Artistically Social
Amy Rosenberg is an attorney and arts and environmental advocate who founded the Arsht Center’s young patrons group and is the co-founder of the environmental non-profit organization Dream in Green. Amy is a member of Art Basel’s Junior Host Committee and sits on the boards of LegalArt, the Funding Arts Network, New World Symphony’s executive committee and the Florida Association for Women Lawyers.
The Miami International Film Festival once again drew raves from locals who flocked to the premiere of Valentino: The Last Emperor. The opening night film captured fashion’s iconoclastic, brilliant and often snippy couturier during the end of his 50 year reign. The documentary provided an often moving glimpse into Valentino’s lifestyle, his relationship with his stoic and under-appreciated business and life partner and a subtle (but scathing) look at how private equity is changing the fashion landscape for the worst. Rumor has it that Valentino was set to appear at the premiere but canceled at the last minute because the private plane sent to pick him up was a tad too petite for his liking.
Five-time James Beard award winning chef and (more importantly) People’s Sexiest Man of the Year, Tom Colicchio, was interviewed by former Top Chef Contestant Jeff McInnis at the Arsht Center’s Celebrity Chef Series. McInnis, still chafing a bit from being cut twice from the show (this writer thinks he should have been in the finals), posed several pointed questions to the cuddly chef who was recuperating from surgery for a torn ACL. Colicchio managed to limp to the on-set kitchen and prepare several delectable looking seafood dishes involving simple vinaigrettes. Hopefully, Colicchio’s visit to Miami will convince him to open one of his Craft restaurants here someday.
The Green Room Society, the Arsht Center’s hip young patrons group, brought a who’s who crowd to the Mondrian for a splashy party featuring visual and music artist Datamouth. Executive Vice President Scott Schiller created a buzz for Fuerza Bruta, an Argentine show that has literally made waves in New York (a full-size pool makes an appearance in the show). The work, an extraordinary fusion of erotic visuals and pulsating music, takes a standing audience through a rhythmic journey that is part rave and part theatrical experience.
Powerhouse arts organization FAN, (Funding Arts Network) held a luncheon that delved into the future of the arts. Visionary organizer Jo Ann Bander had the heads of several local arts non-profits, including Gablestage’s Joe Adler, Miami Light Project’s Beth Boone, New World Symphony’s Victoria Rogers and MOCA’s Bonnie Clearwater, share brief impressions on the topic of the day. The narratives were often deliriously funny, provocative and powerful. The guests were then invited to interact with attendees at various tables and share insights over giant chocolate chip cookies.
Gen Art presented a sneak peak screening of Sunshine Cleaning, a blackly comic tale of two sisters (the engaging Amy Adams and the wickedly funny Emily Blunt) working in the ghoulish enterprise of crime scene cleaning. The film featured poignant moments punctuated by slapstick comedy.
The wildly popular Spam Allstars graced Bayfront Park’s Tina Hills Pavillion for a free concert sponsored by the Downtown Development Authority’s DWTWN Concert Series. The group drew an eclectic crowd of revelers who shimmied to the fusion of dub, hip hop, funk and Latin music.
Sweat Records organized a live show featuring the exuberantly poppy duo, Matt and Kim at urban gem, the Upper East Side Garden. The garden is the home of a nine hole artist–designed putt putt course as well as a garden center bursting with native and endangered plants (you really have to see it.) Artists, hipsters and rogue landscape enthusiasts celebrated the Garden’s second anniversary as well as the design of a new native Florida garden by Edwina von Gal. A new mural by Martin Oppel was also unveiled.
New World Symphony’s Friends group celebrated a dazzling evening at the Lincoln Theatre with an experiential performance of Prokofiev’s Cinderella. Three hundred Friends then descended on the new Riviera Hotel for Chopin cocktails and Kung Fu sushi.
Until next time…
