Tomio Koyama

Think Warm: Miami Draws for You

21 Jan - 10 Feb 2006

THINK WARM: MIAMI DRAWS FOR YOU

Jan.21th,2006 - Feb.10th,2006
Opening Reception: Jan.21th,Sat. 18:00pm-20:00pm

Think Warm: Miami draws for you, a survey of the drawing medium with works by 24 Miami artists.
Collaborative artist team of independent curators Agatha Wara & Nicola Gugliotti

So there we were, about to move from Miami to Tokyo when we looked around and realized we were in the middle of something really amazing. With the recent art fairs in Miami, and great collections either starting in or moving to both the Design and Wynwood Districts, we think the world is noticing the specific cultural contributions of Miami artists. We conceived of a way to bring Miami to Japan with us. Not knowing where our efforts would land us we printed out contracts and packed work into a hard portfolio, which we placed in the overhead compartment of our transpacific flight.
We left a warm Miami April behind, to arrive in a freezing Tokyo April, something we had never experienced... realizing just how on-the-opposite-side-of-the-world we were.
Once we decided to put this exhibition together, we didn't have to look very hard to find this talented group of artists since we were associated with and surrounded by them. Whether nationally or internationally recognized or new bloods, mid-career or just starting out, we wanted to combine their dynamic work into an exhibition that would serve as a "snap-shot" of the Miami art scene at that time. While the artists in Think Warm work in a variety of mediums, each of them uses drawing in some stage of their work or as the work itself.
With Think Warm we will initialize a second exhibition, one which will create a cultural exchange, bringing work by Tokyo artists back to Miami. Giving each city a chance to experience the artistsХ work and influences of the other, we also hope to create connections between artists and galleries along the way.
When we think of Miami, hot beaches and steaming asphalt are first to come to mind. We also think of itХs people Р warm, extroverted, the more attitude the better. English, Spanish, Creole and dialects of each can be heard everywhere you go. In addition, MiamiХs art community is vastly multicultural and the artists in Think Warm represent this diversity. When going to an art opening excessive pleasantries like hugs and kisses are expected. Tokyo was in complete contrast to Miami for us. In a homogenous country were there is mainly one language and one of the lowest crime rates in the world, and at art openings no one hugs or kisses instead everyone greets each other at armХs length with a slight acknowledging bow or a hand-shake.
Both cities have produced many young, phenomenal, hard-working artists and we want to act as agents to inject some Miami heat into the cool Tokyo art world.
So as the January wind freezes your privates off Tokyo, Think Warm because Miami draws for you.
Agatha & Nicole

***
Participating artists: Jiae Hwang/Bhakti Baxter/Naomi Fisher/Diego Singh/Ali Prosch/Brandon Opalka/Victor Muniz/Sinisa Kukec
Wendy Deschene/Carol Prusa/Diana Shpungin &Nicole Englemann/Blane de st. Croix/Amy Broderick/Sibel Kocabasi
Jamie Crooke/Jason Hedges/Martin Oppel/Hernan Bas/Clifton Childree/Daniel Newman/Cristy Road/Tao Rey/Jason Ferguson

Sincere thanks to:
Our amazing artists/Sarah Gavlak /Tomio Koyama and staff/Blane de St. Croix/Talya Lerman
Fredric Snitzer/Rod Faulds/Paul Laster+Renee Riccardo

© 2005 Ali Prosch © 2005 Jiae Hwang
© 2005 Diego Singh © 2005 Victor Muniz
 

Tags: Hernan Bas, Bhakti Baxter, Clifton Childree, Naomi Fisher, Diego Singh