Little River "Doors of Perception" Exhibit Closes Saturday

You might remember SuperFine! House of Art and Design from the inaugural fair during last year's Miami Art Week. The show transformed a gutted Little River office building across the street from the MADE at the Citadel headquarters into an interactive art fair. It hosted local and international talent for what was easily one of the week's best shows.

The space will soon undergo another transformation. Conway Commercial Real Estate and Urban Atlantic Group plans a 10,000-square-foot hall called the Citadel. Slated to open next year, it will host about 20 vendors, mirroring New York City's Chelsea Market. But before the Citadel's walls are primed and repainted, Alex Mitow and James Miille, founders of SuperFine! House of Art and Design, are hosting a last show: "Doors of Perception." 

There are no doors to walk through as you enter the Citadel. A wide-open storefront leads the way into Mitow and Miille's curated house of doors. The exhibition was put together in less than three weeks, a feat for two curators who only recently began putting on shows. Earlier this month, the two opened the show to a packed house of 600 people. Like their Basel event, there was wine, music provided by Afrobeta, and an interactive twist. Guests were given balls of yarn and allowed to throw them at random, creating String Theory, a work of art that now rests in the back corner of the space.
The show features 30 doors, which were acquired from the Citadel's raw space, reinterpreted by local artists all addressing the question of perception. The title of the exhibition was inspired by the William Blake quote: “If the doors of perception were cleansed, every thing would appear to man as it is, Infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro' narrow chinks of his cavern.”

Mitow says, "The show deals with the idea of man being trapped in our moors and our preconceptions of the world. When you clear them — the doors — you can see what the world actually is. And I think a lot of artists took that to heart." 

Mitow reached out to the Fountainhead Residency and other local curators to find the 21 participating artists. Ranging from street artist Atomik to Fancy Na$ty curator Stuart Sheldon, the artists represent Miami's vast art world. The main goal is to nurture a sustainable model for local artists to continue creating despite the inflated art market.
"We want to gather attention for what artists are doing and build a collector base, and I think that collector base is in the younger generation," Mitow continues. "We’re trying to make sure the emerging class that has disposable income has access to the market." 

Tonight, Mitow will host Dining With the Doors, a private family-style food-and-art experience aimed at young collectors. Guests will eat a homecooked meal made by Mitow on dining-table doors donated by Made at the Citadel. On the menu is rice with shrimp, chorizo and banana leaves, green tea soba noodles with crushed almonds, and Moroccan stewed chicken thighs.

"The best word to describe it is 'authentic.' We’re not going for down-market, we’re not anti-market, but we’re doing it authentically in a way we feel is sustainable," Mitow says.

To RSVP to Dining With the Doors, email [email protected]. The show closes this Saturday, March 12, with the low-key event the Doors Are Closing.

"Doors of Perception"
Thursday, March 10, through March 12, at the Citadel, 8300 NE Second Ave, Miami. Admission is free. Hours are 7 to 10 p.m.