Mary Damiano Photo by David Vance

Mary Damiano’s Arts Scene

Videos Stars of VOOM at Bass
VOOM Portraits Robert Wilson is an exhibition of provocative high-definition video portraits by epochal avant-garde artist Robert Wilson. These works were commissioned and produced by VOOM HD Networks, a U.S.-based television provider devoted to high- definition television channels. The portraits of 26 people and animals are presented on large-scale HD plasma flat-screens, and include Johnny Depp, Princess Caroline of Monaco, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Brad Pitt. Each work is accompanied by original

Isabella Rossellini by Robert Wilson

musical scores. Robert Wilson's work has been exhibited at museums internationally, including the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam; the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston; with retrospectives at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris. Wilson is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Golden Lion award for sculpture at the 1993 Venice Biennale, first prize at the Biennial Internacional de Sao Paolo, and the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize for lifetime achievement. The exhibition runs through August 23 at the Bass Museum, 2121 Park Avenue, Miami Beach. www.bassmuseum.org

Local Playwright Published
Miami born and raised playwright David Caudle has something to celebrate: his play, The Sunken Living Room, has been published by Samuel French, one of the most prestigious drama publishers around. Caudle’s play made its world premiere at New Theatre in 2006. It was an excellent production and showcased the playwright’s talent for drama and attention to detail. The Sunken Living Room isn’t in stores yet, but it is available at www.samuelfrench.com.

Adora and David Rohn will enliven Moon Over Miami, Tigertail’s annual fundraiser

Moon Over Miami
Tigertail Productions’ Moon Over Miami theme for their annual fundraising event offers guests come enticing choices. You could be inspired by the setting, the recently renovated Ichimura Japanese Garden on Miami's Watson Island, in the middle of Biscayne Bay, and dress in Asian-inspired outfits, or you can go the glamour route and get your inspiration from the 1941 Hollywood movie Moon Over Miami, which starred Don Ameche, Betty Grable and Robert Cummings. Whichever way you go, Moon Over Miami sounds like it’s going to be a lot of fun. The event will include a silent auction of original artwork from Miami's trend-setting best; live entertainment; a "gossip booth" with long-time South Florida publisher Jim Mullin; and of course, the requisite food and open bar. Miami's own arts activist and gal-about-town Merle Weiss will be the celebrity doorperson, along with "the Man in the Moon" by Clifton Childree.
Moon Over Miami will be held Saturday, May 17, 8-11 p.m. at the Ichimura Japanese Garden, 1101 MacArthur Causeway, adjacent to Jungle Island. Tickets are $100 each. Call 305-545- 8546 or visit www.tigertail.org.

Literary Tea with Les Standiford
The Florida Center for the Book will present a Literary Tea featuring Les Standiford, author of Washington Burning: How a Frenchman’s Vision for Our Nation’s Capital Survived Congress, the Founding Fathers, and the Invading British Army on Tuesday, May 20 at 2 p.m., at the Broward County Main Library, 100 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Standiford, a popular author as well as the director of the Creative Writing Program at Florida International University in Miami, will discuss his latest work of non-fiction, which explores the dramatic story of how our nation’s capital rose from a wilderness. This vital chapter in American history is filled with intrigue and outsized characters—from George Washington to Pierre Charles L’Enfant. The friendships, rivalries, and conflicting ideologies of the principals in this drama mirror the struggles of a fledgling nation to form a kind of government the world had not yet known. In Washington Burning, master storyteller Les Standiford, tells a compelling, uniquely American story of hubris and achievement offering a fresh perspective on the birth of not just a city, but a nation. Books will be for sale and signing after the program. Admission is free. For more information, call 954-357-7386.

Wifredo Lam: Personaje con Sombrero (Person with Hat) ca 1942, Gouache on paper, 37 ½ x 30 inches (95.2 X 76.2cm.). Collection Mrs. Tanya Brillembourg. ©2007 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris. Courtesy Haggerty Art Museum.

Wifredo Lam Symposium at MAM
A daylong symposium on Cuban artist Wifredo Lam and his contributions to modern and contemporary art on Saturday, May 17, will cap Miami Art Museum's presentation of Wifredo Lam in North America, on view at MAM through May 18. The symposium also marks MAM's publication of Wifredo Lam at Miami Art Museum, which features works from South Florida collections seen only at the MAM presentation of Wifredo Lam in North America. The symposium, slated for MAM's auditorium from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 17, will feature internationally renowned scholars who will share new perspectives on the unique art historical position held by the great Cuban-born artist. Guest speakers will include: Judith Bettelheim, Professor of Art (History), San Francisco State University, who will discuss Lam’s Caribbean Years: An Intercultural Dialogue; Jacques Leenhardt, President, Friends of Lam Association, Paris; and Bárbaro Martínez-Ruiz, Assistant Professor of Art and Art History at Stanford University, who will speak on The Impossible Reflection: A New Approach to African Themes in Wifredo Lam’s Work. Juan Martínez, Professor and Chair, School of Art and Art History, Florida International University, will moderate and Cuban-born Miami artist José Bedia will participate as respondent. Registration is strictly limited to 150 participants and advance registration is encouraged. Registration for the Symposium is $10 for MAM members and students with valid ID; $20 for non-members. To register, call 305-375-4073.

Conni Gordon Orchestrates Insta-Art Events
Artist, educator, entertainer—Miami’s Conni Gordon wears many hats. Experience her live when she conducts two Instant-Art events at the auditorium of the Miami Beach Regional Library, on 22nd Street off Collins Avenue, on Wednesday, May 14 and Wednesday, May 21, 6:30-8:30 p.m. The event is designed for all ages and free sketch materials will be provided. The first 100 attendees will also get a 12-lesson Conni Gordon Method self-teaching art course book. Another session is scheduled for the South Beach Library on Thursday, May 22. No experience is needed to enjoy immediate results following the method Gordon has devised. The Guinness World Record Books recognizes her as the world's top art teacher, having guided over 17 million people in 80 countries to enjoy immediate recognizable art results, even at first try, with plenty of laughs along the way. Last week, Gordon conducted Instant-Art Dog Pawtret lessons to raise money for the Adopt-a-Pet Fund Drive held at the Yacht Club of her new location, Palm Bay Towers, 720 NE 69 St, Miami, which is the new headquarters for her non-profit Conni Gordon Arts Foundation, Inc.

Meatloaf, and his own personal bat out of hell

I Love Meatloaf
There are certain things I never leave home without: my Macy’s credit card, lip gloss and Meatloaf’s Bat Out of Hell CD. They’re the basics for a really good time. Bat Out of Hell is, without a doubt, one of the most perfect rock and roll albums ever created. I have it on LP, wore out several cassettes and even had it on eight-track. Every song is a piece of theatre, a mini opera, and the most perfect merging of a singer and a songwriter, Meatloaf and Jim Steinman. If you love Meatloaf as much as I do, you won’t want to miss Meat Loaf: In Search Of Paradise. This intimate documentary by Bruce David Klein chronicles a stressful time in Meatloaf’s career: early 2007, when he is about to launch his most ambitious tour ever: an 18 month long marathon to support Bat Out of Hell III, the final album of the legendary Bat trilogy. His exhausting—and often poignant—journey takes him from Burbank, California through the first leg of his tour through Canada. Along the way, an unexpected media controversy erupts over the staging of one of his songs—a controversy that raises questions about his art, his age, his relevance—and brings into focus the drive (and demons) that have fueled his over-the-top stage persona for almost 40 years. The documentary will be screened one night only on Sunday, May 11, 7 p.m., at Cinema Paradiso in Fort Lauderdale. It’s Mother’s Day, but heck, your mom probably loves Meatloaf too. The film is part of Cinema Paradiso’s Emerging Cinema; there May roster also includes Puccini’s Il Trittico on May 12 at 7 p.m. and 17 at 2 p.m.; the May 12 screening features a 6 p.m. reception with a sampling of Italian foods on the theatre’s Paradiso Patio. Also, May 14-18, there are screenings of The Counterfeiters, the true story of the largest counterfeiting operation in history, set up by the Nazis in 1936. For complete showtimes, prices and info, visit www.fliff.com.

Miami ArtParty to Hold Film Fest
After starting a successful run of parties showcasing local talent, Art Party is adding local filmmakers to the mix. Now in its fifth month, ArtParty is adding another genre of artists to their mix. The ArtParty Film Festival is scheduled to take place Saturday, May 17, 8 p.m. at the Original Literary Café, located at 12325 NE 6th Ave., North Miami. The night will be filled with an entertaining and thought-provoking line-up of independently made films and will include local filmmakers Gustavo Cervantes, Jordan Service, Kirkland Hyman, Samuel Lopez De Victoria, Christina Barredo, Robert J. Escandon and Verena Faden. The filmmakers will also talk about their inspiration and struggle in the Florida film community. Admission is only $3. The ArtParty is also looking for new talent to be a part of this event. Those interested in participating can contact Daleena Segui at Miamiartparty@gmail.com www.miamiartparty.com.

Painting by artist Silvius Krecu, one of the masters in ArtRouge Gallery’s live master class

Gallery Presents Live Master Class
ArtRouge Gallery will hold a unique live master class in visual art during this month’s Gallery walk. Featuring artists Enrique Sierra, Miguel Fleitas and Silvius Krecu, this master class in painting is designed to allow people to step inside the world of an artist, and to watch masters at work producing new paintings inspired on the same object. With a unique approach and vision, three masters will paint the same live model at the same time, each of them with his unique and original technique. This is a rare opportunity to witness the creation of a painting by well-known masters. In this special step-by-step presentation, the artists will guide onlookers from sketch to completion, revealing their secrets of painting along the way. The event takes place Saturday, May 10, 7 p.m. to midnight at Art Rouge Gallery, 46 NW 36th street, Wynwood Art District. The exhibition will be open until June 12. For additional information, call 305-448-2060 or e-mail info@artrouge.com.

Bossa Nova legend Sergio Mendes

Blame It on the Bossa Nova
Catch the legendary Sergio Mendes at the JVC Jazz Festival, Saturday, May 17, 5 p.m. at the Bayfront Park Amphitheater in downtown Miami. The festival features an eclectic mix of bossa nova, pop and jazz with a line-up that includes Mendes, R&B singer/songwriter Anthony Hamilton, Brazilian artist Jorge Ben Jor and artist Ledisi. Afterward, enjoy After Dark at the Oasis with performances by Raul Midón, the Yoruba Soul Orchestra featuring Osunlade, Quetzal Guerrero and Siji, plus DJ sets by Osunlade, Djinji Brown and Rainer Trüby at The Oasis at The Raleigh Hotel. For more information and tickets, call 877-655-4TIX or visit www.MIAJazzFest.com.

Barbara Sloan and Angie Radosh in Thumbs at Actors’ Playhouse Photo: Alberto Romeu

Theatre Openings
The theatre season is winding down, but there are a few openings before the summer season of musicals begins. Actors’ Playhouse has the comic mystery Thumbs, a cat and mouse story by Rupert Holmes, who wrote the Broadway hits Curtains and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Thumbs runs through May 25. www.actorsplayhouse.org. With songs like “The Internet is for Porn” and “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist,” it’s clear that Avenue Q is not the usual Broadway musical. A sort of “Sesame Street” for adults, Avenue Q uses actors and puppets to tell the story of the denizens of the titular street, a bunch of 20-somethings navigating their way through life, work and love. Avenue Q runs May 13-18 at the Arsht Center. www.arshtcenter.org. The world premiere musical Makeover, about a woman who makes a deal with the devil to fulfill her dream of being beautiful, runs through early June at the Hollywood Playhouse in Hollywood. For tickets and more information, call 954-922-0404. The Mosaic Theatre has its production of Lee Blessing’s A Body of Water, about a couple who wake up one morning with no memory of who they are. It runs through June 1. www.mosaictheatre.com. At Florida Stage in Manalapan, there’s Ordinary Nation by Carter W. Lewis, about an economist with a bookie father and poker-playing daughter. It runs through June 15. www.floridastage.org.
And even though it doesn’t open until the very end of the month, start gearing up now for City Theatre’s annual short play festival, Summer Shorts, which will be performed for the second year at both the Arsht Center and Broward Center. This year City Theatre is expanding with three programs: Signature Shorts, more than a dozen plays broken up into Program A and Program B; Shorts for Kids, a fest with kid-friendly content; and UnderShorts, a bawdy set of plays for adults only. Also, City Theatre is offering a $15 ticket for Signature Shorts performances on Friday, May 30 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, June 1 at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., during opening weekend. Tickets for these performances are available through the Arsht Center’s box office at 305-949-6722 and through www.arshtcenter.org/summershorts. Read all about Summer Shorts in the May 23 issue of MiamiARTzine.com.

The Japanese Garden at Miami Beach Botanical Garden

International Museum Day May 17
More than a dozen area museums will take part in International Museum Day on Saturday, May 18. The event has been celebrated each year since 1977, and this year’s theme is “Museums as Agents of Social Change and Development.” Local participating museums include the Lowe Museum, the Wolfsonian and the Miami Beach Botanical Garden, which will feature a workshop with artist Henry Richardson on creating glass sculptures, Japanese themed crafts and activities for children and families and a flower arranging workshop by Israel Sands. At noon, Richardson will demonstrate his art of creating glass sculptures. Richardson’s six-foot diameter Tikkun (Healing the World) sculpture is installed at the Garden, as well as a spherical glass sculpture. In the Banyan Room from 1-3 p.m., artist Israel Sands will present a demonstration of floral arranging in vases of unusual shapes or sizes. Also from 1-3 p.m., the Garden will present the Japanese Spring Festival, with crafts and festivities for children and families, including making fans and kites. A presentation will explore the art of making Zen sand gardens, and youngsters will receive kits for making a personal sand garden at home. Tastes of Japan will also be offered. The events at Miami Beach Botanical Garden are free and open to the public. For more info, visit www.mbgarden.org.