for the nuevo rich Chinese using African animal products for vanity and superstition what should these freedoms be for ? If a particular country, region or town significantly consumes, processes or trades in these murdered animal products, whether for health, wealth or happiness, we have to sanction them with all artistic rhetoric at our means and as often as possible. Our politicians will only act on our behalf if we are unified in creating a stink about Ivory and Africa’s agony. otherwise…
We will all have to answer to the very distrusting eyes of the next generation when they ask; ”What happened to all the free elephants ?”
Miami Art reviews calls on South Florida Artists to consider this challenge and work together to raise a stink about Blood Ivory and all it’s relative sins.
New World 1513 Mural Foundation at the Gables Hispanic Cultural Festival 2013
A Viva Florida 500 Event
The New World 1513 Mural Foundation will be participating at the Gables Hispanic Cultural Festival on 26th and 27th October.
This outdoor weekend Festival, in it’s fourth year, will feature local food, live music and art activities for the family.
The New World Mural 1513 tent at the Gables Hispanic Cultural Festival will be showing a recent tri-panel canvas mural celebrating Viva 500 . Tickets for the raffle of this mural will be sold at the tent,proceeds are going to the Dade Heritage Trust. with the final drawing at the end of the year.
The tent will also have postcards and small posters of local historic art for sale, a student history quiz with prizes and an opportunity for families to don period hats and take photos together in front of the art work. There will be a large canvas scroll mural where visitors can sign their “thanks” which is to be sent to the State’s archive collection for this year’s Viva Florida 500 program.
The New World Mural 1513 Foundation aims to raise the awareness of important events in history from 500 years ago. The State’s Viva Florida 500 program running this year is an important time to remember that Tequesta Miami was the first Native American
settlement discovered by the Spanish explorers.
The Gables Hispanic Cultural Festival will be at Biltmoor Way and Le Jeune, Coral Gables. It is a free family event lasting all day Saturday and Sunday, on the 26th and 27th October. Come and join us to learn that St Augustine was not the founding site of Juan Ponce De Leon 500 years ago in 1513. It was the Biscayne Bay and Tequesta Miami that were named as the first discovered Native American settlement, Viva 500 Miami.
Advocacy For Regional Preservation of Heritage for Economical Stability.
by Wiliiam Coulthard / Edited by Ana Bikic Miami Art Reviews. Carol Cohan’s book Coconut Grove Playhouse back cover Pickering Press 1987 Miami Art Reviews Inc.
A region that relies upon tourism needs an entertainment industry. Historical sites are an integral part of this service orientated economy and the degradation and destruction of cultural interests undermines the formula a region has inherited over the decades and centuries. History is the repeated story that entertains, they are the tourist industry‘s product line and without them a region is no different than any other as a destination.
Although Miami Dade has beaches,National Parks and a pool side party image, most of our visitors are children and the retired if we include resident’s families,snow birds and annual holiday trippers. Their interests are based on more traditional pursuits that require a more intellectual approach to entertainment. Beaches and night clubs, gambling and sports are good for some but to attract an audience appreciation for the arts requires having a strong local history that is more appealing to opera lovers and art collectors, who in turn buy apartments and return each year.
Miami Dade County has an immediate or recent history in comparison to European regions but what interests visitors beyond just the pleasure and joy of visiting is to be entertained, educated and have memorable experiences that can be shared with friends upon returning home. Saving local history plays a vital role when tourists return home, they carry with them the stories behind the places they’ve visited. A region’s history actively stimulates intelligent and curious minds, between natural pleasures of parks and beaches to complete the experience of an exciting and fulfilling trip to their friends. The ancient Romans understood this economic formula providing not just arena entertainment but also galleries of archival history to accompany libraries and monuments. Their tourist cities provided the very best in spas and sports but the most successful cities like Pompey and Pila had preserved and prepared more ancient sites to excite a more affluent and studied clientele.
Miami, Miami Beach and the Miami Dade County, as a whole, must be mindful as it expands to what foot print of the past it wipes away. If an iconic house sitting in full view is the cover picture of an old story related to the region’s past with internationally known cultural references; it follows that the home’s destruction would bring strong negative feed back from previous and possible visitors. If a City is seen not to care about it’s heritage then it is seen not to care about it’s visitor’s experience. So why should they return? or talk well to others? Persuading for a location based on others opinions and published experiences, a reputation by region or location should be seen as a regional and residential responsibility for everyone wishing to live in a successful area and enjoy the benefits that come from an active tourist economy.
The history, architecture and intellectual property of local myths and stories that enrich the visitors experience of our region are vital to the tourism industry as a whole, without them Miami would be boring and predictable. Our local history adds variety to regional destination and encourages opportunities for creating new local attractions. Preservation is therefore a vital part, not an after thought, it is at the heart of our very image and if we are seen to not care what is torn down, our ineptness to protect our own interests will be ridiculed internationally. Currently the Coconut Grove Playhouse and the famous Star Island Mansion are up for destruction.
Now is the time to save them, like Miami did with the Daily News / Freedom Tower 12 years ago. Developers and their investors must realize history has unique and has brand name status and that the stories behind the history are an intellectual property that belongs to all the region’s residents, compromising local stories compromises future potential. Destroying history actually limits future development.
Richard Heisenbottle’s architectural rendering of a future Coconut Grove Playhouse restored to its 1926.
On Wednesday 27th February 2013, the Dade Heritage Trust heard Commissioner Xavier Suarez, aide J.C. Garrido and architect Richard Heisenbottle, the region’s foremost authority on restoration, call for the raising of the Coconut Grove Playhouse to be avoided, offering a plausible solution. To achieve this Governor Rick Scott needs to be inundated with our concern and appreciation for the old Theater and how it’s return as a working stage would stimulate the cultural attraction of the whole Coconut Grove Arts scene and the business district to the strengths of former years. The theater has a rich history and is well-known as a brand name, it has an iconic image that reflects the Grove’s artistic and expressive heritage which would certainly aid the launching of a new working stage for the region as a whole. Miami now attracts many international events all year-long, any theater with mixed programming appealing to a wider audience and offering facility to host events would be able to partner strongly with the neighborhood hotels and residents’ tastes. Performance could be added for the Arts Festival, Comedy nights throughout the year, film openings, corporate and inspirational presentations, conferences, poetry, dance and music recitals, the list of uses a working stage offers to a community is as long as the imagination and creativity the Theater’s director is given. Now that we know the building itself is restore-able and safe, we need a business plan for a modern working stage. The Grove’s theater was the driving force of it’s identity as a location, returning to this formula is a sound investment. Destroying the Playhouse entirely or just as a facade to another empty arcade would be contrary to our community’s real concerns. Private schools and gated communities in the center of the business district are contrary to civic planning and they do not attract visitors to the shops and hotels. Theaters have served communities as focal points, the stage is the forum for debate and idea, politically theaters are important places for common voice and vibrant expression, from them comes the confidence of community and with out them the silence is joyless. Save the Grove Playhouse, save a piece of history and save a chance for more to be made. Call the Governor and tell him this is important to reopen a working stage for Coconut Grove.
Contact
Miami Dade Commissioner Suarez phone 305-375-5680 or District7@miamidade.gov
Contact
Florida Governor Rick Scott phone 850-488-7146 and at rick.scott@eog.myflorida.com
Further reading.
Counter to the current conditions of finance and political issues to solve legal halts; the rich historical heritage associated with the Playhouse is impressive.
Historically it showed film, was restored to stage by famed architect Browning Parker and hosted Black, Jewish and Hispanic artists, from Billie Holiday to the Wizard of Oz.
The stage hosted the premiers of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, the musical Fame and many other Broadway hits, providing quality national performances. The Playhouse was a premier stage for Off Broadway and International new plays and shows. In 1982, with the Artistic Director actor-director José Ferrer brought regional programs for actors and Arnold Mittleman continued as AD, expanding to touring companies.
The Coconut Grove Playhouse was commissioned in 1926 by the Peacock Family, the symbol of the Grove still today, the architect, Kiehnel, is Miami’s very best. The land was given from the Munroe family.
The front facade has Rococo neo spanish features, commanding the southern entrance to the Coconut Grove business district, it has it’s own parking, office space and room for two small stages.
Between 1964 and 1965, The Coconut Grove Playhouse was used by The Miami Actors Company.
Among many important artists, most renowned performers, including Maureen Stapleton, Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, Eve Arden, Tallulah Bankhead, Carol Channing, Liza Minnelli, Linda Lavin, Bea Arthur, George C. Scott, Colleen Dewhurst, and Ethel Merman, Neil Simon’s The Sunshine Boys, starring Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, and Urban Cowboy, Sherry Glaser’s, Family Secrets, Death of a Salesman, starring Hal Holbrook and Elizabeth Franz, actor-director José Ferrer.
In a 2011 Miami Condition report by Ellen Ugiocinni states a $15 million plus matching $5 million had be reserved.
The restoration if done in private hands would match this figure, according to the Architect but double that figure if the City gets involved with the renovation process.
Miami Art Reviews considers the Coconut Grove Playhouse as important to save as the Freedom Tower,the old Daily News Tower , 600 Biscayne Blvd. It has both cultural and historical heritage for the Grove and the region as a whole. MAR calls for a working stage once again for Coconut Grove.
Miami Beach’s Art Deco weekend events and programming is coordinated through the Miami Design Preservation League.
founded by Barbara Capitman and her colleagues in the mid 70’s. This group rose in defiance to the destruction of Schultz and Weaver towers, famous hotels as many recognized architect’s works were being raised to the ground for parking lots and supermarkets. Great art begins with great architecture and Miami Beach was losing iconic examples by the year. The Miami Design Preservation League’s activities include the Neo Classical and Mid modern as well as the ArtDeco that Miami Beach is again more famous for.
The Welcome Center sits on the sand side of Ocean Drive and hosted the 30’s through 50,s “
Art Deco Fashion Show, Bettie Page Clothing and Traci Lynn Jewelry Iris Chase, resident artist hosting the walkway. The models walked out from the Welcome Center out onto a raised walkway extending over the Center’s steps onto the side walk and crowds between the arts and crafts stalls gathered to watch young ladies twirl in the dresses their mothers and grandmothers wore, some dresses were so stylish they immediately started conversations of favorite films and actresses in the crowd. The models went through three changes, giving opportunity to see again each period hairstyle Iris and her team had obviously enjoyed creating, they completed the dress designs perfectly.
Charles Birchfield DC Moore Art Gallery N.Y. Miami Art Reviews
Sometimes being delayed to write an article gives time for the spam art to sediment and the clear solutions created crystallize. Art shows are full of it but some less than others.
Miami’s Art Basel Miami Beach week has an entourage of side shows that proving to be an ideal part of Gallery circuits, giving local national and regional artists a wider reach. The ‘dot’ Art Miami, grouped with the other mid town/design district fairs and shows attracted some great talent in December 2012 , collectively equaling the Art Basel Miami Beach in attendance and artistic value$.
This Charles Birchfield, last one left from the DC Moore Gallery NY. They had had a booth at Art Basel two years ago and sold six Birchfields.
Miami Art Reviews
Simon Raab. br 1952, spider grenades and puma made of bullet casings.with the GeorgeZimmerman Gallery.
Grenade Spider Art, by Simon Raab, Miami Art Basel Red Dot, Art Fair 2012. Miami Art reviews
Raab lives and works in Germany. His work incorporates contemporary debate topics constantly, which has led to his work being banned in China and people being arrested trying to import art work.
Miami Art reviews 2012
This exhibit was very popular. South Florida has a strong hunting
tradition and his life size Puma made out of bullet casings was idolized.
The Douglas Dawson Gallery has been in Chicago since 1982. Member of the Antique Tribal Art Assoc. The use of old metal tables and heavy industrial materials as plinths for the Tribal art makes the Antiques display look like a Modern Art Gallery. Primitiveness is not without design finesse.
Miami Art reviewsMiami Art Reviews
The exhibit was fascinating and was displayed with great taste.The Buddha sat surrounded by characters of the globe with the stone mill wheel inviting to view him through. Mr. Dawson not only has a great collection to choose from but he arranges the exhibits as we would want at home, in company and inviting intimate gaze. This Buddha wood carving sits nearly five feet high from the table.
The Jane Sauer Gallery, Sante Fe, New Mexico, The Jane Sauer Miami dot Art exhibit brought a surprising and talented group of contemporary American figurative Sculptors whose pose and content was immediately cognizant of the genre’s tradition and experimentation of material and content irony.
Miami Art Reviews. ” One day Bryan Drury will be asked to paint an official portrait of a US President”.
Bryan Drury
Portyrait painting. The pinnacle of perfect painting. The apex art form for visual artists Bryan Drury, 9 x 11 portrait titled Jake Garn 2012. This gem was hung on a side pillar wall unnoticed by most but obviously not all, it was red dotted,sold. Drury,born 1980, is from Utah,moved to New York, he has a MA in Fine Arts and has been working with the Dean project since his first solo exhibit in 2010. The detail of his hyper realistic style is flawless,
The detail of his hyper realistic style is flawless, making one realize how bad our eyes are when we see the detail on the subjects face down to pore and folecule. Many artists who attempt to flash with Hyper- realism loose the personality in all the details whether because they pay little attention to overall composition or forget that the living eye
is controlled by the brain and therefore has prejudice and favor of study. That’s why it is risky giving a portrait commission to a hyper realist painter, not that their work is unflattering for the subject but the image lacks life.The Drury we found at the Dot Art Miami show of Jake Garn was an exact likeness of our retired and beloved family dentist . The same kind, caring and calm expression smiled back to us. Here we realized was a great portrait painter and so young. We predict that Bryan Drury will become this county’s foremost portrait painter, he will paint Presidents and State portraits. Drury is an exceptional talent and anyone brave enough to commission their likeness must be ready for the microscope.
Saye Gbuta Miami Art reviews 2012
Ken Orton Ken Orton, Born 1951 , UK. USA/ Esp. influenced by Ed Hooper, like so many British realism painters in the UK art schools as modern expressionism overshadowed even the Art school curricula . The Manchester school in particular,where he taught may have made Orton’s persistence with the new realism difficult with Calderists like Dave Sprakes insisting on being “painting professors” .
surrealism shows strong at Miami’s Art Basel shows 2012
Saye Gbatu Surrealism at Art Miami . Vladimir Kush. reproductions, also Saye Gbatu NY and Madeline Von Foerster are the painted version of photo shop still making the audience wow with wonder through thoughtful wit and all with a wicked brush talent that convinces the eye.
Miami art reviews 2012 Francisco Faria Miami Art Reviews
Vladimir Kush Madeline Von Foerster Francisco Faria, charcoal on paper. Atopia 2011, 42”x 62”, Art Miami 2012Bolsa de Arte San Paulo Brazil. Faria’s renderings are freshly composed in monchrome but the tonality and arrangement still evoke the hues he has excused, making his work out weigh a photo.
The Gallery has an International Art circuit from London, NY, Dubai and Miami. Faria’s charcoal landscapes were their most interesting exhibit at their Miami show.
Miami Art Reviews
Chinese Traditional Painting Academy. This was an enlightening section filled with the Zen of old and new that needs it’s own blog space to do just. Whilst it is now easy to buy 200 year old Chinese paintings on E-Bay for a song, the Academy continues to teach and demonstrate their unique and popular discipline to brushed expression.
This section gave the whole afternoon’s viewing the perspective and tradition that many contemporary artists are pushing for.
The debate for quality. the argument against flippant gestures and easy bucks. That, Art’s value must be linked to it’s finesse and originality. That the name branding venturists of Wall Street whose contracted opinions of aesthetics need to allow the show system and real market debates as a measure of true talent and art value. Here,as you can see, very good art was not difficult to find at the Art Basel Miami Beach side shows across Biscayne Bay in Miami,Florida
Elizabeth Turk At Art Basel Miami Beach 2012Elizabeth Turk Marbol Carving Sculpture at Art Basel Miami Beach 2012. photo by Ana Bikc for Art Reviews Miami 2012/13
This year’s Art Basel Miami Beach, contemporary best was sculptor Elizabeth Turk, marble carving to an exquisite belief in the fluid form.
Her work is a shining example of where the direction lies towards a classic Fine Art future, the humility needed to execute a
perfect patience with such a delicate pursuit of the making, leaves one only to marvel in response.
Elizabeth Turk’s latest marble sculptures would be a touch stone cultural bridge to middle east liberal progressions,
part of a new creative generation of women moving the eco- symbols of humanity towards the transcontinental spring.