Archive for the 'Florida' Category
And I rounded a corner, only to discover that someone else was wearing my exact same outfit. (See the rest of my Art Basel Miami Beach slideshow over at WNYC.)
Healthy-delicious. And all it required was the occupation of a full house. (Photo by C-M.)
This past Thursday morning I crawled through a hole in a wall, entered a condemned house and proceeded to help myself to porridge. In one room were the bowls. In another, the spoons. In yet others were bubbling pots of oatmeal and stacks of brown sugar and raisins. While the victuals were tasty, in a fiber-rich, heart-healthy kind of way, the whole thing felt seriously overwrought. Beginning with the warning sign, at the entrance, which cautioned that the installation could be “physically dangerous.” (Clearly, these art nerds have no idea what it really takes to get into a derelict building.)
All of this was part of Jennifer Rubell’s latest food piece, Just Right, at the opening of her family’s art collection space, the Rubell Family Collection, in Miami’s arts district this week. Three years ago, I partook of her hard-boiled egg extravaganza. And as much as I abhor the idea of eating hard boiled eggs with a latex glove, there was a certain freakiness to the installation that I had to respect. This piece, however, felt frivolous – a way for a very well-to-do family to occupy a crestfallen old home within range of their imposing compound. An unwitting metaphor of Miami’s complicated issues of poverty, race, class and real estate.
Continue reading ‘At the Basel Frazzle: Breakfast at the Rubells.’
A Hummer. Pulled by Clydesdales. The excess in all of this boggles the mind. (Thanks for the picture, Jefecita.)
Look at what San Suzie found: The above is a screen grab of the spa menu at a Miami hotel where it is possible to do yoga with your dog. We are in awe.
The Fontainebleau, in Miami Beach, designed by architect Morris Lapidus, 1954. Lapidus is currently the subject of the exhibit A Question for Emotion and Motion in Architecture at Art Center/South Florida, through July 18. See the Miami Herald story here. (Photo by Telstar Logistics.)
- NYC: Reflexive Reflection at Curatorial Research Lab, at Edward Winkleman Gallery, opens Friday at 6pm.
- NYC: Vija Celmins: New Paintings, Objects and Prints, at McKee Gallery, through June 25.
- NYC: Manufactured Landscapes, a free documentary film screening about the work of Edward Burtynsky, at Hasted Hunt Kraeutler, this Thursday at 6pm. (See Burtynsky’s TED talk here.)
- NYC: Patrick Campbell at WORK Gallery in Brooklyn, opens today.
- NYC: Shock Therapy, a group show, at Pandemic Gallery in Williamsburg, opens Saturday at 7pm.
- NYC: Konbit Shelter, an artist talk with Swoon, at Christina Ray Gallery in SoHo, this Friday at 7pm.
- Williamstown, Mass.: Picasso Discovers Degas, at the Clark, through Sept. 12. (The Art Newspaper.)
- Chicago: Translating Revolution: U.S. Artists Interpret Mexican Muralists at the National Museum of Mexican Art, through Aug. 10.
- Chico, Calif.: Nicholas Gagliardi, Mr. Marvel, Rise of the Modern Man, at 1078 Gallery, opens Thursday at 5pm.
- S.F.: This is the book I have written for you, a text themed group show with Steve Lambert, Tucker Nichols, William Powhida, Zoe Strauss and many others, at Park Life Gallery, through July 18.
- S.F.: Lindsay White at Baer Ridgeway, opens Saturday at 4pm.
- Santa Barbara: Adrian Esparza, Paño-rama, at the Contemporary Arts Forum, through July 18.
- La Jolla: Double Up, a group exhibit with Eve Sussman, Tavares Strachan and others, at Quint Contemporary, through July 3.
- London: Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance & the Camera, at the Tate Modern, through Oct. 3.
- Zaragoza, Spain: Quinto Asalto, a festival of Urban Art, in various locations around the city, through June 21. (Ekosystem.)
- Brusells: Raymond Pettibon at Barbara Gladstone, through July 10.
- Berlin: The 6th Berlin Biennial for Contemporary Art, in various locations, through Aug. 8.
- Tokyo: Yoshitomo Nara at Tomio Koyama Gallery, through June 19.
Inlet Beach. (All photos by C-M.)
In the course of some of my magazine assignments, I’ve gotten to know the Florida panhandle — which has made the spill in the Gulf feel like a personal affront. This isn’t some abstract environmental disaster in my mind. I’ve met, eaten, drank and hung out with the folks who live and work in this area. I feel at a loss on how I might do anything constructive, so I thought I might pay photographic tribute to an area that has shown me plenty of hospitality and some very good times.
Continue reading ‘Photo Diary:The Florida panhandle, pre-spill.’
“Rednecks” get crunky on lots of domestic beer at Mullet Toss 2010 on the Florida/Alabama border. Best viewed LARGE. In fact, this photo is so damn good, y’all better make it your desktop wallpaper. (Photos by C-M.)
In the event that you were wondering what the redneckiest of redneck events in these continental United States might consist of, I’ll fill you in: the Interstate Mullet Toss — an annual party in which the good folk of the Florida panhandle get together at an old honky tonk called the Florabama to toss mullets across the state line, drink lots of bushwackers and Bud and cheer on the local ladies during the bikini contest. Naturally, there’s also plenty of clothing removal and occasional fist-fighting. Though, admittedly, it’s not all straight-up rednecks. There are also redneck wannabes, redneck-watchers and rednecks-in-training. All around, it was an excellent time. And, for the record, I threw my mullet 38.2 feet. Not bad for a virgin.
Many more photos after the jump. Click on images to supersize. You know you want to see ‘em.
Continue reading ‘Photo Diary: Gettin’ rednecky at Mullet Toss 2010!!’
Above: Me. Pretending to be a badass. (Photo by Zach Stovall; borrowed from Florida Travel + Life.)
Last December, I escaped the art fairs in Miami early to spend several days camping and kayaking in the Ten Thousand Islands on assignment for Florida Travel + Life, where I serve as a semi-regular contributor. It was pretty awe-inspiring . By day, we explored the mangrove isles that make up much of the southwestern Florida coast. At night, we camped on small beaches, carbo-loaded and admired the stars. It was the perfect antidote to the overload of shiny baubles I’d just gorged on at the art fairs. I’m also pretty dang proud I managed to survive the physical demands of the trip (blogging doesn’t do much in the way of developing stamina), but I’m also pretty excited about the story that came out of it. I’ve been spending the last few years making regular Everglades pilgrimages and I’ve developed a real affection for it. It kind of bums me out that the many Miami types who live right on top of it rarely show it much appreciation.
You can find my story on this journey in the April 2010 edition of Florida Travel + Life (available at Barnes & Noble) or you can cheat and read the PDF version here. Though if you could support the mag — which helps support me, I’d be deeply appreciative.
If you’re interested in doing something similar, I would like to heartily recommend the wonderful folks at Everglades Area Tours, who not only organize some mighty fine kayaking excursions (there are day-trips in case you don’t do camping), but are super cool folks to boot. And if for some reason, you spend any time at all in South Florida (be it for art fairs or because you like to get butt facials), consider Michael Grunwald’s The Swamp required reading. No ifs, ands or buts.