Fail to the Chief

The year 2012 seems like it’ll be a bad one for Republicans. When they’re not busy proclaiming that solar flares will crisp the planet if Barack Obama is re-elected, conservative presidential hopefuls keep reminding us we might have to abandon our homes and move to a deserted island if we don’t vote them into the White House.

During the Second Saturday Art Walk this weekend, you can catch a whiff of the angst-ridden orchestrations of the GOP’s top power-grabbers at a pair of Wynwood exhibits mining themes of mass manipulation or Cold War-era annihilation.

At the Black Square Gallery (2248 NW First Pl., Miami), Victor Sydorenko’s provocative solo show, “Levitation,” features large-scale paintings of male figures stripped down to their pants and floating off into the ether — reminders that those living in totalitarian societies should stay level-minded or risk becoming the puppets of the powerful. Call 305-424-5002 or visit blacksquaregallery.com.

Meanwhile, across the asphalt at the Charest-Weinberg Gallery (250 NW 23rd St., #408, Miami), Fernando Mastrangelo sears the peepers with his solo show, “Black Sculpture,” featuring a series of explosive works rendered from compacted gunpowder. The New York-based artist, known for once creating a life-size statue of a Colombian coca farmer cast from pure cocaine, was inspired by the post-World War II work of Frank Stella and Ad Reinhardt to create pieces conveying notions of impending extinction.
Sat., Jan. 14, 6 p.m., 2012