Arriving Miami- Aqua Hotel Fair

[avad]

Showing a new grouping of artworks at the Aqua Hotel art fair during ArtBasel in Miami w/Morgan Lehman Gallery. (see Petri Playgrounds set)
This is my annual work/play vacation. Art overload, mohitos and cuban food. A really welcome break from the NY cold.
coincides with my birthday so I consider it an annual 4day celebration:)
Next year I'm bringing a more portable camera so I can take a gazillion pics. here I was just borrowing Amber's a lot but not nearly enough. saw such great moments.. and textures and juxtapositions I wish I could share...

after all night travel, we got in and finally had eggsammich+coffee&OJ mmmm then hurry to change and get over to the Aqua Hotel Preview (bringing additional 4 new works with us fresh from the studio).

For the past 2 years the Aqua Hotel Fair has been my favorite fair to visit although I hadn’t been showing in it.

Personally the venue is the most relaxing and enjoyable. The 2-floor hotel surrounds an open courtyard so you always feel fresh air and light walking in and out of each separate room/gallery. I’ve always felt a bit overwhelmed in the massive convention centers and a bit claustrophobic in the narrow halls of most hotel fairs so the Aqua Hotel is really just perfection for me and lends itself to a more relaxed taking in of the art. Add to that that I had some of the best interactions there with artists whose works I loved and it of course becomes a psychologically positively charged space. Since the Aqua Fair usually focused on west coast galleries I was surprised and so happy to learn that Morgan Lehman would be showing there this year and looked forward to it greatly. Here are some good shots of what it looks like (not mine):
http://www.aquaartmiami.com/hotel.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fette-gallery/2107499698/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fette-gallery/2106721969/

ok so this is the room my work was in...looking in from the courtyard:



inside: works by Emilie Clark, Phillip Knoll, and you know who.


Next door at Gregory Lind Gallery I talked at length with sculptor Christian Maychack. Check out his work in the link. I'll try to find pics of the pieces he had at Aqua but for an intro this is good.Nicest guy and again I'm supercurious about trying out magicsculpt...wish we could've just played with some in the courtyard.

Another sweet and awesome artist I met was Julie Peppito. Go look!! Love her drawings which I had seen once before and then these whimsical and fun conglomerate hanging sculptures incorporating everything from figurines to stuffed animals, fabric, wire, beads, etc. And also using magicsculpt! we must play. on thursday she was working on a piece out in the courtyard.

Aqua Hotel Courtyard

these are obviously my hired bodyguards, Amber and Brent. don't mess with them.
fun quiz:can you tell which one is the trained assassin?

Aqua Hotel- Almond Zigmund

i met Almond at my ScopeMiami show back in 04...she lives in the hammies too- is having a show at the Parrish Museum right now. these pieces are dizzyingly methodical and flocked! gotta love flocking.

aqua hotel - Cinders room

my friend Sean Samoheyl (see other work by him in the Richmond set) and Cinders gallery owner Sto created this mock bedroom prop installation. phone is carved wood, other objects painted wood, or taped, or paper mache.


Hotcakes Gallery- $5

Hotcakes Gallery had these sweet tiny photos mounted on wood blocks for only $5.(!?) Since this is a typically highpriced fair I had to ask to make sure it wasn't a typo. noPe! well, just my range, sold!:) amusement like debris...times gone by...

aqua hotel- Eric Zimmerman

very interesting construction/projection piece by Eric Zimmerman @ Art Palace in the Aqua Hotel Fair. we seem to have a lot in common...have to look this guy up!

more pics and notes comin up!

Comments

[unluckymonkey.livejournal.com]

yeah beautiful good times.
sexay dress/heels combo girlie!
mmmmm warmth!
I'm totally jealous of course. :)