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Miami artist David Lebatard, or LEBO as most know him, may as well be part of the local music scene. He’s always been in and around it, never too far from the action. Sure, he did work for the Mayfair in Coconut Grove, Las Olas Riverfront Complex, Burdines and others. But he was also commissioned to handle the artwork for the Latin Billboard conference, and he’s frequently painted at live performances by some of your favorite local artists.
His work, which the artist himself describes as post-modern cartoon art impressionism, has even graced some of their album covers (you may have noticed it on a few of Spam’s). Well, now LEBO is releasing a new book of his work, titled Inspired By the Beat. Which is fitting, considering the prevalence of musical themes in his paintings (such as this one), and his unique style, inspired by his Cuban American upbringing–fluid, looping, thick black lines filled with bold color, and reminiscent of Picasso’s cubist portraits, only with more soul somehow (no offense to the master).
LEBO will be celebrating the release with a “Book Viewing Shindig” going down at Doraku on Lincoln Road tonight, and a few of those local SoFla musicians are helping him. Offering live acoustic sets, Cleveland Jones, Nicolle Chirino and Jesse Jackson.