Archive for the 'Art' Category

Pic o’ the Day: Mural Edition

Published
by
Ryan Sharp
on March 11, 2008
in Art, Murals, Philadelphia, Pic o' the Day, culture and urban
. 2 Comments

Tired of the tacky building-sized ads popping up everywhere? Ashamed that people are actually referring to them as murals? Here’s several of my favorite real murals in Philadelphia. It just goes to show what wonderful additions true murals are to a city’s public artwork. Which one is your favorite?


Sources: Flickr, UPenn muralBase

Metro Monday: Human Propelled Vehicle

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on December 17, 2007
in Art, Bicycles, Buick, Human Powered Vehicle, Michel de Broin, Pedal Car, Sustainability and Toronto
. 0 Comments
Artist Michel de Broin, presented a shared propulsion vehicle as part of his exhibition at the Mercer Union Gallery in Toronto. An ‘86 Buick was stripped of it engine, transmission, and interior among other parts and outfitted with 4 pedal and gear mechanisms. The result is a vehicle capable of approximately 10 mph speeds which runs on nothing more than human power. They debuted the vehicle on the streets of Toronto and were quickly apprehended by Police:

Transitography 12

Published
by
James Wilkins
on September 15, 2007
in Art, South Pointe Park and beautification
. 1 Comment

Transit and transportation are almost never issues that come stress free. Public art is one remedy to alleviate that stress. Check out this somewhat representational and yet somewhat abstract large scale outdoor sculpture to be erected at the intersection of two main highway arteries in Missouri. The selection is based on a visibility issue as well as any therapeutic value, however, art, anywhere, is always a good thing. We shouldn’t forget the visually soothing phenomenon of water, so abundant in Miami. How could it be further capitalized upon?

A Precursor of Sorts

Published
by
James Wilkins
on August 20, 2007
in Art, MAM, Museum Park and Terence Riley
. 6 Comments
Having recently attended the Richard Serra exhibit at MoMA, I wanted to talk briefly about what is possible for Museum Park. I realize I have discussed this topic in some detail and I have been very interested in our reader input. The exhibit at MoMA was spectacularly attended, despite being mid morning on a weekday. The well designed museum, however, was able to accommodate the throngs of visitors quite well. Miami Art Museum will obviously never be the MoMA, but the visit did re-affirm my belief that the museums belong in Museum Park. Unlike MoMA, where there is only the crowded sculpture garden for attendees to recover from museum fatigue, without ending their visit, in Miami visitors will have all of the beautifully re-designed park green space. I fully expect the park to become gloriously utilized.

The energy and vibration of the crowds was astounding. The exhibit continued on the second floor where the sculptures, weighing literally hundreds of tons, seemingly a threat to the structural soundness, were safely on display because even that detail was pre-analyzed and managed by the thorough design team led by Terence Riley. He was not the architect, and he was certainly not the sole force behind the new MoMA, however, I believe that he is largely responsible for the overwhelming success of the construction of the new facility, and the presentation of it, to the world and is now bringing all of that experience to the project at hand, MAM. I think we who love Miami are in for a great civic experience.

Musings on Sun, Ocean and Sky

Published
by
James Wilkins
on August 12, 2007
in Art, CANDO, Development and MAM
. 0 Comments


As politicians come and go. As towers rise and fall. The elemental qualities of a destination like Miami never cease to be a point of inspiration, desire and destiny for many global citizens. Regardless of the whims of of markets, and the pain of mistakes made along the way, Miami is so uniquely endowed it will perpetually blossom. It begs the opportunity to cause the best.

Ice, Global Responsibility, Public Art

Published
by
James Wilkins
on June 24, 2007
in Art, Miami Beach and South Pointe Park
. 2 Comments
Miami Beach is stepping up its commitment to art in public spaces in a big way. The renderings for the marble sculpture “Drift”, by Spanish artist Inigo Manglano-Ovalle depict the forthcoming behemoth that will soon arrive on the shores of South Pointe Park. The 16 foot tall abstract representation of an iceberg that has broken off from the continental shelf and floated to South Beach pushes the individual to examine the harsh realities of climate change. As a part of the overall renovation of the park, Miami Beach city commissioners made a significant declaration of their commitment to beautification, the arts, and the responsibility to remain vigilant in the examination of contemporary issues in art, as well as global issues. The selection of the world renowned artist was influenced by his numerous other installations across the US.

The suspended chrome cloud that has been on display at the opening of Zaha Hadid’s Contemporary Arts Museum in Cincinnati among many other locations is another example of the artists intense observations of the world in which we inhabit, the experience of being in that world and the effect we have on it. Earlier work focused on issues of migration and immigration and while some artists path seem to migrate deeper, toward a particular, smaller if you will, subject, Manglano-Ovalle’s subject matter continues to be expansive, moving toward larger more universal objects and concerns.

The physical articles created to encapsulate the many themes of his work are consistently pieces of unprecedented beauty. They are both incredibly simple and vastly complicated, expressionistic and highly calculated, whose tangible qualities alone dictate their classification as high art. The opportunity to have such a sculpture, outdoors, in the public realm, as a permanent installation is a privilege.

Like another Manglano-Ovalle sculpture of an iceberg, that is seen as its whole self, including all that would ordinarily be submerged, the people of Miami can look forward to the installation of this art, knowing there will be more and more to be discovered in what lies beneath. It’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Travels Through Europe, The Conclusion

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on April 5, 2007
in Art, Carnival Center, Miami, Museum Park, Opera, Parking, Parks, Urban Planning and Vienna
. 4 Comments
Vienna is a grand city, far more grandiose than most European Capitals due to its’ rich history with the Babenburg and then the Hapsburg family dynasties. Just walking around, the city exudes wealth, through its opulent architecture, gold-leafed trimming, and excessive sculpture. The Hapsburgs were rather generous with the citizens they presided over, as far as royalty goes, anyhow. Toward the end of their reign, they opened several parks for public use, constructed two massive museums, and dotted the city with various other cultural institutions. Seeing that Miami has recently concluded the construction of our opera house and is set to begin construction on two bayside museums, I believe we can and should look for the guidance of cities such as Vienna when establishing our new cultural havens. Noting that Miami completely lacks the history and wealth of the Austrian Capital, I think there are some interesting aspects which will broaden our horizons before we plan and design…

There isn’t much I can say about the Carnival Center, seeing that it is already built. I’ve walked through the area a couple of times and although the plaza and structure are pleasant, the surroundings are rather inhospitable; hopefully with some time the area might mature a little. The Vienna Opera House is situated at the end of the premier pedestrian thoroughfare in Vienna, which links it and the ring, with the center of Vienna and the Hofburg Imperial Palace. When walking by the Vienna State Opera House for the final time on our last night, I noticed an interesting element which caught my eye:

See it? I hope you do. Someone had the sense to retrofit the structure (built in the 1860’s) with parking. Genius. This brought about a small bout of laughter, as you would imagine, when I conjured images of the Carnival Center debacle I would be returning to the very next day. The interesting thing I later noted is that this was perhaps the only parking garage I saw anywhere near the city center. We seem to have done the opposite…

When approaching the Museums Quarter (Museumsquartier) I couldn’t help but think of endless possibilities for Bicentennial Park. Now, I know I am not an architecture critic, nor do I try to be, but the idea of a classical structure dotting our shoreline as either of the two Museum Park buildings bodes very well for me. I said it once to an art student, whose look should have silenced my architecture thoughts for eternity, but I actually think a modern Art structure juxtapositioned with a classical Museum of Science would add a great deal of depth to Miami’s architecture.

Back to my point. Standing between these hulking museums was impressive. I mean, here I was standing in awe of a couple of landlocked museums, just hoping that our new museums with the beautiful bay and beach backdrop could be just even one fifth as stimulating. Is it too much to ask for? We have the opportunity to showcase our architectural cultural talent to the world, quite literally, seeing that these museums will serve as the focal point of nearly every cruise passenger which departs from our harbor. And think, Miami, not Miami Beach, could perhaps for once be hailed for its beautiful waterfront architecture, luring boarding cruise passengers to extend their stay. We severely dropped the ball with the MCM, opting instead for a geometric display of retardation on Watson Island. Between the two museums stood a massive statue dedicated to Maria Theresia, it’s a rarity in Miami to find any recollection of our local history, let alone national history. Perhaps a statue of FDR would be fitting, considering he was nearly assassinated in nearby Bayfront Park…Just a thought…

Throughout all of my travels, I have always taken the time to compare the city I am visiting with my home town. I often think that Miami would be a much better city if we would just stop, think, and look around before coming up with decisions which will forever alter our urban landscape. We’ve had plenty of opportunities pass us by with failed or improperly managed projects: Metrorail, Miami Arena, Miami Marine Stadium, Miami Seaquarium, Orange Bowl, MIA, CCPA, etc. Plenty of chances to make our city just as marvelous to visit as say Paris, Chicago, or even Vienna… We’re number one right now in hotel occupancy and hotel rates nationally, but imagine how much more we can do to attract visitors to sites other than our shore…

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Support the Arts

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on March 9, 2007
in Art, Gehry, Miami Beach and New World Symphony
. 0 Comments
Looks like the new home of the New World Symphony will reach its $200 Million fund raising goal ahead of schedule:
Someone has given the New World Symphony $90 million toward the Frank Gehry-designed complex the orchestra is planning on Miami Beach. It’s one of the largest single donations ever to an American arts organization.

To put it in perspective, Carnival Cruise Lines founders Ted and Lin Arison’s $40 million gift to New World in 1996 — 1.3 million shares of Carnival stock — was the largest private donation ever to a U.S. orchestra.

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