Bermudian artists exhibited work at a fair during Miami Art Week.
AB Wilson, Meredith Andrews, James Cooper and Charles Zuill were featured alongside artists from the Caribbean in the Atlantic Arthouse boutique art fair portion of the event, which took place from December 7 to 10.
The artists were showcased by Black Pony Gallery, which is run by Lisa Howie, the Bermudian co-creative director for Atlantic Arthouse, along with Vanessa Selk.
“During the four-day event, art amateurs, art professionals and collectors enjoyed a fresh approach to the art fair concept. Rather than being overwhelmed by the disorderly succession of gallery booths, visitors toured the whole show with the gallerists and some participating artists, then took time to relax and discuss ideas further in the Villa Paula’s lush garden or patio,” Ms Howie was quoted as saying in a statement.
“Visitors have qualified the boutique fair as ‘the only moment to breathe and experience meaningful art at a slow pace during Miami Art Week.’
“The artwork was carefully selected and curated to create a meaningful narrative based on the concept of The Open Boat, a text by Martinican philosopher and poet Édouard Glissant, to invite spectators to experience the show like a transatlantic current, under the watch of the villa’s Caribbean ancestors.”
Online Viewing Room can be visited, and some artworks are still available for purchase.
Atlantic Arthouse’s Curatorial Advisory Board — Berette S Macaulay, Natalie Willis-Whylly and Reagan Kemp — selected the top ten artworks from the exhibition.
These focus on works that “become offerings of transformation birthed from ancestral roots placed on the shoulders of each new generation.”
Ms Howie said: “For a first-edition boutique art fair set away from the main foot traffic, in the heart of the relevant community of Little Haiti Miami, focused entirely on contemporary artwork from the Caribbean Mid-Atlantic region, the overall attendance and sales were encouraging.”
Marie Vickles, senior director education at the Perez Art Museum Miami, said that Atlantic Arthouse fair was “one of the best exhibitions of Miami Art Week 2023”.
Among the notable sales by Galerie Monnin and the ICE Gallery is Bermuda artist James Cooper’s Snorkeling with Elon Musk #9, which was featured on the exhibition’s VIP invitation.
“Visiting collectors and curators were startled to discover talent from Bermuda,” Ms Howie added.
“First encounters with the artworks by the four Bermuda artists was impactful. There is a lot of interest in the region and the discovery of new talent.”
Ms Howie said: “Investing in Miami Art Week as both featured gallery and as co-builder of a new boutique art fair was truly rewarding and points to more.
“Now, with proof of concept, we are looking for corporate entities who identify with global art collectors.”
Image above: Panel discussion on contemporary photography set in the Villa Paula garden.
Source: https://www.royalgazette.com/arts-entertainment/lifestyle/article/20240103/bermudian-artists-featured-during-miami-art-week/
