Art Space
As the contemporary art space founded by leading Philanthropist, Art Collector & CEO of The Related Group, Jorge M. Pérez — El Espacio 23 is kicking off the 2024 Miami Arts Season with the debut of Mirror Of The Mind: Figuration In The Jorge M. Pérez Collection. The new exhibition features 150 works from over 120 artists, including Jared McGriff, Shirin Neshat, Anselm Kiefer and Carrie Mae Weems. It examines each artist’s use of figuration and portraiture to explore the complexities of the human condition. Pérez and his curatorial team have had an outsized impact on Miami’s arts and cultural landscape through years of celebrated shows, as well as museum-quality art installations throughout the city. From public installations to collections at Related Group’s condominium developments like The St. Regis Residences, Miami; Rivage Bal Harbour and Icon Beach Waterfront Residences, Pérez and his team are leading art purveyors, expanding access to the arts across all demographics and deepening the region’s cultural offerings; ElEspacio23.org; RelatedGroup.com. — Yoshi Sanz
Flower Power
Art meets life in the new Louis Vuitton Art Silk Squares Collection. Designed by renowned contemporary creatives from German Pixel-Art Collective eBoy; Franco-Japanese-Spanish design duo Icinori; Italian Artist & Illustrator Lorenzo Mattotti; French Graphic Novelist Nicolas De Crécy; and Swiss Artist Thomas Ott — each scarf pays tribute to LV’s four-petal bloom, an element of the signature monogram. The vibrant results explore the theme of the flower within the context of the brand, inventively reinterpreting it, bringing new perspectives to the maison’s iconic codes and rich heritage. The luminous scarves work equally well framed as fine art. The fashion house first invited artists to use their scarves as a canvas in The Silk Road Collection back in 1987; US.LouisVuitton.com. — Zelda Grant
Haute Transformation
Avant-garde luxury handbag brand Piper & Skye partnered with contemporary Miami artist Gustavo Oviedo to launch Harmony Of Controlled Chaos, a limited-edition collection of accessories made from Amazonian pirarucu fish leather. In this new collection, the artist transforms some of the brand’s most popular styles into one-of-a-kind pieces of wearable art, including the brand’s award-winning Lola Crossbody Handbag and Braemar Tote, which he subjected to various types of material experimentations, including his signature organic spray-painting techniques, to highlight the duality of the handbags as pieces of collectible art and an everyday accessory. The exhibition is presented by The Miami Art Society and it will include over 20 new paintings, ceramics and collages created by the artist, alongside the launch of his latest art book, Tropical Brainstorm. Piper & Skye’s collaborative collection with Oviedo will be on display among the artwork, as symbols of the harmony between art and utility that is a cornerstone of the collection; PiperAndSkye.com. — Kaya Baez
Visionary Rhythms
Growing up playing the violin in orchestras and chamber groups, Birgitta Strobel always had a unique world of figures, lines, dots and bright colors shifting in her inner eye while listening to music. Born with synesthesia, she perceives sounds as colors, creating a unique artistic experience. Everything she finds in music, such as rhythm, tone, emotion, lines, movement, contrasts and sensitivity, she sees in the visual arts. Her large-scale, colorful and abstract acrylic paintings, on display at Lina Cerrone Gallery in Wynwood, play with light, particularly showing nature and landscapes in a mix of colors, as perceived by her depending on the natural light and time of day. “I particularly enjoy playing with light effects such as the use of mother-of-pearl shimmer mixed with iridescent metallics that provide fascinating reflections,” she says. “My paintings seem to change their expression and color-intensity during the day and according to what kind of light bulb is used.”; LinaCerroneGallery.com. — Sandy Lindsey
In Focus
Born in Cali, Colombia, Mauricio Buitrago discovered his passion for cartooning at an early age. After graduating from high school, he began exploring ways to bring his drawings to life using handcrafted cardboard and foam, which led him to design window displays for local retail stores. His talent quickly gained recognition, and he was soon engaged in multiple projects creating props for major events across the city. Eventually, he landed in Miami for an editorial opportunity that launched his career in the U.S. In 2005, inspired by pop artists like Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Chuck Close, he began a new artistic journey by combining his skills in acrylic painting, wood crafting, and digital imagery to create unique pixelated works of art that capture celebrities, animated characters, iconic figures, and abstract compositions. “I create art that combines texture and color to bring visual experiences to life,” he says. “In the process, I unite hearts and minds across cultures through art that speaks a universal language, transcending borders and backgrounds.”; MauricioBuitrago.com. — Photos by Martín Elfers
Boundless Talent
As a world-class incubator of the arts, The Betsy Hotel will light up its orb with site-specific work by [dNASAb] as part of the City of Miami Beach’s grondbreaking “No Vacancy” arts programming. Other featured works include Everglades photography by Mac Stone; reimagined embroidered portraits by Sonia Hamza; rare images of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones by Bob Bonis; candid pics of life on Ocean Drive in the ‘70s and ‘80s by Andy Sweet; and photography of the collars of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Elinor Carucci. The event will also celebrate musicians with Art of Miami Jazz Past & Present, a series of throwback performances at the hotel’s iconic The Piano Bar; Dec. 1-6; TheBetsyHotel.com. — Sandy Lindsey
