Karli Evans
Audio By Carbonatix
Last night, New Times editor Chuck Strouse announced this year’s winners of the paper’s annual MasterMind Awards: artists Asif Farooq and Antonia Wright and cultural collective Miami Music Club.
Culled from a competitive pool of talent comprising nine creatives, the winners gathered with other finalists at Artopia, an annual arts showcase held at the Coral Gables Museum.
Attendees had the chance to see the winners accept giant checks onstage. And that was just a small part of the evening’s excitement. The finalists displayed their work at the event, giving the Artopia crowd a taste of their talents. Wright projected her film work onto a wall on the museum’s balcony. Inside, artists Jill Weisberg and Franky Cruz displayed their work. Photographer Rod Deal’s display of vintage Polaroid cameras attracted hordes. And Farooq took the prize for most low-key display: a table offering homemade cookies and old-school pranks from a Little Havana shop.
Throughout the night, Artopia guests were also treated to performances by Agatha Wright Dance Co., featuring contemporary choreography executed by dancers in striking, tribal-esque makeup. Guitarist Sammy Gonzalez also wowed the audience with his expert flamenco stylings, accompanied by a dancer writhing to the rhythms.
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South Florida’s community of talented, entertaining, boundary-breaking creatives was well represented at Artopia this year. Congratulations to all the winners and finalists!
