Audio By Carbonatix
Saturday July 5
State support for the arts may be waning, but Altoids patronage remains — yes, folks — curiously strong. The fifth annual exhibition of additions to the Altoids “Curiously Strong Collection” comes to ArtCenter/South Florida (800 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach) with an opening reception tonight from 8:00 to 11:00. The show includes Juan P. Capistran’s video The Breaks, featuring a man dancing on a minimalist Carl Andre floor piece at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (a work Ana Mendieta fans might enjoy), and Nadine Robinson’s self-portrait woven from her own hair extensions. Miamian William Cordova, now on his way up north, is represented by his painting “No More Lonely Nights.” The exhibition also showcases work by Miami-based Natalia Benedetti, and Edgar Arceneaux, Patrick Jacobs, Jen Kim, Rebecca Howland, Jay Heikes, Michelle Fierro, and Lordy Rodriguez. The show runs through Sunday, August 3. Call 305-674-8278. — By Judy Cantor
Wednesday July 9
Father Knows Best
Imagine this: You’re 54 years old and happily married. Your doctor has just informed you that you have colon cancer and your wife has just announced that she’s pregnant. You’ll be a father for the first time — maybe. Two years later, you’re diagnosed with lung cancer. If you’re Good Morning America movie critic Joel Siegel, this isn’t some weepy melodrama you’re reviewing, it’s your life — at least it was six years ago. Worried that his son would never get to know his dad in a deep way, Siegel penned Lessons for Dylan: From Father to Son, a poignant account of who he is, what he achieved in life, and what he learned along the way. Currently healthy, Siegel, now nearing age 60, reads from his book tonight at 8:00 p.m. at Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables. Admission is free. Call 305-442-4408. — By Nina Korman
Thursday July 3
Film – Cosford’s Summer Surprise
The fact that University of Miami’s Cosford Cinema (off Campo Sano Avenue, Coral Gables) is showing movies until mid-July signals that there is life in Miami’s foreign film aficionados. The art house theater usually shuts down after the last coed has packed out of the dorms and headed back to the subuurbs. But Cosford staff say that the recent sellout crowds and push by distributors to show more films make staying open in summer a worthwhile venture. Check out Nowhere in Africa beginning at 7:00 p.m. Tickets cost $5. Call 305-284-4861.
— By Juan Carlos Rodriguez
Thursday July 3
Indie Outing
Vizcaya grandly celebrates the Fourth
When Chicago industrialist James Deering built Vizcaya (3251 S. Miami Ave.), he wanted it to mimic a centuries-old Italianate villa right down to its art collection. Deering died in 1925, a few years after completion of this grand trick. The city of Miami eventually purchased the estate and renovated the decaying masterpiece into a classy museum. But this part is no misrepresentation: Vizcaya constantly needs money for upkeep and restoration of the art and grounds, including its various buildings and spectacular gardens. The Vizcayans is the nonprofit group chartered to guide such an overwhelming task (and nearly a century later turn Deering’s intellectual fiction somewhat into fact). The Red, White, and Blue Independence Day Celebration is one of the many fundraisers thrown by La Lega Dei Viscayani, Vizcaya’s soiree-loving committee of young professionals. Dancing and live music from Cry Wolf begins at 8:00 p.m. Because of the full open bar, this event is limited to attendees age 21 and over. Casual-but-not-shabby attire should incorporate red, white, and blue colors in honor of the holiday. A fireworks show over Biscayne Bay caps the evening at 11:00 p.m. Mosquito repellent is strongly suggested. Ticket prices are $45 for members and $65 for nonmembers. Call 305-856-4866 or e-mail viscayans@aol.com. — By Margaret Griffis
Saturday July 5
The Write Stuff
Authors aid one another
A blank page is an anxiety-filled circumstance when you’re a writer. So many words, so many possibilities. What are you trying to say? It’s pretty heady stuff for us creative types. The regular meetings of the South Florida Writers Association aim to help us along with more practical pointers related to publishing and freelancing gigs. If pulling your hair out while staring at your computer is getting old, change directions and join the club. The association meets at 10:00 a.m. every first Saturday of the month at the Coral Gables Holiday Inn, 1350 S. Dixie Hwy. Admission is $12. Call 786-877-0136. — By Juan Carlos Rodriguez