Photos and Highlights of the “Ciudades” Opening Reception
l to r: Isabelle Lambert, Alicia Restrepo (Curator and Etra Fine Art owner), Anaide Govaert
Miami, FL…December 2, 2019…Etra Fine Art located in
Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood (also known as Little River Art District)
held a highly successful Opening Reception of Ciudades, a
multimedia art exhibition. The event was attended by clients and a steady
stream of art lovers over the course of a four hour, open house style event.
Artists in attendance were Juan Raul Hoyos
(Miami/Colombia) and Jorge Olarte (Miami) and throughout the week will
be present along with Andriy Halashyn (Kiev) and 2501 (Milan.)
The exhibit is curated by Etra Fine Art owner, Alicia
Restrepo. She has had a long career as gallerist originally in New York
City and then moved to Miami shortly after Art Basel arrived in the Magic City.
Restrepo has gracefully weathered the real estate changes over the years and
changed location to adapt accordingly: from the Design District (before it was
a luxury retail destination); Wynwood; and now Little Haiti/Little River Art
District.
Apart from Hoyos, Olarte, Halashyn and 2501, the other exhibiting artists are: Ana Maria Gutierrez (Bogota); Valeria Yamamoto (Buenos Aires); Francis Hines (New York); and André Cypriano (Rio de Janeiro.) Also on view are videos by Hoyos and 2501; poetry and essays by Elizabeth Rogers; and music, La Ciudades by Astor Piazzolla.
Ciudades, a multimedia exhibition made up of
paintings, music, an installation, sculptures, photography, videos, poetry and
essays will open for special hours during Miami Art Week (Art Basel) and close
on Tuesday, January 28, 2020. 6942 NE 4th Ave, Miami, FL 33138,
www.etrafineart.com, info@etrafineart.com, 917.370.2907.
Etra Fine Art Presents, Ciudades
Art Basel Miami
Closes: Tuesday, January 28, 2020
During Miami Art Week (December 3-6): 11 am to 5 pm, Tuesday to Friday and other days by appointment.
Top Art Fairs: The A-Z of Where #MyArtEscape Will Be.
It’s my favorite time of the year! I have all of my press credentials in place, am reading voraciously about art, art installations, events and VIP soirees. The trickle of incoming press releases has become a flood, and I’ll soon be swimming through miles of art. Hooray, Art Basel aka Miami Art Week is (almost) here!
Without delay, below is the A-Z of where I’ll be. Read all the way to the end because I’ll recall a couple of the past VIP events that I’ve had the good fortune to attend. You may also wish to follow my daily, Art Basel Instagram stories for highlights of each fair and a couple of special events.
Note: I’ve scaled down my art fair trekking from last year’s 10 fairs. As much as I’d like to see it all, I was art oversaturated and no shoes or running prep could condition me for that much walking.
I really don’t understand people who say that they won’t go to Art Basel like it’s some kind of art fair boycott against the 1%. Sorry, but Art Basel is the OG of international art fairs. Maybe you can’t afford to buy anything, but why would you pass on an opportunity to see a new work by huge artists like Anish Kapoor, Yayoi Kusama or my favorite American artist, Nick Cave?
Dates:
December 5-8 at the Miami Beach Convention Center
Global
focus: 269 leading galleries from across the world to exhibit, with 20
galleries joining the fair for the first time
18th
edition and 500,000 square feet of exhibition space
Meridians:
A new sector located in the Grand Ballroom of the Miami Beach Convention
Center. Curated by Magalí Arriola will bring together around 30 projects that
push the boundaries of a traditional art fair layout.
Day
Ticket: $65.00; Students and Seniors $45.00
Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139 | www.artbasel.com/miami-beach
I said it last year and I’ll remind you again, Art Miami came first! It’s a sophisticated and intellectually stimulating art fair. You’ll find just about all of the highly collectible and blue chip artists’ work sought by wealthy collectors that you would find at Art Basel. Art Miami also makes great efforts to spotlight Miami galleries, museums and artists. Support local!
Dates:
December 3-8 at the Art Miami pavilion in Downtown Miami
Milestones:
Returning for its 30th edition, Art Miami is recognized as one of the preeminent international
modern and contemporary art fairs, Art Miami will showcase an array of iconic
and important art works, dynamic projects and special installations from more
than 170 international galleries from nearly 22 countries representing 69
cities.
The
Platinum VIP Preview on December 3rd will benefit the Perez Art
Museum Miami.
Adult
Admission $55.00; Seniors $35.00; Students (12-18) $35.00
The Art Miami Pavilion, One Herald Plaza @ NE 14th Street, Downtown Miami. On Biscayne Bay between the Venetian & MacArthur Causeways | www.artmiami.com
Sister to Art Miami, here’s the perfect example of supporting local and emerging artists. I love this fair and most of the art is affordable for people like you and me. They offer some great programming too and I’ve enjoyed in the past, sitting down and listening to one of their talks. Looks like this year guests can enjoy visual performance art.
Dates:
December 5-8
Held
at the Aqua Hotel in South Beach, the unique setting (open courtyard and rooms
transformed into art exhibition spaces) has become a favorite gathering
spot for collectors, curators and art lovers to discover fresh talent and
acquire new works while exchanging cultural ideas and forming meaningful
connections.
Milestones:
Presenting its 15th year and last year recorded the strongest sales
and attendance to date.
Adult
Admission $25.00; Seniors and Students $20.00
Aqua Art Miami at the Aqua Hotel, 1530 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33139 | www.aquaartmiami.com
If I’m not staring at new works by Porky Hefer
at Southern Guild, you’ll find me swooning over very expensive ceramics or an
Armani Casa living room. A girl can dream right? Since I love sculpture,
functional art (and I know artists and designers hate that term) makes so much
sense. I want to fill my house with objects that I can touch and maybe use now
and then.
Dates:
December 4-8
Updates: Design Miami will take place
for the first time in the newly completed Pride Park with its entrance directly
facing Art Basel at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The reconfigured fair
tent will have a glass façade at the entrance to house the new Design Forum
presented by SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design.) Occurring alongside Art
Basel in Miami and Switzerland, Design Miami/ has become the premier venue for
collecting, exhibiting, discussing, and creating collectible design.
Now
in its 15th edition, Design Miami 33 galleries and 14 Curio presentations from
13 countries, including three galleries exhibiting for the first time.
I really love NADA (New Art Dealers Alliance)
too. Maybe’s it’s the Ice Palace’s interior black walls and curated gallery
spaces that make me feel like I’m walking through Soho on an autumn day. These
curated spaces appeal to the intellect, but don’t feel shy to ask questions.
There are millions of artists and you can’t know them all.
Dates:
December 5-8
Presenting
its 17th edition, NADA will showcase a
diverse selection of local, national, and international galleries with 136 exhibitors
representing 56 cities from 25 countries. The
fair continues to grow in the 17th edition, welcoming 28 first-time
exhibitors and 71 NADA Member galleries.
Adult
Admission $20.00; Seniors and Students $10.00
Last year was my first year at PULSE. I must
admit, it’s a little out of the way and parking is not easy. Yes, you can do valet
at the Eden Roc if you’re okay with the fee. However, don’t let that stop you.
You have options: shuttles run between the main fairs and you can park further
south and take a rideshare. The galleries are worth any little inconvenience.
Dates:
December 5-8
Milestones:
Celebrating its 15th anniversary and announced its new fair
director, Cristina Salmastrelli. Visit over 60 globally-renowned galleries and
artists. New this year is PULSE Perspectives, a dual language programming
series presenting talks and tours in English and Spanish. Find a variety of
programming and also a wellness lounge and restaurant in partnership with Eden
Roc/NOBU Hotel Group.
Here’s a great fair for young collectors and who can resist the location right on the South Beach sand? You’ll find works that are bold and gutsy, rich in statements about society and the many complications that we face today.
Dates:
December 4-8
Returning to Miami Beach for its 19th
edition, SCOPE will welcome 134 diverse contemporary exhibitors featuring The New
Contemporary, a genre that stands as a critical contribution to both global
politics and local community engagement. New to the pavilion this year is
OASIS, an experiential multidisciplinary program located in our expanded
Atrium. OASIS will present daily programming featuring large scale
installations, music performances, and panel discussions while continuing our
long-standing commitment to wellness.
If I had to choose a favorite art fair, UNTITLED, ART would be it. I really enjoy visiting galleries that focus on curation. The Untitled team is made up of curators, designers and architects providing not only an overall cohesiveness in the quality of galleries it selects, but in the fair design itself. It’s a pleasant and stimulating place to be. The natural light flows in through the skylights. I just love how each gallery is set back differently and the concept is open – not boxy like other fairs.
Dates:
December 4-8
Find a collection of 126 international
galleries and nonprofit spaces from 28 countries and 57 cities make up the 2019
roster, carefully selected by Artistic Director and Curator Omar López-Chahoud.
Here’s a look back at some of the events I’ve attended in past years.
Albedo by Tomas Saraceno for Aerocene Opening Brunch | Art Miami 2018Pharrell Williams Private Concert at 1 Hotel South Beach 2019Perrier Jouet Champagne Dinner at Leynia, Delano Hotel (South Beach)Jeff Koons Unveils Ballerina and Pluto andProserpina at Oceana Bal Harbour
Put on your comfy and stylish shoes and I’ll see you there!
Read my past and future published articles here and follow @AllegoryPR #MyArtEscape for daily Art Basel, Miami Art Week updates.
As I am writing this blog post, the Instagram hashtag Yayoi
Kusama (#yayoikusama) has 850K related posts and @yayoikusama_ (which I presume
is the artist’s official Instagram) has 31.3K followers. There’s plenty of
unofficial accounts and a variety of Yayoi-ish hashtags. Search Yayoi Kusama
news on Google and you’ll find 40,400 results. Switch to “All” and there will
be more than 7 million results.
It’s infinite and that’s
Yayoi Kusama.
There’s nothing that I can write that hasn’t been written
before about Kusama, who has lived through a turbulent, personal history for
nine decades. Today, I can only relate my personal experience and it was a
magical one!
I adore polka dots and my daughter’s first Easter outfit was a navy blue dress with white polka dots. The hat had a matching fabric sash. I loved it and she hated it. I tried for all of her preschool years, to force polka dots on her, but failed.
Before even knowing anything about Yayoi (can we be on a first name basis?), I was drawn to one of her pumpkin sculptures at a gallery participating in Art Basel Miami. A man looked at it pensively while I wondered what he was thinking.
A couple of years ago a friend recommended to see a
documentary about her life. I did plan to watch it, but it got bumped off the
long list of things to do. Over time, I would hear other Yayoi murmurs and
rather than research, I would just recall those dots.
Then, recently I received an email that I must go see All the Eternal Love I Have for the Pumpkins at the ICA Miami. Without thinking twice, I purchased two tickets for $30.00 for myself and a friend, and squeezed that one minute experience, which I might add entails a 2.5 hour round trip car drive, into my busy schedule. Yes, if you are blinking at the last sentence: it translates to $15.00/person for a 60 second, solo view of Yayoi’s Infinity Mirror Room.
In order to prepare for the visit, I finally watched Kusama: Infinity and I suggest you do the same.
Connecting the Dots
Between that first work of art that I saw to some last minute research, I gained a compassionate understanding of Yayoi Kusama’s life and career. To think that at ninety years old, she walks to her studio almost every day and meticulously and obsessively creates dots on canvas or other two or 3-D mediums, fascinates me. Her therapy became#MyArtEscape.
It was reported in January, 2018 that over 75,000 people visited With All My Love For The Tulips, I Pray Forever at David Zwirner in New York. At ICA Miami, they receive 20 people per thirty minute time slot and hundreds line up on Thursdays when entrance is free.
I imagine during Art Basel/Miami Art Week attendance will skyrocket.
Multiply those figures by the amount of people who will visit any of the Infinity
Rooms around the world, from today until a closing date of probably never,
means that Yayoi’s artistic legacy will be limitless.
Buzz Lightyear said, “To infinity and beyond” a remark
embraced by children and adults alike. How often do you see Facebook posts, “I
love you to infinity and beyond?” Infinity is the fictitious place (or non-place
to be exact) that we dream to reach.
For Yayoi, infinity may once have been a location to escape like fields of flowers or an infinite reflection of polka dots, but now it’s eternal hope for her and us all.
And, as we make the most out of our 60 seconds, immersed in that infinite field of spotted pumpkins, we can reach Instagram immortality by the click of our iPhone. Or, if we leave our phone behind (which I plan to do next time), our imaginations will be forever sealed in that magical spot/polka dot.
Our earth is only one polka dot among a million stars in the cosmos. Polka dots are a way to infinity. ~ Yayoi Kusama
Featured Interior
Designers Reveal Mood Boards and Room Concepts
Fort Lauderdale,
Fl…November 11, 2019…It’s a great
time to think about design and get the house ready for the holidays at the Fort
Lauderdale Home Design and Remodeling Show! Find over 150,000 square feet of exhibition space
filled with home remodeling and décor products and services, daily seminars and
feature areas.
The designer rooms showcase
is a long-standing Home Show tradition. This popular feature area is designed
to give homeowners ideas and inspiration, so that they can transform a part or
all of their home into a comfortable space that expresses their personal style.
Learn how working with a professional can help put all of the ideas together in
a timely and cost-efficient way.
Home Show Designer Room Vignette by Michael Zavala of Zavala Concepts for the Miami Home Show 2019.
Last week, the featured Interior Designers submitted their mood boards and room concepts and will each transform a 12×20 drywall space into a room which expresses their artistic style.
All are invited to see the
final results and meet and discuss design and décor at this feature area from November
22-24, 2019 at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Broward County Convention Center.
The selected designers are:
Viviana Galetto (Viviana Galetto Designs); Perla Lichi (Perla Lichi
Design); Renan Rodriguez (RoZu Design Solutions); and Michael Zavala
(Zavala Concepts):
“Designers are creative
people – artists,” explains Perla Lichi (ASID.) “When given a blank canvas with
no restrictions, such as the Home Show vignette, we can show off our style and
actually push the edge beyond what a client might want. Most actual client work
requires a more conservative approach. The Home Show booth allows me to show
off my love of color and how we use different elements to know what colors will
work and what colors won’t work. We hope it also shows clients who also love
color, like me, not to be afraid of going bold!”
Lichi’s Retro
Kalaidescope living room will have a holiday theme. Her repertoire includes
projects in her home base in South Florida and throughout the USA, Canada, the
Caribbean Islands, Central and South America, as well as in Europe, the Middle
East, Africa and Russia. Her firm’s motto is “We set the stage. You live the
dream” and works with a client’s taste, budget and individual needs.
Renan
Rodriguez will create a bachelor’s den using colors olive green, white, black
and brown with wood accents and natural stone accents. Rodriguez has over 20
years of hands-on experience with furniture, fabrics, natural elements, colors
and culture. He is fluent in the process of working with owners and contractors
from the floor plan, creation process, management and installations to the finishing.
Viviana
Galetto will reveal a sophisticated living room working with dark greens and
gold accents. She has spent over twenty years transforming spaces into balanced
compositions of color, light and style. She provides a wide variety of services
that include interior design, color consultation, professional organization,
DIY classes, event decoration, space planning, event and home staging.
Michael Zavala will create a
dining room that draws from nature: dark wood, forest green, and charcoal with contemporary
furniture and fixtures. Out of his desire to provide his clients with a
one-on-one direct design experience, Zavala works closely with his clients to
discover an individualized creative design solution that meets both their
functional needs and their desire for an inspiring and comfortable atmosphere
in their living-space or work-space.
Ready to Renovate, DIY
or Organize?
Enjoy weekend seminars with
special guests including:
Learn the “5 Rules of Renovation” with Carter
Oosterhouse of Trading Spaces and The Great Christmas Light Fight
at 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 23rd and 2:00 p.m. on
Sunday, November 24th. Oosterhouse’s
expertise in green-building solutions and eco-friendly designs makes him one of
the most relevant and sought after lifestyle experts today.
Galey Gravenstein, a DIY Designer and Instagram Influencer who has acquired a following
of over 500,000 DIY fans in less than three months, will discuss how she built
her design empire.
Beth Levin,
aka Closet Queen® who has been featured on HGTV’s Mission:
Organization! will present, “Closet Envy: How to Organize Like the Pros.”
For a complete schedule,
visit www.homeshows.net and follow on social media for updates @FLHomeShows
#FLHomeShows. Purchase tickets online by Thursday, November 21st and SAVE
$3.00. Admission: $10.00 adults; $1.00 children 11 and under, available online
and at the Box Office.
Fort Lauderdale Home Design and Remodeling Show
The Greater Fort Lauderdale Broward County Convention Center
About This Town by Artez | Calle de Fuencarral 31, Madrid
Puerta del Sol, Madrid
A brief visit to Puerta del Sol in Madrid was Instagram
worthy, but crowded with shoppers. The stores were mostly American and there
were the familiar fast food restaurants. I was disappointed.
About This Town by Artez
However, my eye caught sight of this colorful mural. “About This Town” depicts a girl holding a pile of books with a bird and its birdhouse balanced on top. There’s a plant behind her or maybe she’s holding that too. The eye happily travels up and away from the crowded street to appreciate the blue sky above.
Born in Serbia, Artez painted this mural in four days to be a part of the 2019 Urvanity Art Fair. On his website, he explains: “This mural tells us the story of Madrid, a place where visitors from all around the globe are welcome to come and enjoy the vivid artistic and cultural content that this city has to offer. Positioned in the very centre of the town, this mural creates a contrast with the pedestrian shopping street in which it is located. Instead of carrying shopping bags, girl depicted on the mural is holding a pile of books important for the history and culture of the city, and a plant with a small birdhouse that is inviting all the “birds” to come and feel like home!”
A closer look reveals the title of one book Miau by Benito
Pérez Galdós (considered to be one of Spain’s most famous writers since Cervantes)
and another references the painter Francisco Goya. Possibly this reference is a
commentary about the maladies of society.
I would say that a deeper reading surfaces from Artez’
mural. Possibly, the tourist should spend more time getting to know Madrid’s
history and culture. Or, maybe it’s the Spaniards
who should pay more attention to Madrid which may be selling its soul to the
tourist industry. Who knows?
In any case, she’s my soul sister. I’ll give up shopping bags for a pile of books any day. And, if my nose isn’t in a book, I’ll be birdwatching with my zoom lens pointed to the sky.
El hombre de pensamiento descubre la Verdad; pero quien gozan de ella y utiliza sus celestials dones es el hombre de acción.
~ Benito Pérez Galdós
The man of reflection discovers Truth; but the one who enjoys it and makes use of its heavenly gifts is the man of action.”
Fort Lauderdale, FL…November 5, 2019…The Fort Lauderdale Home Design and Remodeling Show returns for fall on Nov. 22 – 24, 2019 to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Broward County Convention Center. Headlining the show will be lifestyle expert and craftsman, Carter Oosterhouse of TLC’s “Trading Spaces” and ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight.” Oosterhouse provides green-building solutions and design alternatives that conserve energy and reduce environmental waste to each renovation project. He will present, 5 Rules of RenOVATION! at 2 and 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24.
With cooler temperatures approaching and in anticipation of holiday family gatherings, the Fort Lauderdale Home Show will offer show-goers an opportunity to find thousands of choices, the latest interior design trends and special savings on everything needed to start home décor or renovation projects.
The Show also offers weekend feature areas and seminars designed to help owners learn design tips and improve quality of life at home:
• Designer Room Vignettes by South Florida Interior Designers, Viviana Galetto (Viviana Galetto Designs); Perla Lichi (Perla Lichi Design); Renan Rodriguez (RoZu Design Solutions); and Michael Zavala (Zaval Concepts)
• Let’s Try and DIY with Galey Gravenstein a DIY Designer and Instagram sensation @galeyalix
• Closet Envy: How To Organize Like The Pros. Meet Beth Levin, Closet Queen®, a Golden Circle member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) who has been featured on HGTV’s “Mission: Organization”!
• Today’s Market and Tomorrow’s Future in Real Estate. Explore the latest market stats with Jeffrey Levine, President of the Realtors® of the Palm Beaches and Greater Fort Lauderdale, for a fresh outlook on where the market is heading as we enter 2020.
• Kids Creative Critter Corner by STEAM/Environmental Education Program, Broward County Parks and Recreation.
• Property Tax Savings Exemptions with Marty Kiar, Broward County Property Appraiser
• Your Money & Your Mortage: Insights and Solutions presented by Merrill Lynch/Bank of America’s Carolina F. Benzadon, CFP®, CPFA, Financial Advisor, Senior Portfolio Advisor; and Roy Mandke, Wealth Management Lending Officer, NMLS ID:982922, Bank of America
For information and updates, visit www.homeshows.net and follow on social media for updates @FLHomeShows #FLHomeShows. Purchase tickets online by Thursday, November 21st and SAVE $3.00. Admission: $10.00 adults; $1.00 children 11 and under, available online and at the Box Office.
Fort Lauderdale Home Design and Remodeling Show
The Greater Fort Lauderdale Broward County Convention Center
Miami, FL…October 3, 2019…The Italian Wine School based in Miami, Florida is pleased to announce that it will offer
the first course certified by Vinitaly International Academy (VIA): Maestro
Italian Wine Course certification study program. Designed for wine industry professionals and
aficionados, the eight session course will distinguish itself from other wine
certifications in that it not only provides a comprehensive look at the major
wine producing regions in Italy, but will delve into learning about indigenous
grapes and wine regions not commonly discussed.
Italy has 500+ wine regions and to date, 590 officially recognized
native wine grape varieties which sums up to more varieties than France, Spain
and Greece combined.
The Maestro Italian Wine Course will provide groundbreaking
materials which wine industry professionals can use when crafting their wine
lists. That is a key tool in communicating to clients and will offer a new and
different narrative.
“The Maestro Italian Wine
Course will expose a wealth of unknown information which they can in turn,
present to their clients,” states Stefano Campanini, Italian Wine
Ambassador and founder of the Italian Wine School. “Through the digital
landscape, VIA is providing updates on industry developments by the minute.
This will be key to crafting a broad wine list and communicating a new and
different narrative. As a Vinitaly Italian Wine Ambassador, I must constantly
be out in the field rather than just inside a textbook. It’s my objective to help
people navigate through this labyrinth of Italian wine with the most current
information and curated selections.”
Course Information
The Italian Wine Maestro course is the intermediate level from the
Vinitaly International Academy (VIA). A number of outstanding students from the
VIA Maestro course may be eligible for direct entry to the VIA Ambassador
Certification Course.
The complete course consists of 24 hours of lessons and tastings
and is divided in 8 sessions of 3 hours each and concludes with a written exam
and tasting component.
Introduction: families and groups and focus on Italian sparkling
Piedmont’s native grapes
Native grapes of and Valle d’Aosta
Native grapes of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino-Alto Adige
Native grapes of Liguria, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany and Umbria
Native grapes of Le Marche, Abruzzo and Puglia
Native grapes of Lazio, Campania and Calabria
Native grapes of Sicily and Sardegna
The sessions
included guided tastings of 85 wines representing the best producers and every
region, while also exploring culture, history and regional food.
The first session will take place in January, 2020 and costs
$895.00. Students who successfully pass the Italian Wine Maestro level course
and wish to further their study may apply to enroll in the rigorous VIA study
program held annually in Verona and abroad, wherein students pursue either the
Ambassador or Expert credentials.
Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) aims to be the gold standard
of Italian wine education. VIA offers a complete educational path with
standardized courses that will teach professionals and educators to master the
diversity of Italian wine in a rigorous, organized manner. VIA’s main objective
is to foster a global network of highly qualified professionals such as Italian
Wine Ambassadors and Italian Wine Experts: in turn, they will support and
promote Italian wine throughout the world. VIA’s ecosystem comprising the main
institutional bodies and associations in the Italian wine industry strives to
be the conduit between the leading players in the Italian wine scene and
international professionals.
There are currently three levels of certification available
through the VIA program:
Italian Wine Maestro
Italian Wine Ambassador
Italian Wine Expert (VIA’S Highest Qualification Level)
About Stefano Campanini, IWA
Founder of Italian Wine School, Stefano Campanini is one of the
216 Italian Wine Ambassadors representing 33 different countries and one of
only twelve people to receive the Italian Wine Ambassador pin of the
thirty-nine people who wrote the exam in New York this past June.
Campanini ’s discerning palate was cultivated in his birthplace,
Parma, Emilia Romagna named by Forbes: “Italy’s Greatest Gastronomic Treasure”
and has travelled extensively in different wine regions. He has a strong expertise in French and
German wines. Campanini’s dream of sharing pleasure at the table began in 2011
when he opened Wine by the Bay. Since then, it has quickly become recognized as
one of South Florida’s leading Champagne and boutique wine stores and was most
recently awarded Wine-Searcher Gold in Overall and French lists in Miami. “Wine is an education and not just a drink,”
he’ll say while handcrafting a ‘tale of wine cities’ to both novices and
aficionados alike.
Miami, FL…October 7, 2019…Etra Fine Art
is pleased to announce its Art Basel Miami/Miami Art Week exhibition, Ciudades.
This multimedia exhibition will be made up of paintings, music, an installation,
sculptures, photography, videos, poetry and essays. Etra Fine Art will hold an
Opening Reception for Ciudades from 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. on Sunday,
December 1, 2019 and have special hours during Art Basel. Etra Fine Art,
6942 NE 4th Ave, Miami, FL 33138, www.etrafineart.com,
info@etrafineart.com, 917.370.2907.
Alicia Restrepo, Curator and
owner of Etra Fine Art, uses the cities as symbols, differently represented by
world known artists, to stimulate a dialog over the most pressing issues of
today. In fact, cities are a descriptor of today’s sacrifice of natural
resources, centers of communication, synthetic containers of our history, a
confluence of religions, languages and ideologies; technology and alienation coming
from it; social iconography, migration, selfishness and egoism.
Different expressions about the subject will create an interesting
dialog between artists from diverse representative cities of the world such as
New York, Milan, Kiev, Bogota, Miami, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, among
others.
Ciudades will include works by:
Paintings
Andriy Halashyn (Kiev)
Juan Raul Hoyos (Miami)
Ana Maria Gutierrez (Bogota)
2501 (Milan)
Installation
Juan Raul Hoyos (Miami)
Sculptures
Valeria Yamamoto (Buenos Aires)
Juan Raul Hoyos (Miami)
Francis Hines (New York)
Photography
André Cypriano (Rio de Janeiro)
Videos
2501 (Milan)
Juan Raul Hoyos (Miami)
Music, Poems and Essays
Ciudades, fundadas para odiar
Ciudades, tan altas, ¿para qué?
Ciudades, cada vez de pie
Ciudades, al polvo volverán
Music arrangement: Astor Piazzolla- Buenos Aires; Lyrics: Horacio Ferrer – Buenos Aires; Vocals: Amelita Baltar – Buenos Aires
The haunting and powerful, La Ciudades by Astor Piazzolla
(Argentina) (that will be played as part of Ciudades,) not only
highlights the literal connection to the exhibition’s theme, but will serve as
a celebration of Piazzolla’s career who faced intense criticism for breaking
tradition to create a nuevo tango (new tango.)
Restrepo will also have excerpts from poetry and the essay,
“Transhumance” by Elizabeth Rogers, Critic, writer, Harvard-Radcliffe,
B.A. Yale University, M.A. East Asian Studies, M.F.A. Poetry Director, Tibetan
Museum of Art, New York, displayed alongside some of the works.
2501, “Untitled (Triptych)”, ink on linen, 15 x 10 ft
2501 (Jacopo Ceccarelli) began his
career as a street artist when only 14 years old. He would continue to develop a
new style which combines wall painting, painting on canvas, sculpture,
installation, photography, video, and documentary. With respect to his work in
relation to Ciudades, he states: “Nature has been ingested and hidden in
the cracks of the city, in the abandoned factories, in the discarded buildings,
in the shantytowns, in the landfills, along railroad tracks. It survives solely
in the spaces of the collapse of policies and memory.”
Juan Raul Hoyos, Compound: Installation of 513 recycled paper bags; serigraphy/silk screen painting; 500 x 500 cm; 2009-2010
Juan Raul Hoyos’ installation, Compound is currently on view at Narrativas y Procesos Del Arte Contemporáneo De Medellín/Colombia presented by Fundación Rozas-Botrán. In addressing the theme of Ciudades (cities) Oscar Roldan Alzate, Curator and Director of The Museum University of Antioquia -Colombia writes of Hoyos’ work: “To build, to install, to destruct, to dismantle, to arrange, to reassemble, to reorder, to project, to build, to reform, to modify, to deform, to form, to demolish: these are the collective actions that recall the image of ‘CITY.’ Beyond its execution we have seen the birth, the upbringing, and the disappearance of civilizations, empires and towns.”
Ana Maria Gutierrez, Carrera 11 2015 , wall fragments from Bogota, mounted on canvas, 57 x 84″, 145 x 214 cm
Ana Maria Gutierrez takes pieces of posters found on the walls of her city, Bogota, Colombia and reinterprets them to form a new narrative. She says, “Each piece is composed of fragments of our urbanity, which come together in a masterful wall. A wall that invite us to get out of the obvious and to think of the capacity that we, as human beings, have to transform our environment and leave a mark in history.”
Additional Images and Artist Information By Request.
About Etra Fine Art
Now located in Little Haiti (Little River Art District) and
previously rooted in the renowned Miami Design District for nearly 10 years and
Wynwood for two years, Etra Fine Art focuses on representing and promoting a
wide variety of mid-career and established international artists whose work
represents modern and contemporary styles. The gallery exhibits paintings,
drawings, prints, sculptures, photography and installations that reflect
progressive concepts while incorporating traditional and non- traditional
materials. Because of its location at the crossroads of the Americas and
Europe, Etra Fine Art has made it a priority to connect artists and collectors
from both regions.
In addition to promoting and exhibiting artists, Etra Fine Art
works with private collectors, corporations and interior designers to build
collections by researching, locating, acquiring and installing an array of
artwork.
Alicia Restrepo graduated in Economics first and Art later, and
has been in the art business since 1983. She was recognized as co-owner of one
of the most important galleries in Soho in the eighties and nineties, before
moving her business to Miami in the early 2000’s.
It’s Foodie Friday and unlike last week, I’ve eased back
into routine ready to tackle deadlines and a long ‘To Do’ list. Although the
memory is far from my taste buds, through the joy of social media I can savor
and share with you another yummy experience.
Speaking of social media, I have a love/hate relationship
with it. While for years I’ve valued its marketing potential, affordability and
used it long before many others did (and nah nah to all of those people who
thought I had nothing else to do with my time), I feel it imposes on private
me.
Our decision making in so many ways, is formed by social media, whether you’re a: ‘I’ve got nothing to hide’ user like me who likes, comments, follows and unfollows every day: or those silent stalkers (what I like to call them), who claim they don’t have time or like social media, but have an active account and silently watch what everyone is doing all of the time. Which one are you?
While preparing for the trip to Spain, I turned to YouTube rather than reading travel blogs because after spending a whole day reading and writing, it was nice to just let pictures and sound fill me with information. Plus, how great is it to know that there’s so much more to watch about travel than Rick Steve’s Europe? A lot of my travel decisions were influenced by Devour Tours co-founder James Blick and wife Yoly. The two of them are so cute, so if you are not familiar with their YouTube channel, Spain Revealed, check them out!
Because of all the hype, I was debating whether or not to visit tourist infiltrated, Mercado de San Miguel. If you read my last blog post, you’ll know that I greatly enjoyed visiting the humble, Mercado Anton Martin. However, since I planned to visit the Royal Palace of Madrid and Plaza Mayor anyway, I figured that a good lunch stop would be nearby, Mercado de San Miguel.
Note: For me, Google Maps did not work in Madrid. Whether, it was tech ignorant me or because everything in Madrid is an abundance of circles (or maybe squares,) using my phone for directions seemed to get me where I needed to be, four times longer than it should have. After two days of trying, I just parked the phone and relied on remembering landmarks and talking to people. Besides, the old fashioned way is so much nicer. Get your face away from the phone and enjoy getting a little lost because asking for help in Madrid, seems to always turn into a nice, five minute conversation.
Like I said in my last blog post, it’s good to enjoy getting comfortable with standing room only and that’s all you’ll get when you visit Mercado de San Miguel. However, that is a large part of the experience. Food and social gatherings are synonymous in Madrid. And while millions of us share our food experiences on social media to connect with others, here is the ultimate, in person, communal opportunity. The energy is impressive and contagious. Although they must answer the same questions every few minutes, the vendors treat each customer courteously and share their joy of food with speed and efficiency.
And when eating in Madrid, as the travel experts also claim, you can find great quality food and better prices elsewhere. Unless it’s something you really can’t do without, I suggest you avoid those 15 Euro tapas. However, to not go would be a shame. Plus, here’s a place where it’s totally okay to pull out your camera and capture every moment — just be courteous of others who want to get up to the counter just as much as you because they’re hungry. Things move very quickly and I greatly enjoyed this rhythm and pace. Don’t miss it!
Amaiketako
Tip: You can buy a glass of wine (or another libation) and walk around with it to as many stops as you like. Just don’t linger and eat at a stand where you didn’t buy any food. The outer perimeter of the market is lined with a glass counter with enough space for your small plate and glass. Again, elbow room only makes for a great social experience and ‘yum’ is the international language!
Here’s some of the highlights:
La Hora del Vermut
La Hora del Vermút: If you know me, you know that I don’t really drink. Ha, you may exclaim after checking out my Instagram. Me and alcohol don’t really get a long, so I limit even the amount of wine I drink and it’s consumed almost always with a meal.
I must thank James Blick for having me try something new. Spanish Vermouth is a must-try when in Spain and I had a dry option with some delectable olive tapas at La Hora del Vermut. Make it your first stop.
La Casa del Bacalao: Unless you hate fish, you must visit La Casa del Bacalao. Aesthetically pleasing and flavorful, try a variety and you’ll be satisfied with a nice selection of tapas for about 10 euros total.
Morris
Mariscos Morris: I know the next time that I return to Spain, I’ll be visiting Galicia. If for some reason, you can’t make it there either at least you can get a little taste of what can be expected of Green Spain’s culinary landscape at Mariscos Morris. The plates shown above (which are more like a meal portion, rather than a tapa) are 12-15 Euros each.
El 19 de San Miguel
El 19 de San Miguel: Speaking about Galicia, my glass of Vermut is long gone and it’s time for wine! Less than elbow room only, it amazed me how the nice folks at El 19 de San Miguel were able to still keep a lively conversation going on, while serving up glasses of wine and Cava. I loved the Albariño from Rias Baixas (Galicia.) It was a bit more than the other whites at 4.50 Euro, but worth the extra (and wine is still much cheaper by the glass than it is in the US.)
Tip: Buy a bottle for no more than 40 Euro (and most offered are much less) and split it with your friends or make new ones! Remember that you can carry the bottle and your glass around with you.
Amaiketako
Amaiketako: Yes, there is much more at Mercado de San Miguel than seafood, but that day I was indulging my pescatarian doppelgänger. Amaiketako began three years ago as an online store specializing in artisanal products from the Basque country. Try the Gazpacho with Ahi Tuna bits and garnished with watercress. I’ve forgotten the prices of each tapa, but I’d say about $3.50 average.
Horno de San Onofre
Horno de San Onofre: For just 2.50 Euro you can end (or begin) your San Miguel experience with a rich and creamy meringue. You’ll never go back to those crunchy and messy blobs of egg whites again. Or for 1 Euro more, find happiness on a plate with one of their Milhojas.
Café Negro: Your last stop should be a coffee to get you through the next part of your uphill and downhill day in Madrid. You’ll enjoy and value the choices at Café Negro because it’s no secret: it’s hard to find a good cup of coffee in Spain.
Tip: Save one of your receipts to get you into the restroom, otherwise you’ll have to pay.
“Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what’s for lunch.” ― Orson Welles
Until next time, know that it’s okay to eat ‘for the gram’ because you’re part of a worldwide community united in one of life’s greatest past times. However, find balance and opt more to enjoy the day’s unrecorded and flavorful moments with friends, family or even strangers – standing room only.
@AllegoryPR #MyArtEscape
About Mercado
de San Miguel: More than 100 years have gone by since the Mercado de
San Miguel opened its doors as a wholesale food market. Today, this historical
building stands out as one of the world’s main gastronomic markets. It allows
visitors to experience the essence and most significant flavors of every corner
of Spain.
It’s #FoodieFriday and what better way to recover from the
post-vacay blues than to indulge in a tasty flashback?
I intentionally planned a late morning arrival time in Madrid, so I could throw in a load of laundry and go out for lunch aka tapas/early happy hour. “Que viva España!” — after spending five days in Madrid, I have concluded that it may be “five o’clock somewhere,” but in Madrid it’s five o’clock, 24 hours a day! (No joke. Go experience it for yourself.)
Like many of you, a lot of planning goes into a vacation. Some people fill each minute with an itinerary so hectic that by the time the vacation is over they’re exhausted. Me? I have a few criteria: (1) try to stay somewhere where I can experience life as a local; (2) there has to be art nearby; (3) I’m near a local and authentic food market; (4) it’s totally possible to walk to just about anywhere I’d like to be; and (5) there’s a window or terrace with a view if I want to read or must do some work.
I may talk about the Airbnb apartment in Barrio de las Letras some other time, but if you need a great place and can afford a little more than what people expect to pay for a vacation home through this popular site, visit this link. Shout-out to Teresa who had made my first Airbnb experience a perfect one.
Mercado Antón Martín
While travel sites and YouTube place much more emphasis on the popular Mercado San Miguel (I may write about it later,) Mercado Antón Martín is a great place to experience day-to-day life in the center of Madrid. Support local and avoid the convenience and grocery stores.
Note: There’s another market called Mercado de San Antón in the Chueca neighborhood. I popped in quickly, so I can’t give any first-hand information. It seems more chic and gourmet than Mercado Antón Martín, but not as Instagram moment-touristy as Mercado San Miguel.
At Mercado Antón Martín, you’ll find a traditional market and the early morning rush of Señoras planning that evening’s meal and grocery shopping European style that is – no Costco versions of stocking up here. And then when the butcher and seafood stalls are being washed up before closing, the market transforms into a lunchtime eatery and as the afternoon progresses, you guessed it…Happy Hour!
While circling around figuring out where to stop, one unassuming stall stood out to me as looking authentically Spanish, Donde Sánchez Cosas Rica. Owner Paz Sánchez is unpretentious and very passionate about wine and food. She prefers to say,“cosas ricas” rather than gourmet, just adding to the homey atmosphere. Quality though is not compromised and she did not hesitate to open a bottle, just so I could try something on my “regions to discover” note saved on my phone.
Tip: Enjoy the social scene and be like a local who doesn’t care for a seat or table. Stand and get comfortable with elbow room only.
Then she quickly pours the wine with a little introduction, darts off to attend another customer and then disappears (if it’s even possible to disappear in a small space) to her prep counter and returns with a plate of something yummy (cosas ricas.) “Try this,” she says in Spanish. “I just made it today” and she sets down a generous serving of bacalao (salt cod) pate. Paz is so cheerful and warm that you feel like you’re sitting in her kitchen at home. She explains that she used to have a career which had her traveling a lot, but wine is her passion and she is much happier with this business. In between glasses of wine and anecdotes, she disappears again and comes back with Escabeche of Iberia Secreto. When I saw Iberia Secreto on a menu in Granada, I just presumed it was just a cute name. However, Paz explained that Secreto is a special cut of pork. Read more here.
I asked her what dish would best be paired with the Mencia and she laughed teasingly as if to say, you can’t handle bold Spanish wine like a Spaniard? However, after a pause to think, she disappears again and comes out and says, “try this” while setting down a small plate and then introduces me to aged chorizo and cheese from the same area of Northwestern Spain. To me, the partnership made perfect sense and I was anxious to wash the bites down with the wine and ask for a refill.
Note: When I return to Spain, it will be to Galicia.
Four glasses of wine later and stomach full, I felt like a true Madrileña! When I left Paz said, “Come back when I’m less busy and I’ll sit down and teach you a lot more.” Unfortunately, I couldn’t return until the day before I had to leave and that day Donde Sánchez was packed. I waved, but I don’t think she saw me because she was too busy pouring wine with a smile and preparing “muchas cosas ricas.”
“The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.” ~ Julia Child
Until next time, let accidents happen and lick your plate clean.
@AllegoryPR #MyArt Escape
Donde Sánchez Cosas Rica is a retail store and bar specializing in wines, craft beers, sparkling wines, vermouth, cold meats, cheeses, pate, preserves, chocolates, jams.
Find it on the lower floor of Market Antón Martín
Santa Isabel, 5 28012 Madrid
Tue – Fri 12:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Sat 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Postscript: It doesn’t cost to drink or eat well in Spain. Paz’ store is not only a great experience, but great value. She’ll introduce you to wines that don’t break the bank, but are unique and from all areas of Spain. Her homemade tapas are delicious. Eat there and/or takeaway. Check her schedule for special guests and entertainment.
