Many of the art institutions in town offer breakfasts to fair goers during Art Week. As the fairs open late in the morning, the out-of-towners are given time to visit the local art haunts. Yesterday, Daughter and Constant Companion went to the Bakehouse Art Complex, a warren of artist’s studios in a former industrial bakery. I went rogue and met an arts friend, come to think of it, in a recently opened French bakery nearby.

Before I picked up CC and the other member of our newly formed “art club,” I took the time to ramble around the Design District, to see the new installations and other art experiences. First stop was The Chronicles of Miami, the epic photographic mural by French artist, JR (https://www.jr-art.net/projects/jr-murals.app). A year ago, he visited ten neighborhoods around town and photographed 1,043 people. Their portraits were collaged together to created. The sound portion of the artwork thus creates an immersive portion of the artwork, as well. I tried to look, but did not recognize anyone! A second interation is installed on the walls of Superblue (https://www.superblue.com/miami/).

As I walked down the street, a dancer dressed in green sporting a daisy mask drew my attention. She was at BlackPink across the street from Making Miami, my next destination.

My next destination was Making Miami, a group of containers transformed into outposts of several artist-run non-profits including Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator (DVCAI), Locust Projects, Bas Fisher Invitational (BFI), and Dimensions Variable (https://www.makingmiami.com/). Visitors are greeted by a massive inflatable by FriendsWithYou, the artist collaborative of Samuel Borkson and Arturo Sandoval III (12-22-21).

The sculpture garden is filled with public art by local artists.

Because it was right there, I dropped into the new space of the Juan Carlos Maldonado Collection (https://www.jcmc.art/) to see their current exhibition, in Time The Rigors of Geometric Shapes. This growing private collection contains a variety of artwork that focuses on modern geometric abstraction from Latin America and elsewhere. It also includes an important collection of artifacts from the Ye’Kwana people of Venezuela.

One piece that I sought out was the newly installed Reclining Mermaid, the work of first-generation Cuban-American artists, Elliot and Erick Jiménez. The large scale installation on the historic Moore Building, perched high above the original Buena Vista post office, is a photographic embedded with sequins.

Every year the Design District has an Annual Design Commission. This year it was awarded to Lara Bohinc, founder of Bohinc Studio, for her Utopia, a friendly and dynamic sculptural installation of irregular organic life-like forms made of cork.

Along with the colorful, mysterious shapes are functional places to sit, play, and gather, 900 egg-shaped birdhouses hang in many of the neighborhood’s trees.

The seating is also installed outside of Design Miami.

There are many other public art installations in the District that I think may remain for a day out after Art Week.

Other stops that day included Pinta Art Fair (https://www.pinta.art/Pinta/Home), which brings together the art of Latin America; Fridge Art Fair (https://www.fridgeartfair.com/) known as the “little fair that could;” and a quick walk through Art Basel. My goal there was to see the Kabinett curated by Hales that highlighted the long tradition of landscape painting by Kay WalkingStick (Cherokee/Anglo) (https://halesgallery.com/artists/138-kay-walkingstick/overview/). Her works draw viewers into another reality far from Miami Beach. Note that patterns at the bottom of the canvas; they honor the people whose land she has captured in paint.

After dropping CC and friend at Art Basel, I made a slight detour. IKEA is hosting open house, their contribution to “Design Week;” I had to see what it was about! It was advertised as “the most immersive and experimental events of the week” with IKEA light refreshments and more. Yes, it was fun.

As I was by myself in the morning, I took another detour. I wrote the other day about the image of the octopus that for a while seemed to be appearing whereever I went. I knew of one on a mural en route to pick up CC. Finally, I stopped to capture a photo.

I love the sentiment on the steps below this mural on the same building.

I have to remember these words more often!