Above: VantaBlack installation view at The Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami
When it comes to Black art, you can count on Miami Art Week to have everything you’re looking for. Whether it’s the work of a well-renowned artist or a local muralist that you’ve never heard of, Miami Art Week has it all.
You’ll probably notice that this is a large list, and you may even be overwhelmed with all of the choices and the geographic locations that are available. You literally can drive for an hour from Coral Springs Art Museum to view work by Miami native Christina Nicola to Homestead to participate in the Artz 305 art fair created by Commissioner Kionne McGhee. You even can enjoy international art in Opa Locka at The Art of Transformation, enjoying celebrity chefs and viewing work by Abdoulaye Konaté.
The key to enjoying the week is to use this guide and map to focus on at least one major fair, one museum and to explore one historically Black neighborhood (especially if you’re from out of town). Art Week Miami is not only the perfect time to explore new ideas, but to support the work of the world’s best creatives, some of whom live in our backyard. Onajide Shabaka is at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center. Mark Fleuridor is showing at YoungArts Foundation as well as Oolite arts’ well-received Caribbean show, Miami is Not the Caribbean. Yet It Feels Like it. And Chire Reagans is at New World College. These are just a few of the local artists representing Black artistic excellence during this week.
International Black artists are in town, too. They are being showcased, often at more than one exhibition. Broaden your horizons with international artists at Untitled Art Fair to buy Nigatu Tsehay’s work at Addis Fine Art Gallery, or view Simone Leigh’s Trophallaxis at PAMM. Visit the number one Black art fair in the United States, Prizm Art Fair to buy work from N’Namdi Gallery or Prizm’s curated work featuring Deborah Jack, Francisco Maso and La Vaughn Belle; go to the Betsy Hotel to see work by Nadia Huggins.
Another exciting part of Art Week Miami is the opportunity to run into international artists having lunch at local neighborhood restaurants, such as Clive’s Jamaican Restaurant in Little Haiti, dancing the night away with your favorite sculptor at a hotel, or just reveling in the kinetic energy of the week.
This year, I’m excited to see work by three contemporary artists of Haitian descent: North Miami’s Didier William displaying work as his first solo museum show at MOCA North Miami, Kathia St. Hilaire at NSU Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale, and Hervé Télémaque at ICA Miami. Art Basel Miami Beach is our recommended spot for must-see galleries such as Rele Gallery based in Lagos/Los Angeles, Marian Ibrahim Gallery from Chicago/Paris and Jenkins Johnson Gallery, Brooklyn, New York/San Francisco.
Plus, Art Basel features at least five galleries owned by Black women, always a reason to celebrate this week. I also plan on visiting Housing at New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) to see Taína Cruz. Realistically, no one can attend every event, but you can use this guide to create a schedule that helps you support Black artists.
Art Fairs
Above: Carrie Mae Weems. Vinson, 2021. Courtesy the artist, Galerie Barbara Thumm and Jack Shainman Gallery.
Private showing: Nov. 29-30
Open to the public: Dec. 1-3
Miami Beach Convention Center
1901 Convention Center Dr.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
The fair that brings art collectors from all over the world. Miami Beach will feature 255 galleries from 30 countries and territories. It will be accompanied by a conversation series. There are several galleries showing work by Black artists. And there are galleries from the African continent to support, including Afriart Gallery, Goodman Gallery, Stevenson Gallery, etc.
Nov. 30 ̶Dec. 4
Various Locations
Art Beat Miami is an annual satellite art fair presented by Little Haiti Optimist Club and Welcome to Little Haiti, showcasing emerging and renowned artists from Haiti and around the world. Art Beat Miami in-person galleries will be accessible from Nov.30-Dec. 4 and online from Nov. 30-Jan. 31. Visit artbeatmiami.com for details.
Prizm Art Fair: Vernacular À La Mode
Nov. 29-Dec. 11
Main Fair: Design District | 4220 N. Miami Ave.
Global/Borderless Caribbean Pavilion | Little Haiti Cultural Center
212 NE 59th Terrace
Miami, FL 33137
PRIZM returns with its long-awaited in-person format to celebrate its tenth-anniversary edition, taking place from Nov. 29-Dec. 4,, and virtually from Nov. 29-Dec. 12. A preview for the fair’s patrons will take place from Nov. 25-28.
PRIZM Art Fair 2022 will be available for online viewing through prizm.art and Artsy.net. Film screenings and PRIZM’s panel program will be available through the fair’s website and in person at our satellite partner venue, the Little Haiti Cultural Center.
To celebrate PRIZM’s 10th anniversary year, PRIZM presents Vernacular À la Mode, curated by William Cordova, Marie Vickles, and Mikhaile Solomon, with presentations by select galleries and artists. Vernacular explores how vernacular modes of artmaking originating in global African contexts have influenced the cultivation of fine art practice worldwide.
Prizm 2022 will traverse Miami’s urban core with its Main Fair located in the Miami Design District at 4220 N. Miami Ave. and its Global Caribbean Pavilion Satellite located at the Little Haiti Cultural Center in partnership with the Little Haiti Cultural Center and the Haitian Cultural Arts Alliance.
Their holistic program includes four sections: Prizm Panels, Prizm Perform, Prizm Film, Prizm Preview, and, of course, Prizm Art Fair at large, exhibiting international artists from Africa and the global African diaspora. Those featured include Dudley Alexis, Alexis Alleyne-Caputo, Kimberly Becoat, La Vaughn Belle, Leonardo Benzant, Jeremy Biggers, Kimberly Camp, Christa David, Francks Deceus, Mark Delmont (Artlovetrap), Alanis Forde, Yrneh Gabon, Napoleon Jones-Henderson, and Latoya Hobbs. Gallery exhibitors are
- BADG
- Art | Melanated
- Chrystelle Mabli
- Daisha Board Gallery
- Filo Sofi Arts
- Heather Carter Fine Art Services
- KZNSA
- NDR NW Mgmt
- N‘Namdi Gallery
- Nubuke Foundation
- Ujamaa Arts
- Tewasart Gallery
Above: GafarOluwabori, Stand by Me.
Nov. 29-Dec. 3
Ocean Drive & 13th Street
Miami Beach, FL 33139
Untitled Art Fair returns this year with a diverse offering and is curated by Natasha Becker, Miguel A. López, Estrellita Brodsky and José Falconi. In conjunction with their publication, Slow Looking: These Views Are Our Tools, published by Childish Books and an online presentation, Lukaza Branfman-Verissimo will invite people to cut a “view” from provided postcards and printouts, explore the fair through a unique lens, and bring their viewfinders outside to discover new ways of slow-looking and deep investigation of the surrounding area.
A takeaway map of landmarks and spaces in Miami that center Black, queer, and diasporic history will be provided as an educational tool and guide for exploration.
Shango | Digital Throne at Untitled Art is the third iteration of conceptual artist Yelaine Rodriguez’s immersive altars. In collaboration with Mare Residency Founder Tiffany Auttrianna Ward, this version will incorporate digital offerings to Shango from various Afro-diasporic artists working within video art.
Saints Step in Kongo Time is a visual meditation on the untold history of artist and storyteller Adrian Burrell’s family using film, oral histories, primary sources and photography. The film weaves through time and place, from Burrell visiting the land stolen from his ancestors to the family’s archival footage from East Oakland, California in the 1990s to the present day, showcasing their resilience and fortitude.
Nov. 29 – Dec. 4
801 Ocean Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139
Scope Art Fair leads when it comes to accessible art, art technology and experiential exhibitions. This year is no different. The Miami Beach iteration always features African diaspora artists. This year, make it a point to go to Black-owned Knowhere Gallery to purchase works by Black artists.
Nov. 30-Dec. 4
318 NW 23rd St.
Miami, FL 33127
September Gray – Fine Art Gallery, Ephraim Urevbu, and Scott Jeffries are among the many exhibiting at Red Dot/Spectrum Miami. With the only Two Fairs Under One Roof venue, Spectrum and Red Dot offer a world-class experience for art enthusiasts during Miami Art Week. Celebrating the world’s most progressive portfolios by today’s elite artists, galleries and emerging talents.
Opa Locka Community Development Corporation
The Art of Transformation
Africa Becoming Panel Discussion
December 1-Dec. 4, Opa-locka ARC
490 Opa-Locka Blvd.
Miami, FL 33054
OLCDC transforms this chocolate city to a location to showcase their art collection such as work from Hatian art masters and Mali’s Abdoulaye Konaté. Celebrity chefs will be on site so you can have dinner after viewing world class art. Also, An Africa Becoming Panel Discussion is slated to address techniques and aesthetics informed by West African traditional practices and how the arts have played a transformative role in local communities.
Moderator: Tumelo Mosaka (South Africa/U.S.),
Artist: Abdoulaye Konaté (Mali) and Viyé [Vita] Diba (Senegal)
The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
Nov. 30-Dec. 2
Maison AfriKin (Near Opa-Locka Executive Airport)
655 Ali Baba Ave.
Opa-locka, FL 33054
AfriKin Art 2022 will use art to transform the historical Moorish-inspired neighborhood of Opa-locka with The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born. The annual art exhibition during Art Basel Miami Beach / Miami Art Week highlights “Black Art in a Black City.”
The exhibition features an array of international, emerging and mid-career artists of acclaim from the world stage and ancillary programming created for art lovers and most sought after by collectors and curators. The artists assembled in this exhibition have defied their otherness to enter mainstream art history. They ask, “In whose eyes am I not beautiful?”
Nov. 30, 7:00 p.m. VIP Opening AfriKin Art 2022: The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born
Dec. 1, 7:00 p.m. Film Screening: The Price of Everything
Dec. 2, 7:00 p.m. Curatorial Panel Issues in Contemporary African/Diasporic Art: Curating the Black World
Dec. 3, 7:00 p.m. Black Women and Leadership
Dec. 4, 7:00 p.m. The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born—Dance Performance. A new way of being—A new manner of seeing. “A people’s art is the genesis of their freedom.”
Hampton Art Lovers
Point Comfort Art Fair + Show at the Historic Ward Rooming House
Nov. 27-Dec. 6
Historic Ward Rooming House
249 NW 9th St.
Miami, FL 33136
Point Comfort comprises an art exhibition and Indaba Lounge Series at the Historic Ward Rooming House and Gardens. Point Comfort provides a platform for African American masters of American fine art at Miami Art Week, providing inestimable exposure to an international audience of art professionals, collectors, lovers and patrons of the arts.
Taina Cruz
Nov. 30-Dec. 3
Spotlight Conversation with Joeonna Bellorado-Samuels
Dec. 2, 2:00 p.m.
1400 N Miami Ave.
Miami, FL 33136
Join New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) for a special event celebrating the third iteration of Curated Spotlight, made possible by TD Bank. This year’s Curated Spotlight section was curated by Joeonna Bellorado-Samuels, director of Jack Shainman Gallery and founder of We Buy Gold—a roving gallery presenting exhibitions, commissioned projects and public events.
For this event, Bellorado-Samuels will be in conversation with four gallerists who are included in the Curated Spotlight section: Chela Mitchell (Chela Mitchell Gallery), Ali Rossi (Olympia), Paige Wery (Tierra del Sol Gallery), and Graham Wilson (Swivel Gallery).
Black-owned gallery HOUSING will be exhibiting at NADA as well with Taína Cruz, presenting post-internet aesthetic scenes of maroons traversing the Dismal Swamp alongside black kettle cauldrons and sorceresses playing with snakes in her first stateside solo exhibition. Drawing upon ancestral knowledge and the modern influences of growing up in Harlem, Cruz incorporates and remixes contemporary imagery with ancient wisdom to create her dynamic and Creole visual language, unlocking new modalities of magic.
The CONTEXT Art Miami Pavilion
Nov. 30-Dec. 4
One Herald Plaza at NE 14th Street, Downtown Miami
On Biscayne Bay Between the Venetian & MacArthur Causeways
CONTEXT Art Miami, presented by Art Miami, has announced its 10th edition. The fair, which continues to create and push boundaries in the conversation about contemporary art, will showcase works from 75 innovative galleries from more than 20 countries, including Nigeria, Japan, Turkey, Australia, France, South Korea and Chile, among others. Expect work from Derrick Adams at Surovek Gallery, Belkys Ayón at Cernuda Arte, and Hebru Brantley at Corridor Contemporary. Context Art Miami will kick off during Miami Art Week with an invitation-only VIP preview on Tuesday, Nov. 29 and run through Sunday, Dec. 4.
Above: Shenequa, Bronze Woman.
Nov. 30-Dec. 4
Suites of Dorchester
1850 Collins Ave.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
A great way to start your original collecting is by starting with works on paper. It can be less expensive but still valuable. Ink Miami is a great place to view works dedicated to work on paper. Stop by Island Press for pieces by Julie Mehretu.
Dec. 2-4
Homestead-Miami Speedway
One Ralph Sanchez Speedway Blvd.
Homestead, FL 33035
For some art lovers, an incredible art festival can be a genuinely enlightening experience. Art Festivals allow them to encounter great artworks while investigating new, rising works of art and styles. Powered by Commissioner Kionne McGhee, South Miami-Dade residents will enjoy the opportunity to immerse in the culture during Miami Art Week. Explore family-friendly exhibitions.
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey
Dec. 3, 7:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m.
Loan Depot Park
501 Marlins Way
Miami, FL 33125
Art, Beats + Lyrics (AB+L) started as a local art show in Atlanta and has grown to support visionary artists and musicians who value authenticity, creativity and individuality. These amazing creators are at the core of AB+L mission to create unique art experiences that help move the culture forward. Art, Beats + Lyrics is proud to have showcased hundreds of visual artists from across the U.S. and has featured acts including Snarky Puppy, Teddy Riley, Mansions On The Moon, Kendrick Lamar, and Shock-G.
Galleries and Art Spaces
Above: Didier William,Twa Manman, twa kouwon.
Sugarcane Magazine Presents: Molasses
A Conversation with Didier William and
Dr. Kymberly Pinder from the Yale School of Art
December 2, 20200 2PM
Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami
770 NE 125th St.
North Miami, FL 33161
Our new series, Molasses, kicks off with a conversation with artist Didier William and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Dean of The Yale School of Art Kymberly Pinder, Ph.D. Didier is a world-renowned artist from South Florida. We spend time discussing his art and career trajectory.
Saatchi Yates
Nov. 22–Jan. 2
35 NE 40th St.,
Miami, FL 33137
Saatchi Yates is showing a powerful solo exhibition of new paintings by contemporary Ethiopian artist Tesfaye Urgessa, opening on Nov. 22 at the gallery’s temporary space in the heart of Miami’s Design District. Recognized for his unique intertwined subject matter that recalls representations of race and the politics of identity, Urgessa’s new body of work will see him dive deeper into this subject with 15 new paintings, marking some of his largest works to date.
On view from Nov. 22-Jan. 2, Urgessa’s show will be housed at Saatchi Yates’ temporary gallery space next to the Institute of Contemporary Art and De La Cruz Collection. The show will coincide with the artist’s presentation at the Rubell Museum, Miami.
The Harvesters
Nov. 27-Dec. 4
2100 Collins Ave.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
In this solo exhibition, Jamilah Sabur weaves a series of interconnected works that confront the labor of extraction, positioning the embodiment of physical labor and the mining of geological materials alongside extreme global weather patterns, metaphysics and planetary atmospheric shifts. Sabur examines climate change, particularly long-term changes in temperatures and weather patterns, as an expression of geological rhythms and economies. The exhibition offers viewers a glimpse of the tenuous cultural and geographic connections that knit together and demonstrate a basic metaphysical human truth: humanity goes beyond material capital.
Nina Chanel Abney : Big Butch Energy
Nov. 28–March 12
61 NE 41st St.
Miami, FL 33137
Nina Chanel Abney:Big Butch Energy features a new installation by Nina Chanel Abney, whose works in painting and sculpture use dynamic color and form to draw viewers into complex narratives. Through frequently reduced, cubistic and highly charged painterly symbols, Abney references radical traditions of graphic design and street art to communicate urgent political and cultural realities with immediacy to the largest possible audience. In these latest works, Abney explores how gender perception and performance are inspired by the legacies of social ritual and the circulation of visual culture.
Denzil Forrester: We Culture
Sept. 24–April 13
Denzil Forrester: We Culture brings together 20 paintings and a dozen drawings from the artist’s first seven years of production—1978-1985. One of the preeminent British and Caribbean painters of the last few decades, he increasingly has become an important influence on generations of younger artists.
Hervé Télémaque
Nov. 28–April 30
As one of the preeminent painters of the postwar period, with an artistic output that spans grotesque figuration to Pop Art to assemblage, The late Télémaque has been at the forefront of a number of modes that characterize contemporary art. Hervé Télémaque, 1959–1964 examines the very beginning of his practice, exploring a period of turbulence for the artist, both artistic and existential.
Trophallaxis
Until Feb. 12, 2023
1103 Biscayne Blvd.
Miami, FL 33132
Trophallaxis, on view until Feb. 12, encapsulates Simone Leigh’s emphasis on the female body—particularly the Black female body—as a culturally loaded signifier. The presentation marks the first time this work is shown since it was acquired for the museum in 2018 with funds provided by PAMM’s Collectors Council. The title references a scientific term that describes the behavior of adult social insects as they transfer nourishment from their own bodies to the collective’s larvae—a significant gesture that entails cooperative care and communal labor.
Above: Dudley Alexis, Prayers at the Gate.
Vernacular, Vènakilè, Asụsụ Obodo: À La Mode, NOULA Basel, Coming Home: Sacred Land
Nov. 28-Feb. 28, 2023
Opening Vernissage: Dec. 2, 10:00 a.m. ̶12:00 p.m.
Sundays Closed
212 NE 59th St.
Miami, FL 33137
The Little Haiti Cultural Complex, in partnership with the Haitian Cultural Arts Alliance and PRIZM Art Fair, presents contemporary art exhibition programming that centers the history of Afro-diasporic peoples with a special focus on the Caribbean and Miami as central points in the Global South.
Vernacular, Vènakilè, Asụsụ obodo: À la Mode, is curated by Marie Vickles and Edouard Duval Carrié with support from Mikhaile Solomon and William Cordova, NOULA BASEL, is presented by NOULA WorldWide, and Coming Home: Sacred Land is presented by IPC ArtSpace.
In conjunction with Vernacular, Vènakilè, Asụsụ obodo: À la Mode, the Little Haiti Cultural Complex will host workshops, special events, lectures and performances that emphasize and support the power of expressive authenticity and a commitment to highlighting the culture of the African diaspora.
The Front Room Exhibition
Nov. 18-Jan. 13
Panel Discussion: Dec. 7, 7:00 p.m.
New World Gallery
25 NE 2nd St.,
Miami, FL 33132
Christina Friday, Loni Johnson, and VantaBlack invite you to come home: a place of comfort, of safety, of raw intimacy, where one can be right or wrong and called out on it while never being put out. As you enter through the doorway, you’ll be transported to a place of belonging, where deep roots hold fast to the memories that spark connection across the most staple gathering place for the culture—The Front Room.
Together, these three artists use their distinct multi-disciplinary practices to erect and consecrate a space that centers liberation from the deep social practice of self-containment and self-negation. A house is nothing but walls. However, a home is an intimate space that frees us from the labor of adaptation while also using arrangement to guide interaction. The arrangement acts as a mirror, reflecting our placement and interaction with the world. Their collective work of material practice produces a place of reconciliation as we navigate through identity and memory. Curated by Pamela “Zee” Lopez Del Carmen.
Didier William: Nou Kite Tout Sa Dèyè and VantaBlack: To What Lengths
Didier William: Nou Kite Tout Sa Dèyè, Dec. 3 – Apr. 26
VantaBlack’s To What Lengths, Oct. 14 – Jan. 20
Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami
770 NE 125th St.
North Miami, FL 33161
Didier William: Nou Kite Tout Sa Dèyè
The first major solo museum exhibition for the artist will feature over 40 paintings and a newly commissioned sculpture. Nou Kite Tout Sa Dèyè connects the artist’s personal experiences of growing up in North Miami, the precarity of Black life in America, the urgent longing for Black joy, and the affirmation of Black queer humanity. Guest curated by Dr. Erica Moiah James.
Chire Regans VantaBlack: To What Lengths
This new public art commission is comprised of a monumental sculptural installation on the MOCA plaza featuring larger-than-life-sized braids and seating. This replicates a living room speaking to the Black cultural tradition of hair braiding.
November 20-April 23, 2023
One East Las Olas Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Kathia St. Hilaire, Lux et Veritas
NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale presents the first solo museum exhibition of South Florida artist Kathia St. Hilaire (b.1995, West Palm Beach, FL). St. Hilaire’s work portrays tender images of family gatherings, children at play, celestial bodies, scenes of death, and distinct Haitian iconography. Her visual language is enhanced by the ornate, textured surfaces on which these images appear. Also on view,Lux et Veritas explores a transformative period in contemporary art by focusing on a generation of artists of color who attended Yale School of Art for graduate studies between 2000 and 2010. The exhibition’s title alludes to Yale University’s motto, Lux et Veritas, which translates from Latin to “Light and Truth.” In the context of this exhibition, the title references how these artists thought with critical complexity about their work and their movement through institutional structures.
First Frequency
Nov. 29-Jan. 22
The African Heritage Cultural Arts Center
6161 NW 22nd Ave.
Miami, FL 33142
Amadlozi Gallery at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center presents First Frequency, an African diaspora art exhibition created by Bayunga Kialeuka. First Frequency showcases works displaying the First People of Knowledge. Exhibitors include Boris Anje, Precy Numbi, Sesse Elangwe, Nicole Grace, Kingtsey, Aurelia Djena, Hako Hankson, and more.
If These Streets Could Talk:— An Historic Exploration of Black Miami
Dec. 1-Dec. 3
The Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater Cultural Arts Complex
819 NW 2nd Ave.
Miami, FL 33136
If These Streets Could Talk: A Visual Exploration of Black Miami is an exhibit dedicated to telling the true and remarkable story of Black Miami, from the bygone days of incorporation to the revitalization of the decade. A tribute to Miami’s pioneer families, the exhibit explores the origins of the city, the development of Colored Town and its heyday, and the stories of the people who lived here. Guests will walk through visual representations of the fight for civil rights, the impact of integration and Interstate 95 on a once bustling community, “Black flight” from the gutted neighborhood and its subsequent struggles with police abuse, health epidemics and gentrification.
Sunshine featuring works by Mark Fleuridor
2100 Biscayne Blvd.
Miami, FL 33137
Monday–Friday 2:00–6:00 p.m.
Thursday 2:00–8:00 pm.
Or by appointment: lmunera@youngarts.org
During Miami Art Week
Nov. 28–Dec. 3, 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Dec. 4, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
On view through Dec. 10
Inspired by ancestral lineage and the subtropics, Miami native Mark Fleuridor (2015 Visual Arts & U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts) creates layered reconstructions of family, friends, home spaces and tropical plants to arrive at abstracted environments that investigate the underlying theme: the cycle of life.
Co-curated by acclaimed artist Derrick Adams and YoungArts Associate Curator Luisa Múnera, Sunshine explores the progression of Fleuridor’s body of work and the narratives that emerge from his quilt-making, collages and watercolors.
Above: Work by Christina Nicola
Christina Nicola
I Want To Be Wonderful
Dec. 3
2855 Coral Springs Drive
Coral Springs, FL 33065
Nicola’s reflection on psychological and physical autonomy invites viewers into a visual psychosis of her semi-autobiographical exploration of the femme identity. The works navigate her internal dilemmas, acting as a visual archive of her ever-evolving identity in real time. She simulates the deconstruction of her identity as she masterfully layers colors, textures and mediums to replicate the shadowing depths of the skin’s undertones. For Nicola, I Want to Be Wonderful is a declaration of intent: not simply to be in existence but to claim her existence.
CAPTURE: A Portrait of the Pandemic
Stories of Resistance from Black Miami: From Civil Rights to BLM
History Miami
101 West Flagler Street
Miami, FL
33130
CAPTURE: A Portrait of the Pandemic features images taken by Rahsaan “Fly Guy” Alexander, a native of Miami who has spent the past 15 years as one of the city’s most sought after club DJs. The selections shown by HistoryMiami Museum will be a visual representation of what Miami has experienced since March 2020. Along with the photography, the exhibition will also showcase Rahsaan’s short documentary film PIVOT: A 2020 Story; an introspective look at how he rekindled his passion for photography.
Stories of Resistance from Black Miami: From Civil Rights to BLM
The lasting impact of the Jim Crow era has inspired a history of significant racial justice efforts led by Black Miamians. As a supplement to Black Citizenship, HistoryMiami Museum curated Stories of Resistance from Black Miami, an oral history project co-created by the museum and individuals involved in past and contemporary movements, explores Black Miami’s long and ongoing struggle, resistance, and resilience in response to racial injustice. The diversity of Miami’s Black communities, including African Americans, Haitians, Bahamians, Afro-Latinos, and others allows Stories of Resistance to feature culturally diverse perspectives on the trajectory of racial justice efforts in Miami from the 1950s to the present. The exhibition will feature interviews from notable activists in Miami including Thelma Gibson, Betty Ferguson, and Lonnie Lawrence.
Miami is Not the Caribbean. Yet it Feels Like t.
Until Dec. 11
924 Lincoln Road, 2nd Floor
Miami Beach, FL 33139
As part of its 2022 Fall exhibitions, Oolite Arts presents a group show that explores the presence and influence of Caribbean culture in Miami. The exhibition, curated by Danny Báez, asks artists of Caribbean heritage for their answers to questions that include whether Miami can be considered a Caribbean city and whether life in Miami reflects the cultures of its Caribbean diaspora.
Artists featured in the exhibition include:
- Destiny Belgrave
- Kim Dacres
- Mark Fleuridor
- Amanda Linares
- Jeffrey Meris
- Na’ye Perez
- Bony Ramirez
- Monica Sorelle
- Cyle Warner
Originally from the Dominican Republic, Danny Báez is a New York-based cultural facilitator who is the co-founder and director of MECA International Art Fair in the Caribbean; co-founder and board member of the ARTNOIR Collective; founder of REGULARNORMAL, a communal gallery space in New York, and member of the Young Collectors Board (CNTMPRNS) at El Museo del Barrio. He is also a board member at New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) and International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP); and an advisory board member of Future Fair in New York.
Markenzy Julius Cesar: Flesh and Water
Opening Solo Exhibition
Dec. 1, 6:30–9:30 p.m.
Haitian Heritage Museum
4141 NE 2nd Ave., #105c
Miami, FL 33137
During Art Basel, Art Week, the Haitian Heritage Museum presents a solo exhibition, Flesh and Water, by artist Markenzy Julius Cesar. In an era where “Black beaches” are long gone or on the cusp of extinction to facilitate driving waves in the real estate market, artist Markenzy Julius Cesar explores our interconnectedness with water as individuals and as communities through his work. His artistic expression emerges through oil on canvas and embodies his passion for water and how vital it is to our human existence.
T. Eliott Mansa: Room for the living/Room for the dead
3852 North Miami Ave.
Miami, FL 33127
Locust Projects presents Room for the living/Room for the dead, a new, site-specific, commissioned project by Miami-based artist T. Eliott Mansa. This will be the last installation in the Project Room before Locust Projects relocates to Little River. The exhibition opens to the public during Miami Art Week with a Meet the Artist Reception on Tuesday, Nov. 29 from 7:00-9:00 pm and is on view through Feb. 4. Admission is free.
The immersive and interactive installation merges the concept of Florida family rooms as a home’s casual, social hub for gathering, entertainment and play with that of less-used living rooms that served as shrines for treasured family photos and heirlooms. Inspired/influenced by the artist’s friend and writer Noelle Barnes’ living room and the artist’s own memories of sunken living rooms of the 1970s, the artist considers the cultural phenomena of the living room as unlived, unoccupied, untouched spaces that children and guests were prohibited from using.
Special Projects
Dec. 1, 8:00 p.m.–12:00 a.m.
1635 North Bayshore Drive
Miami, FL 33132
$297–$497
Miami-based curator and art advisor Ludlow Bailey, managing director of CADA (Contemporary African Diaspora Art) and Kellee Baker, attorney and founder of BAYE (Black Art Yacht Experience), have come together to stage a cutting-edge, exciting and innovative art experience designed to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of Black global creatives and to provide a platform to discuss key issues concerning the flourishing CADA sector.
The evening will showcase the exceptional sculptures of world-renowned artist Basil Watson, a photo exhibition featuring Togolese American photographer Tabi Bonney (curated by Erik Pettie), along with works by Ya La’Ford, George Gadson, Yrneh Brown and St. Lucian artist Jallim Eudovic. Contemporary urban artist Kandy Lopez will provide live portraits during the event.
Our onboard “Art Talk” will include a panel discussion by some of the world’s leading experts on CADA, contemporary African diaspora art.
The evening’s entertainment will feature jazz, AfroBeats and Caribbean music, along with a performance by celebrated hip hop violinist “Marvillous Beats.” Artist Derrick Grant will present a fashion show with wearable art. There will be a special appearance of Bordeaux-based African model and actor Amine Sunnyday.
Hors d’oeuvres, a dinner buffet and an open bar will complement the evening.
The yacht will remain docked from 8:00 p.m-10:00 p.m. and set sail from 10:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m.
Dec. 4
65 NW 21st St.
Miami, FL 33127
Full Set Society invites you to stop by their pop-up house on Sunday, Dec. 4, during Soul Basel weekend. The daylong pop-up, hosted by Full Set Society, will feature surprise live performances, an exclusive gallery experience featuring artwork by premiere Black and Brown artists and friends of “The Set,” and riveting chat-backs with local and national culture makers across every art form.
William Kentridge
The Head & The Load
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
Dec. 1–3
1300 Biscayne Blvd.
Miami, FL 33132
Presented by the Arsht Center for three days only during Miami Art Week 2022, William Kentridge’s The Head & The Load invites audiences directly onto the Lynn Wolfson stage of the Ziff Ballet Opera House to be immersed in a powerful story about Africans in World War I. With the wings and backstage of the opera house reconfigured to become a site-specific performance space large enough to accommodate this monumental work, the audience will take its place directly onstage for a once-in-a-lifetime theatrical experience.
Immediately following the Saturday matinee performance, there will be a 30-minute conversation with show creator William Kentridge, his collaborators and cast members from the production. Audience members will learn about Kentridge’s creative process and Africa’s role in the First World War.
Germane Barnes: Rock | Roll
Mid-November Onward
140 NE 39th St.
Miami, FL 33137
The Miami Design District has awarded Miami-based architect and designer Germane Barnes the 2022 Miami Design District Annual Design Commission. Barnes’ installation, Rock | Roll, is a multifaceted installation that draws on the vibrancy of Miami Carnival to honor the BIPOC communities that contribute to Miami’s polyethnic culture.
Barnes designed a series of massive, whimsical capsules that rock back and forth when activated by users and feature vibrant colors reminiscent of Carnival’s feathered costumes and the city’s water-friendly lifestyle. With a nod to steel drums and Soca music, Barnes also designed wind chimes, hundreds of which will be hung in the neighborhood’s trees. Fabricated by ALT BLD, there also will be a free-floating dome reminiscent of a giant disco ball. Suspended overhead and animated by light and sound, the structure will serve as an anchor to a communal and lively commission.
Above: Cornelius Tulloch, Passages Installation
AIRIE Art + Environment Summit
Dec. 2, 10:00 a.m. ̶2:00 p.m.
The Carter Project
3333 NW 6th Ave.
Miami, FL 33127
On Dec. 2, AIRIE is bringing the Everglades to the excitement of Miami Art Week at the inaugural AIRIE Art + Environment Summit. The series of conversations and an immersive installation focus on how artists engage diverse audiences in environmental issues and make the outdoors a space of belonging for all.
In partnership with the Women Photographers International Archive (WOPHA), the event will highlight artists delving into discussions and narratives of identity, climate activism and ecological futures through their artistic practices.
Veo Veo, I See I See, Mwen Wè Mwen Wè
The Lawson E. Thomas Law Office Building
1021 NW 2nd Ave.
Miami, FL 33136
The goal of Veo Veo, I See I See, Mwen wè Mwen wè is to create a campaign that engages the Overtown community and greater Miami-Dade County by showcasing the work of mural artists and oral history excerpts while using technology to create fun, immersive educational experiences. This mural wall project will illuminate Overtown’s history and community through the lens of the artists, culminating in a celebration in November. Lawson Thomas was Miami-Dade County’s first Black judge, who presided over the only purely racially segregated court system in the United States known as the “Negro Municipal Court.” The mural, known as Mojo, was created by artist Anthony Reed II and pays homage to this important place and its history.
Zeal Collective: Who Owns Black Art? Vol. 2: Repair. Heal. Thrive
Dec. 1
Various locations
Zeal Collective returns to Miami with a series of events aimed at owning our culture. Join the West Coast-based group on Dec. 1 for:
11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. Healing Installation at Roots Collective Black House w/ Soundbath and Other Healing and Wellness Supports
2:00-6:00 p.m. Remy Rouge Culture Center hosts Exhibition Collector’s Hours at Dunns Josephine Hotel
Dec. 2:
10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Remy Rouge hosts Exhibition Collector’s Hours at Dunns Josephine Hotel
2:00-3:00 p.m. Reparations: Reckoning, Return, and Reclamation Panel at PRIZM Art Fair—Little Haiti Cultural Complex featuring Danny Dunson, Jojo Abot, Marie Vickles, moderated by Allen Kwabena Frimpong
6:00-9:00 p.m. Closing Networking Reception & Happy Hour for WOBA at Dunns Josephine Hotel, sponsored by Arkive and Ingenious Gin
1440 Ocean Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139
The Betsy-South Beach, one of the preeminent global arts hotels, announces exhibits for Miami Beach Art Week 2022 curated by Betsy co-owner Lesley Goldwasser that feature works by Black artists, including photography by Tamary Kudita (Zimbabwe), Nadia Huggins (Trinidad/Tobago) and a mixed media collection by Ray Tenorio (Cuba). Also announced is the premiere of a dance work by Peter London (Trinidad/Tobago).
The Betsy Hotel is well-regarded for programs and partnerships that paint a portrait of Miami, both old and new, by embracing diversity through artist selection, subject matter and cultural framework. Since 2018, The Betsy has focused exclusively on global photography in all but one of its nine public galleries; the remaining gallery features the work of emerging artists working in sculpture, painting, illustration and mixed media.
Partners that have worked with The Betsy to champion artists of color include Prizm Art Fair, Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator, Bernice Steinbaum Gallery, James Danzinger Gallery, Yossi Milo Gallery, Museum of Art and Design, Centro Cultural Espanol, Miami Dade College, Florida International University, Women Photographers International Archive, ForFreedoms, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. More information on Betsy exhibits is available here: https://bit.ly/3g3XIMX.
I DONT NEED IT, BUT I WANT IT
Nov. 28-Jan. 29
THE OFFICE. Gallery and F2T Gallery
3930 NE 2nd Ave., Suite 202
Miami, FL 33137
A group exhibition featuring artists Callum Eaton, Eduardo Sarabia, Jonathan Casella, Kristopher Raos, Saj Issa, Sam Keller, Stephanie H. Shih and Tim Irani. The selected artists will bring forth a collective body of work highlighting the global culture crisis of mass production and capitalism, emphasizing the cliche or kitschy elements of our cultures through irony and pop art elements. THE OFFICE., founded by art patron and avid collector Matthew Chevallard, educates the public on art collecting and presents exceptionally curated and co-curated exhibitions within the contemporary art world.
Art as a Social Experiment + Black Fence at The Gabriel South Beach
Dec. 3
640 Ocean Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139
The Gabriel South Beach is partnering with Black Fence to host its inaugural Miami Art Week exhibition. Titled Art as a Social Experiment, the exhibition features talented artists of color exclusively curated by Black Fence and its network of national creators. On Saturday, Dec. 3 from 4:00-7:00 p.m., the artists will present a live painting experience that will become a reflective photo moment for guests to immerse themselves.
With the rise of the metaverse and a tech-infused art culture, the special presentation will feature augmented-reality filters that will transport guests into the world of digital art. The artists will be featured throughout The Gabriel South Beach with a live exhibition by the pool and courtyard. This installation will be like no other, combining the allure of social movement with the boldness of art.
ChromaTone: Voices from Miami
Until Jan. 14
7200 Biscayne Blvd., Unit 1 and Unit 2
Miami, FL 33138
Green Space Miami asked local artists a tempting question earlier this year: What if you could reinvent an iconic symbol of Miami for the 21st century?
More than 70 artists responded with proposed sculptures, paintings, multimedia experiences and other creative reinterpretations of Miami’s historic “Coppertone Girl” billboard, which has loomed over the city for almost 70 years. The original 1950s billboard—restored and standing just one block from Green Space Miami on Biscayne Boulevard—depicts a white-skinned, pig-tailed, blonde beach baby and her dog, which is playfully tugging at the girl’s bikini bottom to expose a tan line.
The history of the Coppertone sign is storied. The artist, Joyce Ballentyne Brand, built her career in a pin-up art field dominated by men. She beat out male artists to design calendars, often using her own image as the model, contributing to the empowerment of herself and other women.
Yet, the billboard also lived on as a reminder of Miami’s racist and xenophobic laws. When it was first erected, the sign stood tall above neighborhoods it did not represent, promoting a beach prohibited to many. Miami has been transformed since then, with drastic societal and political change accelerating the city’s growth into the most diverse metropolitan area in the country, enabling more inclusivity and empowering more voices.
