ArtCenter/South Florida to Host Conversation with Artist Carol Jazzar, 10/23

Moderated by Artistic Director Susan Caraballo, a conversation with Carol Jazzar (Carol Jazzar Contemporary Art), Mark Dean (Dean Project), Adler Guerrier (Dimensions Variable) and other gallerists will be presented Wednesday, Oct. 23rd at 7:00 pm and is open to the public.

The conversation will address the many alternatives that have arisen in the art world that challenge the traditional gallery system.

Celebrated Miami gallerist Carol Jazzar, recognized as a rising star thanks to the notoriety of her home/garage gallery, transports the work of six of her artists to ArtCenter/South Florida for their first-ever pop-up show with a gallery - On Location: Carol Jazzar Contemporary Art.

Curated by Ms. Jazzar, the subject matter of the exhibition is masculinity, and features two ArtCenter alums - David Rohn and Jorge Pantoja - plus Robert Huff, duo Brad Kuhl & Monique Leyton, and Roberto Visani at the Richard Shack Gallery, 800 Lincoln Road.

Jazzar's sensibility is renowned for being fresh, off-the-beaten path and full of surprises. Her alternative art space was even heralded in The Wall Street Journalby Mitchell Wolfson, who said: "This independent curator's gallery, housed in the owner's garage, has audacity, style and intelligence, and it's not so easy to find, which makes it fun."

"Showing a selection of my artists at ArtCenter's prime location on Lincoln Road is a win-win for all," said Jazzar. "A different audience will be able to discover the gallery and the artists I work with. Art lovers from all walks of life will be exposed to new work they might not otherwise see. By working with ArtCenter on their first pop-up show, I can reach out and acquire new contacts and discover new artists."

ArtCenter's Artistic Director Susan Caraballo said: "By forging these new relationships, we help to broaden circles of access and interchange for those working in the art world - enabling different artists, gallerists, museum professionals and collectors to connect, share ideas and spark new collaborations."

According to Jazzar, the show aims to reflect different aspects of masculinity and the consequences of living in patriarchal societies imbued with violence, wars, the effects of money and Wall Street, and the struggles for power.

Moderated by Artistic Director Susan Caraballo, a conversation with Jazzar and other gallery and alternative space directors will be presented on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 6:00 p.m. and is open to the public. The conversation will address the many alternatives that have arisen in the art world that challenge the traditional gallery system. This is the second presentation of ArtCenter's new On Location series.

The first debuted in August, transporting the Artha Project studio residency from the Brooklyn Navy Yard to Miami Beach, and showcasing three emerging New York artists. Two On Location exhibitions are planned for next season, partnering ArtCenter with a gallery and with an art institution.

"ArtCenter's new On Location series manifests our vision to create new opportunities for artists and art professionals," said Executive Director Maria del Valle. "We are launching new programming to bridge the contemporary art market with the non-profit side of the art world."

Artists in the exhibition:

Robert Huff has had a long career as a practicing artist and as Visual Arts Department Chair of Miami Dade College, South Campus. He is now producing his most vibrant works. His work hovers between image and object, dispassionately de-constructing familiar places, probing their archetypal status in our collective consciousness.

Kuhl & Leyton use multi-colored tape as a drawing medium to depict white collar crimes. The two works presented illustrate notorious cases: the Madoff Ponzi scheme and the corruption of lobbyist Jack Abramoff. These original compositions translate information gleaned from news media into pictorial episodes.

Jorge Pantoja's works on paper are stills from movies the artist selects and reproduces from memory. Viewers will recognize scenes from movies that feature male characters responding to extreme pressures, such as The Shining, Full Metal Jacket and Midnight Cowboy.

David Rohn's photographic self-portraits allow him to inhabit male "types." Masculine markers such as power and dominance interest this artist as he transforms his persona for each one. The collection of portraits is a veritable "rogue's gallery," including such figures as The Aristocrat, Construction Man, The Caregiver, Technical Man and The Soldier.

Roberto Visani's guns are fabricated from found objects and unconventional materials. These sculptures are totems made from humble materials that express both the persistence of masculine aggression and the ineffectualness of violence.

The cultural epicenter of South Beach's Lincoln Road, ArtCenter/South Florida welcomes more than 100,000 visitors every year and is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2014. The mission of ArtCenter/South Florida is to support the artists and advance the knowledge and practice of contemporary arts and culture in South Florida. ArtCenter creates opportunities for experimentation and innovation, and encourages the exchange of ideas across cultures through residencies, exhibitions, outreach and education. Since its founding in 1984, ArtCenter has been home to more than 1,000 resident artists. ArtCenter also offers over 100 studio and artist development classes per year at its South Beach location and satellite venues. More information is available at 305/674-8278 and artcentersf.org.