Editor's Note: This online series breaks down the Arts Season in South Florida that begins in late September and October and runs through the spring. The series highlights various art forms, venues, shows and attractions that can be found across the region. This post is a calendar of must-see events for the Miami arts scene.
OCTOBER
Astrojam: Mission to the Future at the Miami Science Museum
October 12, 2013
A full day of “astro-activities” will be held at the Miami Science Museum on Saturday in celebration of National Astronomy Day. During the evening there will be a screening of experimental and science fiction films in the museum’s theater, with a live soundtrack provided by underground electronic musician Romulo Del Castillo.
Curated by Kevin Arrow and Barron Sherer – who have a solid record of providing mind-expanding programming – the evening will be a multimedia sensory experience that is out of this world.
Erin Belieu at the Betsy Hotel
October 13, 2013
The University of Wynwood (the virtual and/or conceptual university responsible for the O, Miami poetry festival) continues its presentation of acclaimed poets in coordination with the Betsy Hotel on South Beach.
Erin Belieu, co-founder of VIDA: Women in Literary Arts and a celebrated poet herself, will be reading from her work, followed by a Q & A.
Set in the modernly darkened reading room of the Betsy, these U of W events are intimate and thought-provoking.
Pages and Spreads presents Literary Telephone at Lester’s
October 19, 2013
Pages & Spreads is a new group dedicated to promoting printed matter in Miami. Literary Telephone, in collaboration with Jai-Alai Magazine and Coloform, will showcase the entire process of publishing a zine.
Everything necessary for a small book – the writing, designing and printing –will be done on-site at Lester’s coffee shop and venue.
In the style of the childhood game "telephone" (where one person whispers a line to another, then passes it on with slight additions), visitors are invited to interpet, translate,or recast a poem chosen from Jai-Alai magazine. The text will then be edited into a small booklet and printed on the spot.
Smash and Grab Fundraiser at Locust Projects
October 26, 2013
Locust Projects, now celebrating its 15th year as an independent art space, supports itself significantly by hosting this unique fundraiser and party.
Over 100 works by local, national and international artists will gather, and participants purchase raffle tickets that are then drawn at random throughout the night.
In the order that ticket holders are called, they get to pick which painting, sculpture or object to take home.
Pyramid Solitaire at Dimensions Variable
September 20 - October 20, 2013
This exhibition features a collaboration between Dimensions Variable and the Reykjavik, Iceland-based arts collective Kling and Bang.
The show includes work that utilizes new media in the exploration of producing new creative contexts. For one piece, a projector displays live video of the audience and then re-projects past visitors when similar movements are made.
This and the other works create interesting visual patterns and soft landscapes, giving a unique insight into the perspectives of Icelandic artists.
NOVEMBER
November 1, 2013
Kurt Vile, the renowned contemporary troubadour known for his unique Americana songwriting, will be playing at Grand Central with his backup band The Violators.
His career started out with fuzzy, washed-out ballads, but has recently gone in the direction of tender and polished rock that retains his heartfelt and innovative style.
Presented by local independent stalwart Sweat Records, Vile will be joined by Beach Fossils, The Band in Heaven, and VBA join him.
Miami Book Fair International at Miami Dade Wolfson Campus
November 17 -24, 2013
Anyone who questions the literacy of Miami has probably never been to the Miami Book Fair International.
Now in its 30th year, the MBFI consists of talks by well-known authors and an extensive street fair with dozens of vendors – major publishing houses, indie outfits and an array of groups offer a wealth of reading material.
This year's speakers include authors Dan Brown, Nicolas Sparks, Salman Rushdie, Terry McMillan, and Reza Aslan.
Love of Technology at Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami
September 27 – November 3, 2013
Following Bonnie Clearwater’s departure from MOCA for the Museum of Art | Ft. Lauderdale, curator Alex Gartenfield was brought on as chief curator and interim director.
Love of Technology is his first exhibition and there’s already excitement around the work and alterations to MOCA for the show.
Love of Technology brings together well-respected artists whose work examines the sometimes-good, sometimes-questionable relationship between humans and computing machines.
Eve Sussman | Rufus Corporation at the Bass Museum of Art
April 12 - November 3, 2013
Eve Sussman, a celebrated video artist, presents two major installations of her works Rape of the Sabine Women and 89 Seconds at Alcázar.
The first is a contemporary interpretation of the early Roman abductions of Sabine women for wives, set in an operatic five-act format. The second explores the idea that painters try to capture an exact moment in time, and is based on Las Meninas, the famous painting by Diego Velazquez from 1656.
DECEMBER
Ai Weiwei: According to What? at the Pérez Art Museum Miami
December 4, 2013 - March 16, 2014
The Miami Art Museum is moving to a new building and being renamed as the Pérez Art Museum Miami.
This highly anticipated and somewhat controversial move is opening with an exhibition by the renowned Chinese dissident-artist Ai Weiwei.
“Ai Weiwei: According to What?” is the first major international survey of the artist’s work from the past 20 years, and includes photography and large-scale sculptures. It travels to the PAMM just in time for Art Basel this December.
December 5 – 8, 2013
Held in Basel, Switzerland in June and in Miami Beach every December, Art Basel is one of the leading art fairs in the world, bringing together leading international galleries that show a wide swathe of works both modern and contemporary.
December 4 – 8, 2013
Now in its second year, UNTITLED is a satellite fair that focuses on emerging and midcareer artists.
With an exhibition space built directly on the beach and a sprawling and unconventional curatorial style, UNTITLED made a splash last December, and will likely do the same this year.
December 4 – 8, 2013
The sister fair to Art Basel, Design Miami/ presents works by designers from across the globe.
The galleries present modern and contemporary works of furniture, lighting, and objets d’art. Unique architectural commissions and talks will also be had.
December 3 – 8, 2013
Art Miami is the longest running major fair in Miami, now entering its 24th year.
Over 125 international galleries will show a wide variety of contemporary works at the Midtown Miami complex.
Its own sister fairs CONTEXT, adjacent to the Midtown pavilion, and AQUA, set within a South Beach hotel, are also known as very worthwhile fairs to visit.
December 3 – 8, 2013
Focusing on creative programming and multi-disciplinary work by emerging contemporary artists, SCOPE will be housed in a 70,000 square-foot pavilion on the sands of Miami Beach this year.
December 5 – 8, 2013
Launched in Miami in 2003, NADA seeks to present art that is usually underexposed and atypical.
Contemporary work is shown in the spirit of openness to the public (the cost is free), NADA being the only major American art fair that’s run by a non-profit organization.
