Miami’s art scene pulsates with diversity, creativity, and a dynamic fusion of global influences. Here are the three most exciting exhibits to check out this month.
“Anthony Goicolea: Forever Endeavor and Ever” and “Kris Knight: Superhost” at Spinello Projects
Wednesday – Saturday, 12-5 p.m.
Feb. 10 – March 16
@spinelloprojects
Spinello Projects is in its self-proclaimed “gay era.” Anthony Goiclea and Kris Knight’s respective portrayals of the queer experience are night and day.
Goiclea wields dark colors and solemn, benumbed faces and figures to convey intense longing, isolation and dread in the face of a societal condemnation of gayness. Goiclea comments on the ramifications of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” by showcasing characters that “confront the viewer with jaded glassy eyed stares that thinly veil deeper intimacies,” curator Anthony Spinello said via press release.
Knight, on the other hand, rejoices in male femininity and homoeroticism through his use of pastels and breathtaking light manipulation of oil on canvas. His modern take on romanticism is something seductive. Albeit, he too implicates a subtle melancholy by presenting a single figure in nearly all his works — a nod to the isolationism and vulnerability encountered during the Covid pandemic.
The two sets of paintings are each curated on their own level of the two-floor gallery space, separated by a set of creaky, steep wooden stairs. This craftful juxtaposition of the two realms makes Spinello Projects absolutely worth the visit.
“Miya Ando: Sky Writing” at Lowe Art Museum
Wednesday – Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Feb. 12 – June 1
@loweartmuseum
Miya Ando’s multimedia portrayal of the natural world is ethereal, an interactive experience like no other. With each stride taken in the gallery, new spatial perspectives unearth new images and conceptions within the light-drenched frames.
Ando was raised between a Buddhist temple in Okayama, Japan, and California’s Redwood Forest. Her upbringing manifests itself in her unorthodox mix of materials — Japanese washi paper and indigo ink renderings set on sheets of industrial steel and aluminum.
The universality of her chosen subject and undeniable beauty of her work as well as the curation of the exhibit leave the viewer in a state of bliss. Miami students — it’s on-campus, bite-sized and a drop-by visit is the perfect way to spice up a weekday.
“Push and Pull” at Andrew Reed (Various Artists)
Wednesday – Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Feb. 17 – March 16
@andrewreedgallery
If you’re a lover of abstract art, run, don’t walk to Andrew Reed’s “Push and Pull” exhibition.
Each piece tests the limits of abstraction, toeing the line of what is ponderable and beautiful versus distorted beyond interpretation. The 500-square-foot space showcases a wide variety of design techniques that stretch the mind to its limit.
A personal favorite is Bethany Czarnecki’s “Pink Valley” (pictured). Its curvy and asymmetric motif and color gradience make it true eye-candy. The exhibit traverses artistic periods, mediums and techniques. Reed ensures there’s something here for everyone.