This year the Harlem Fine Arts Show celebrated its 15th anniversary in New York City, bringing together black art gallery owners, art collectives and artists to celebrate 15 years of ensuring opportunities for Black Art to thrive. Buying Black Art or what is sometimes referred to as African Diaspora Art has become increasingly popular among both novice and seasoned collectors of all nationalities. Yet there is still a long road to inclusion…
Loreto, Mexico is in the Baja California Sur peninsula about 300 miles from Cabo San Lucas. The town faces the Sea of Cortez, an amazing body of water of the color of lapis lazuli where whales come to mate and birth their young between the months of January-March. The town is surrounded by what is known as the Sierra de la Giganta, a mountain range of rugged golden hills in a desert environment of immense beauty and mystery. If you are looking for a road less traveled or a change of scenery, you may want to head out to Loreto. Here’s why?
The rise of immersive exhibitions are making their way through the US, offering us a new way of learning and exploring the arts competing with art fairs, galleries and museums for your eyes and money. More recently, I dragged my kid sister to see the King Tut immersive exhibition in NYC before it closed, now headed to its next major city. There are pros and cons to what this new entertainment media offers and its potential. This latest craze in interactive art and virtual reality stimulation so far is gaining traction. Here’s how?
This exhibition by Puerto Rican artists and curators at the Whitney Museum is a first step in helping to understand the complexity of Puerto Rico/US colonial status disguised as a commonwealth. The exhibition merges the long-term damage of US policies on the island’s sovereignty and its economy with the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria followed by more disastrous policies and the recent earthquakes hence the phrase “no existe un mundo poshuracán.
As 2022 comes to an end, I can’t help thinking about what went well, and what didn’t. I remain stupefied over how quickly this year has left us. Yup, so much that I wanted to accomplish and didn’t quite get there. Yet, grateful to be alive and healthy to try again. In thinking back and reflecting on the events of 2022, we can be both grateful and disappointed at how the world is changing. Let me rephrase that…..how our humanity is changing. In reviewing all that we have seen and heard in 2022, here is my best shot at what made the cut for me….
After two years of uncertainty caused by the pandemic this year Art Basel was in full force not holding anything back as the art world descended on the city of Miami for a week of art, fashion, music, and partying. Thousands of art collectors, dealers, artists, curators, celebrities and party animals will experience what is most likely the biggest international art fair in all of North America. Every December this art fair, which is now an entire week, gets bigger and better as it is no longer just concentrated at the Miami Beach Convention Center. This year, Miami Art week had over 80+ venues throughout the city of Miami with its fair share of controversy starting with over two billion in art sales even as we are approaching a recession….
The magic of opening a door that could lead to something entirely different never escapes me and is why I am so fascinated by the architectural designs of doors from all over the world. I am drawn by the intricacies of both new and older colonial style doors on homes, churches and buildings. In Mexico, doors represent both protection and pride as well as an invitation to come in. Walking through Merida’s streets photographing so many captivating doors, I could not help wandering about the history and cultural elements that built this unique craftmanship…
First stop in Morocco is the city of Casa Blanca; this country’s economic and business capital. Upon entering the city of Casa Blanca, all those romantic notions and imagery of an ancient city from watching the movie (Casa Blanca) immediately disappears. This city is a powerhouse, a huge metropolitan center similar to any urban American or European city with its fair share of traffic jams and pedestrians. Much less exotic than some of its sister cities, yet worthy of a visit even if you don’t get to ride a camel. Here’s why….
If you are a lover of architecture, an architect or maybe an urban planner, you will easily fall in love with Merida’s 18th century colonial homes and buildings heavily influenced by both the Moorish and Mediterranean designs of that period. One of Merida’s most pleasing attributes is the preservation and restoration of what remains of a once colonial empire with a dark past. A real estate bonanza for those who seek to retire in a foreign country or invest. It certainly crossed my mind….
Somewhere in the world, the harvesting of grapes is happening. In the USA, just about every state has vineyards that make for a great opportunity to visit with friends and enjoy the tasting of wines, whether it’s Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel or Riesling. I personally lean more toward a robust, dry red. This is my third visit to the Finger Lakes region in Upstate New York to drink wine and enjoy the area’s rustic scenery and it never disappoints. Actually, there is more than just tasting wine that makes this region attractive for a long weekend visit with friends….
