From heiress to artist
There hasn’t been a better way to close Art Basel than with fried fish and Chaka Khan
Lindsay Lohan is back and stunning on the front page of Interview Magazine
Celebrating the latest edition of PIN-UP Magazine and the newest furniture collection by Ben Ganz
Last week for Art Basel, American Express created an exclusive lounge in the Design District in Miami to showcase some of the finest art and food. The pop-up featured a number of incredible and renowned chefs including two-time James Beard award-winning chef, Mashama Bailey. The event, titled American Express presents SAVOR & SOUL, was an intimate brunch that aimed to feature and discuss the current state of Black art and artists. The brunch featured a number of delicious soul food items including fried chicken with a delectable hot sauce, waffles, shrimp and grits, and much more.
This pop-up experience also served to feature the latest work by Phillip K. Smith III, titled Garden of Reflections. This installation is composed of 17 columnar sculptures that collage the light, atmosphere, and movement through folded mirrors and polished steel. This installation is able to morph the space throughout the day by playing with the natural light as well as the presence of all the guests in the pop-up lounge. By creating a piece that redefines the perception of reality, it creates a powerful, yet almost modest piece that allows for one to reflect.
Later on in the event, a panel was formed featuring Black artists, curators and collectors, including Artist Sabrena Khadija, Gallerist and Collector Hannah Traore (Hannah Traore Gallery) and Everette Taylor (CEO of Kickstarter and former CMO of Artsy), moderated by Phillip Collins (Founder and Curator of Good Black Art). This panel of esteemed guests discussed the state of Black art as well as methods to uplift and amplify Black art and artists. Discussions formed around how to create a network that circulates and promotes Black art as well as how to truly succeed as a Black artist in an industry that has historically underrepresented and under-appreciated Black art.
As the event concluded, it was § Announced at American Express Presents SAVOR & SOUL™, Artists Adrian Brandon, Sabrena Khadija and Gianni Lee have teamed up with premier live-stream shopping app NTWRK and American Express for an exclusive art drop, which was unveiled during the event. Fans will have the opportunity to purchase the three pieces on December 9th at 3pm PT/6pm ET, exclusively on the NTWRK app. Proceeds will be donated by NTWRK to Good Black Art, a global platform centered around the most promising emerging Black artists.
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.
*Global Dining Access by Resy membership extends to eligible U.S. American Express Cards: Platinum Card®, Business Platinum Card®, Corporate Platinum Card®, The Centurion Card, Centurion Business Card, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, and Hilton Honors American Express Aspire (see Global Dining Access Terms and Conditions).
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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