For Cuban curator Danays Gonzalez the Deauville Beach Resort is a natural fit for her mission to bring international exposure to Cuban-American artists. Gonzales is director of the freshly minted Arte Puro Gallery opening this Friday night at the iconic Miami Beach landmark. She says that the NADA Art Fair has put the Deauville on the map as a viable art destination in recent years and that the hotel has the potential to draw art lovers not only during Basel, but year round.
"My hope is to turn the gallery into a functioning cultural oasis where we not only have a revolving monthly exhibit of Cuban-American contemporary artists but programming offering artists talks, lectures by writers, filmmakers and others on a regular basis," says Gonzalez.
| Jose Orbein |
| Sikande Wario Umon |
The Arte Puro (Pure Art) Gallery is inaugurating its space with an exhibit titled "CUBANOS GRANDES en Pequeño Formato," (BIG CUBANS in a Small Format) and will feature mostly paintings and a handful of photos by Tomas Esson, Carlos Galindo, Sergio Garcia, Sergio Giral Jr., Joaquin Gonzalez, Jose Orbein, and Sergio Payares.
| Sergio Payares |
| Habana Vieja |
Gonzalez mentions the seven artists were picked because "Seven's the lucky
number. These artists may differ in themes and techniques, yet there is a nepotism quality and approach as a group," she says. "Also there are seven days in a week, there were seven wonders in the ancient world, and seven is a powerful number in Afro-Cuban traditions." Gonzalez informs that each of the gallery's shows will feature seven artists including an emerging talent.
On view you'll find Orbein's photos and paintings of sacred Abakua rituals, Garcia's edgy riffs on themes of identity fragmentation, Payares' atmospheric canvases exploring immigrant dislocation, and Esson's quirky vulvic doodles that appear not unlike chewed bubble gum scraped from under a school desk.
| Tomas Esson |
| Untitled Drawing |
The Deauville, which once hosted Sinatra and the Rat Pack and the Beatles during its glamorous heyday, will now be the only local gallery showcasing today's Cuban-American contemporary and emerging artists, according to Gonzalez.
| Carlos Galindo |
| La Cola del Agua |
"We want to create an environment here for everyone to experience top contemporary painting, sculpture, video, installation and photography by the best Cuban talent outside the island year round," Gonzalez concludes.
"CUBANOS GRANDES en Pequeño Formato," Through August 28. Opens Friday, August 5th at 7:00 p.m. at the Deauville Beach Resort, 6701 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach and is free to the public. Call 786-274-2712. Gallery open Mon-Sat. 9:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
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