Art phenomenon Thierry Guetta known as Mr. Brainwash has broken all the rules again as he invites gets for an exclusive first look at the only Contemporary Art Museum in the world created and run by a living artist.
On Wednesday, Nov. 30 The Knockturnal was on the scene of Phillip K. Smith III’s Garden of Reflections with food and drinks by Michael Solomonov (Chef and Owner of Zahav, Abe Fisher, Merkaz, Dizengoff, Goldie, Laser Wolf, Federal Donuts and K’Far in Philadelphia, PA and Laser Wolf in Brooklyn, NY).
Solomonov’s delicious Mediterranean inspired spread included Instagram-worthy Ceviche in Bissli Bag, Hummus Cones with Brussel Sprouts & Green Garbanzo, and Mushroom Baklava. Guests also were invited to indulge in an open bar and enjoy handcrafted cocktails, wine, and champagne. American Express cardholders also received a cookbook: Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking. The cookbook features many Israeli recipes, personal stories, and a dictionary of related terms.
My personal favorite item of the day was the Ceviche in a Bissli Bag. The flavors were outstanding and unique and eating it out of something that resembled a chip bag was so innovative, convenient, and mess-free to eat at this event.
“Food, culture and art are so intricately linked and I am thrilled to be partnering with American Express and Resy to bring this exciting experience to guests in Miami,” said Chef Michael Solomonov, Chef and Owner of Zahav and five-time James Beard Foundation award-winner.
Resy and American Express to Host Multiple Dining Events During Art Week in Miami Including Dinner Series with Massimo Bottura, Missy Robbins and Mashama Bailey with Original Art by Phillip K. Smith III; Gallery Day to Feature Food by Michael Solomonov
The art featured was “Phillip K. Smith III’s Garden of Reflections.”
Garden of Reflections is an installation composed of 17 columnar sculptures that collage the light, atmosphere, and movement of the space across their highly reflective and folded mirror polished steel surfaces. Organically collected in three different groups, the artwork reacts to the immediate surroundings, colors, and realities of the day. As the light of the space changes, so the artwork changes. As people move within the space, the artwork reacts accordingly. This reflective experience reconfigures and compresses directionality and space, amplifying one’s perception of their surroundings. The result is an installation that is equally powerful and quiet, completely immersive, and changing at all times, no matter day or night.
More about the artist: Working in the Southern California desert’s Coachella Valley, Phillip K. Smith III creates light-based work that draws upon ideas of space, form, color, light + shadow, environment, and change. Featured in many online and print publications, Smith is known for creating large scaled temporary installations such as Lucid Stead in Joshua Tree, Reflection Field and Portals at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival, ¼ Mile Arc in Laguna Beach, and The Circle of Land and Sky at inaugural 2017 Desert X exhibition. His public artworks are sited in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Kansas City, Nashville, Oklahoma City and beyond; and the artist was recently commissioned to create permanent, light-based works for the cities of West Hollywood, CA, La Jolla, CA, and Bellevue, WA. The artist currently has solo exhibitions on view at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art through August 6, 2023, and at the Palm Springs Art Museum through May 7, 2023.
ABOUT GLOBAL DINING ACCESS BY RESY:
Global Dining Access by Resy is a dining program for eligible* American Express Card Members that provides elevated access to top restaurants in the United States and internationally. Card Members can utilize the program’s benefits – to get access for exclusive tables, Priority Notify, event access – by having their eligible American Express Card on file in their Resy profile. In the U.S, Global Dining Access exclusive tables are available at 500+ restaurants including Carbone (NY) Lilia (NY), Via Carota (NY), Zahav (PHL), Monteverde (CHI), Mi Tocaya (CHI), Mother Wolf (LA), Kato (LA), Contessa (MIA), Rose’s Luxury (DC), Sarma (Boston), Carbone Vino (DAL) and more.
Global Dining Access members are also invited to purchase tickets to Global Dining Access events featuring top chefs and restaurants. Past events have included World’s Best Restaurant noma’s 5-day residency in New York City (May 2022) and Platinum Coast (September 2021), a floating restaurant on a barge in Manhattan’s East River featuring Nancy Silverton, Kwame Onwuachhi, Stephanie Izard and more Global Dining Access Chefs.
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Spoiling a crowd that is already well familiar with the highest levels of human creativity and talent, soprano Rosa Feola and tenor Stephen Costello still offered their very best with an intimate recital including excerpts from Rigoletto by Verdi and L’Elisir d’Amore by Donizetti. The recital, punctuating a joyous dinner, was rife with deft humor, astounding vocal power, and charming actions. Even without translation, the story was easy to follow thanks to the rich animation of the performers.
These performers, coming straight from the Metropolitan Opera, managed to create a rich atmosphere out of nearly nothing and defined setting and story by voice and a single prop: a bottle of wine from The Duckhorn Portfolio, the wine choice of the evening. It felt spontaneous and deeply engaging, it was a performance that revealed the diverse talents of today’s opera stars. Pianist Katelan Tran Terrell accompanied on the piano.
Within the dining room of New York City’s legendary Union Club, an air of charm and optimism pervaded. The Salzburg Festival is, without a doubt, the most important performing arts festival in the world. It is unique for combining all types of performance works such as opera, drama and concerts as well offering innovative and refreshing interpretations of a enormous selection of works. Tickets to performances are cherished and go quickly.
“Since its founding more than 100 years ago, the great American tradition of supporting the arts through private philanthropy has enabled the Salzburg Festival to implement artistic projects and other major initiatives which would have otherwise been impossible,” said Dr. Kristina Hammer, the new president of the Salzburg Festival and keynote speaker at the New York Gala.
As part of the celebrations, the evening co-chairs Carole Bailey French and John French III, welcomed their guest of honor, Peter Gelb, the general manager of The Metropolitan Opera. This was an important point of recognition because The Met and Salzburg Festival have had a long and fruitful engagement together.
Peter Gelb speaks at Salzburg Festival Society Gala
“The Met and Salzburg [Festival] have a healthy symbiotic relationship,” opined Gelb, “in those months during fall, winter, and spring when the Salzburg Festival is not in session, The Met is there to help fill the gap. My personal history with the Salzburg Festival goes back to the time when it was still being ruled imperiously by Herbert von Karajan.
John French III presented both Kristina Hammer, the newly installed as the president of the festival, and Peter Gelb, general manager of the Metropolitan Opera, with a hand-blown engraved decanter by artisan Simon Pearce.
The uniting factor in the room was the overwhelming appreciation for the traditions of the Salzburg Festival, along with the curiosity of what is to come under Dr. Hammer’s direction. Dr. Hammer expressed particular enthusiasm for supporting younger members of the public who wish to fund or participate in the festival, including through programs like the Young Singers Project as well as other programs strictly for young people.
For those in the US, the Salzburg Festival Society is an appropriate point of entry to the festivities. The Society is the liaison between the Salzburg Festival and its American friends and patrons, providing members with exclusive access to events and services related to the Festival. Support starts at $1,500 and grants, among many other benefits, two tickets to up to 15 performances at the festival, typically held in July and August.
Guests at the Gala included Salzburg Festival Society president Nabil Chartouni and his wife Samantha, as well as board members Isabelle Harnoncourt-Feigen, Maria Hernandez with Joel Bell, Alexandra Kauka-Hamill, Isabella Ponta, and Sana H. Sabbagh, as well as Afsaneh Akhtari, Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel, Elizabeth Stribling, Barbara Tober and more.
The evening’s generous sponsor was Bank of America Private Bank. Rolex was a Gala Benefactor and Global Sponsor of the Salzburg Festival.
Showcasing amazing musical talent as well as incredible art
Maestro Dobel Tequila was born in Jalisco, Mexico, founded by 11th generation tequila maker Juan Dobel. Having refined his craft after 250 years, Dobel produces some of the smoothest range of tequilas for the global market.
In 2021, Maestro Dobel announced a multi-year partnership with Design Miami, a global forum for collectable and internationally renown design. Seeking to support the thriving Mexican art scene, Maestro launched their Artpothecary hospitably initiative. Acting as a platform to promote the cultural richness of Mexico, Maestro Dobel holds a series of immersive events, which seek to elevate Mexico’s most prominent artists. Maestro Dobel Tequila now returns to Miami Art Week in 2022, supporting the yearly event series on its 20th anniversary.
Maestro Dobel x Design Miami
As the official Tequila of Design Miami, Maestro Dobel Artpothecary brought to life a contemporary recreation of the Mexican Golden Age. The Artpothecary team drew upon the style of trailblazing architect Ricardo Legorreta, who designed the world renowned Hotel Camino Real in Puerto Vallarta. Legorreta was known for his uncanny ability to intertwine Mexican vernacular design with international flair. Maestro Dobel Artpothecary along with Clásicos Mexicanos recreated this pivotal period in Mexico’s design language. The team utilized an original deisgn from Legorreta’s Vallarta collection featuring archival pieces and three works from Mexican painter Mathias Goeritz. Guests of the installation were treated to a selection of Maestro Dobel Tequila cocktails as well as a custom menu by Chef Jorge Vallejo of Quintonil.
Maestro Dobel awards Latinx Art Prize with Vogue Mexico and El Museo de Barrio
On Tuesday, November 29th Maestro Dobel, along with Vogue Mexico and El Museo de Barrio celebrated the launch of Maestro Dobel’s innagural Latinx Art Prize at the Setai in Miami Beach. The Prize aims to raise awareness of Latinx artists who remain underrepresented in the global art world. Awarded every two years, the prize includes a $50,000 grant and showcase in El Museo de Barrio’s gallery. The first recipient will be announced in the fall of 2023.
Guests were treated to hor d’oeuvres along with artfully crafted cocktails made using Maestro’s signature tequila. Later in the evening, attendees gathered around Vogue Mexico Editor in Chief Karla Martinez de Salas, El Museo del Barrio Executive Director Patrick Charpenel and Maestro Dobel Artpothecary Creative Director Alejandra Martinez as they took the stage to announce the launch of the Latinx Art Prize.
Evening at the Bass Museum
The Bass Museum held its Opening Reception on Wednesday, November 30th with an incredible turnout of influencers, press, media and museum VIP members. The member preview and cocktail hour was highlighted with a viewing of Adrian Villar Rojas’ exhibition, ‘The End of Imagination’. Maestro Dobel sponsored the event, serving their signature Black Diamond Margarita as well as a refreshingly crisp Ace Paloma. The event lasted well into the evening as guests enjoyed the unique experience of being able to tour the museum at night.
Maestro Dobel’s endeavor into supporting the arts and the work of Latinx artists through their Artpothecary initiative will continue as their partnership with Design Miami returns in 2023.
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Just Above Midtown: Changing Spaces, is open from October 9th to February 18th at the MoMA. JAM was a gallery and an art space open from 1974-1986. The exhibit is curated by Linda Goode Bryant herself, in concert with MoMA curator Thomas Jean Lax. The exhibit opens with the early bursts of JAM at 50 West 57th St. Lint in a plexiglass box by Wendy Ward Ehlers hangs alongside a collage of cut and pasted colored punched paper by Howardena Pindell.
With two children and no money, Linda Goode Bryant founded JAM in 1974. Her will haunts the exhibit. Eviction notices are plastered against the wall in a small hallway leading to the second part of the exhibition. Against it are earphones where you can hear Linda’s words. “..never had any money” were the first words I heard when I put it to my ear. Acting before financing is the only way for BIPOC artists.
The hallway takes you to JAM’s second location at Franklin st in Tribeca. On the right is a piece made by Heap-of-Birds (Hock E Aye Vi Edgar). Cheyenne and English words for community, liberty, and other concepts are painted alongside each other. The extent of Linda’s mission is apparent through her inclusivity. During this period the space focused on workshops, acting, and other participatory forms, while the wider art world was focused on collectible objects at the end of the 80’s.
JAM feels more like a base camp than a showroom. A headquarters for Ms. Bryants invasion of the NYC art scene. Her collection of process based art chronicles her path to further inclusivity. A necessary process passed forward to a new generation of black artists. After fifty years her war path has brought JAM to MoMA, in the heart of midtown.
The eminent Alvin Ailey Dance Theater company hosts a prodigious opening night gala to kick off a four-week holiday season celebration.
Bernzomatic recently released their new FirePoint Creator Tool and held a virtual crafting session hosted by David Picciuto.
Dominic Falcone, representative for Mecca Shriner with closing event opening and closing remarks
Friday, November 18, 2022. Tribeca, New York — Less was more last Friday at the Spirit Showroom gallery, located in Tribeca, New York City’s leading art District for renowned and emerging Artists. The open floor layout held space for big names that came to support the “Art for Charity” event. All proceeds raised at the Art event are donated to the Mecca Shriners charity to provide first rate medical care and attention to children with Neuromusculoskeletal conditions, burn injuries, pediatric specialty care; to support cutting edge educational programs for their medical staff, extensive research for patient treatments and other special health care needs. Established in 1872 as the first Shrine Center in the United States, the Shriners organization supports 22 hospitals in 3 countries and acts as a health care system, under the name of Mecca Shriners Hospital, with locations across the continental U.S., Canada and Mexico. Profits raised at the event
are applied to assist the medical teams that aim to improve the lives of children treated in their hospitals, facilities and practices.
(Left to right) Featured Artist Alysha Mako engaging with Keziah Founder of Afropolitain Magazine and featured Artist Renelio Marlin with Danielle Niecy, writer at The Knockturnal.
Actor, Derek Hedlund (known for Stranger Things, FBI, and Blue Bloods). with Florent Firmin
The Art Charity event opened its doors and welcomed in its guests who quietly poured their way into the exhibition. Those in attendance included figures from the art and editorial world such as Founder and Creative Director for Afropolitain Magazine, Nsayi Keziah Makoundou; Hollywood Fashion Editor & stylist, Yana Mandeville; Founder of ERA en Vogue, Angelica Eranović, Actor, Derek Hedlund and many other icons of the New York City nightlife, social media and social scene influencers. Choice wines and spirits donated by Bodvar wines were available to indulge.
Kazza Noble hosting the live Art Exhibit at The Art for Charity Event in Tribeca, New York
One of the most intriguing displays of the event was the opening presentation by famed Bronx-based artist, Kazza Noble. Attendees at the gallery engaged in his live, spontaneous and intuitively led oil paintings during its creation. Kazza began materializing his vision on a white canvas using variations of purple, violet and shades of lavender. He bled them together to fill the void of the canvas. The artist, while engaging with the curious eyed onlookers, began building on his inspiration, layering a gradient of colors and unfolding a sunrise between twin peaks, an image that took form before our eyes.
Artist Kazza Noble’s live painting exhibition in front of Kira Likhacheva, Angelica Eranović, and Yana Mandeville.
“You can bring them forward with brighter colors…” he spoke us through his process, all while answering questions from spectators, no matter how off-color or on target. He added white over the grays to form the presence of distant mountains; brown and burgundy for tree trunks and branches on the trees, “…two shades of greens,” he added, “…and put them anywhere you see fit.” At some point I was able to interact with the artist, at times second-guessing my next course of inspired action while I held the paintbrush. “Don’t be scared. There are no mistakes.” He motioned me to dip the tips of the brushes into any color. I chose pink, red and placed them on one of the trees. He said, “Nice… cherry blossoms.” The colors of my contribution now rest proudly on the buds of their branches, on a painting that was signed by yours truly, likely, other additional contributing artists, and of course, the legendary Kazza Noble.
Swimmer, 2019. A brisk and vivid Acrylic and oil artpiece, 51 x 82 in by Alysha Marko
In the showroom gallery, the walls were dressed with an array of acrylics and oils on canvas portrait paintings by emerging art world figures. For one, Alysha Mako, NYC based Painter, Gallerist and owner of AMRM Gallery (located in Upper East Side New York), offered many of her pieces in support of the event. Of her highlighted installments were Boat Ride, 2022, a 36 x 48 in oil on canvas piece illustrated a candid scene amongst friends on an open lake; Swimmer, 2019, a brisk and vivid Acrylic and oil, 51 x 82 in canvas installment by Alysha Mako; depicted the underwater perspective of a competitive relay swimmer, thrusting a breaststroke between lane lines at the deep end of a pool; and Bunny?! 2021, a remarkable abstract Acrylic and oil on canvas, 48 x 48 in art piece whose colors are swept with strikingly bold brush strokes, distinctive in its styling from her other paintings that hung in plain view.
Blue Gorilla by Cuban-American Artist, Renelio Marlin
The creative fine art pieces of Cuban-American artist, Renelio Marlin, were also displayed to further enhance the space. The most striking of his portraits, Blue Gorilla, 2014, hung centered on the farthest wall from the entrance, eye-grabbing in its appearance across the showroom. A striking Blue Gorilla rests his chin on top of his closed knuckles (maybe examining his hands), leans into a side gaze. Its backdrop is smeared into what appears to be rinsing away of painted words with bright red paint, black and gold traced graffiti over hollowed figures with empty views. The unidentified, human audience appears as two ghostly hollow faces emerging to the right view of the art piece, with a few disfigured images clustered and drowning into the backdrop. A third face is depicted, emerging from behind the Blue Gorilla to its left, onlooking the Gorilla’s spectators.
Yana Mandeville and James Catherine Ford attending the Art for Charity for Mecca Shriners , Tribeca, New York
Renelio’s paintings expressed a full range of his artistry, from artistic development to distinction in artistic style. Other pieces of his featured work included famed portraits from his collections; a 60 x 72 in oil on canvas, entitled, Basic Nature of Existence, 2021, is an adventurous kaleidoscope of colors that shadow the outline of a human figure in its blend of paints; it also expresses the silhouette of the human figure, peering off into a sea of life. Tree Of Life, 2020, an oil on canvas 81 x 52 in abstract portrait painting, length height, showing off detail, time and concentration in its composition. Notable patterns in the art piece were the protruding bulbs of orange and red orbs, spun together like a small strand of DNA in the top left corner; and the striking illuminated tower, the tree, piercing through the backdrop, midway point of the canvas.
Guests gather around featured Artist Juan Lazaro piece while enjoying choice Bovard wines
Various paintings of bicycles were showcased by artist Juan Lazaro using Acrylic and pen on cardboard. The largest of the canvased cycles, hung on a 42 x 82 in display, the Super Tricycle, 2020, shows the tricycle etched with pen and accented with blue, red, white and yellow acrylic on a vibrant yellow backdrop, its simplicity balanced the visual complexities found in the complimentary pieces by the other artists on display.
(Left to right) Anthony Schembry, Kandance Cornell, Florent Firmin, Zach Van Ysseldyk (holding #21 of the Mini Mojo Collection by Idriss B), Aweng Chuol, and Jordan Russo
Florent Firmin and Anthony Schembry, the organizers of the event, capped off the evening with a raffle to win a special edition sculpture made from world renowned French-Tunisian artist Idriss B. Idriss B’s 3-D NFT art inspired figurines were sprinkled across glass shelves alongside the bar side walls of the showroom. The composition of each figure’s build mimicked the way they would appear in the digital dimension with geometric space. In the middle of the show room, a silver gorilla, the 21st installment piece of the 50 Mini Mojo Art Collection, sat protected on display in an autographed neon green cubed casing for raffle bidding. Guests studied the piece with admiration, speaking of its seamless design, taking in the carefully crafted edges and celebrating its immaculate presentation on display.
Zach Van Ysseldyk became the winner of the raffle receiving #21 of 50 Mini Mojo Limited Edition of The Art Collection by Idriss B. from International Supermodel Aweng Chuol.
The organizers of the event closed the evening with the raffle pulled by the stunning South Sudanese Australian and world famous super model Aweng Chuol. Aweng’s latest fashion campaign can currently be seen throughout billboards across all of New York City. The lucky Zach Van Ysseldyk became the winner of the raffle receiving the #21 on his prized ticket. Aweng presented the glee-filled recipient with the 21st installment of the Limited Edition pieces from The 50 Mini Mojo Art Collection by Idriss B. IdrissB’s works of larger than life animals are prominently featured up and down Park Ave in the heart of Manhattan, New York between 34th St and 38 St. The organizers of the event thanked all the guests for attending and informed them of future “Art for Charity” events to come.
Telling the story of a Swiss farmer who has encountered a life-changing event, director Michael Koch’s story is an emotional tale with convincing performances from a number of previously untrained actors. Supercharged by the natural beauty of the country, A Piece of Sky (or Drii Winter) is a quiet but powerful film that shouldn’t be missed in this year’s viewing.
We were able to encounter the director and some of the cast at an intimate luncheon held in the official residence of the Swiss Consul General. Hosted by His Excellency Niculin Jäger, the afternoon was a moment to indulge in Swiss hospitality and learn first-hand about the creation of the film.
In terms of production, A Piece of Sky was clearly a mission of determination and persuasion on behalf of director Michael Koch, an actor himself. According to the director, “We had to convince some of the actors to actually do the project.” This was especially true for the main character, real-life farmer Simon Wisler. The cow farmer and president of the Parpan alpine cheese dairy spent about a year pondering the possibility before agreeing to the work.
Michèle Brand, who performs opposite of Wisler, was also without acting training, but was more ready to learn the craft. “Yes, I quit my job as an architect in order to pursue this. I saw an offer in the newspaper, and that was all.” Her performance is refined and careful. Altogether, Koch was able to access a level of realism that should tantalize many directors.
For audiences, especially an American one, this level of authenticity in both story and scene may require an adjustment. The film is slow moving and obsessively paced, almost forcing a viewer to situate oneself deeply in the mind of the actors. Reading is fundamental. To this end, it is satisfying once you’re able to access this mental territory. Koch does try to force the hand with opening scenes of slow, natural moments which help set the tone.
Independent of the film itself, the director was forced to contend with the reality of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, which struck during portions of filming. It was at the forethought for much of the cast during production. “No one became ill during any part of the filming. Even so, it was always the topic of discussion”.
Collecting a world’s worth of praise since its premiere, A Piece of Sky is an accomplishment. Learn more about the film here. The 95th Academy Awards will take place on March 12, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Learn more about the awards here.
The event in New York City also recognized two other pieces of Swiss creativity: two documentaries presented at this year’s DOC NYC, America’s largest documentary festival. First, the world premiere of Radical Landscapes, directed by Elettra Fiumi. The documentary came out of the discovery of a vast archive of work by her father, Fabrizio Fiumi. Fabrizio, along with the group of radical architects called 9999, imagined architectural innovations and anticipated a future that is still forthcoming.
Girl Gang, directed by Susanne Regina Meures, explores the world of young influencers by following a single family over the course of four years. The documentary focuses on Leonie in Berlin, at the time 13 years old and with half a million followers. “She united all the traits of a girl that lives a life through social media”, noted Susanne in an interview with Variety . Learn more about the film here.