Where the Gables and Art Week Intersected
A night out during Art Week, in the clouds and on the runway
When it comes to Art Basel and the other revolving events in December, tourists and residents alike flock to Miami Beach and Wynwood to immerse themselves in art. We chose the lesser known path to Art Week, where we stopped by the artist-in-residence exhibit to see one of our favorite local artists and hit up our go-to Gables brewery for a captivating runway show. Here’s how we spent a couple of evenings at Art Week in (or adjacent to) the Gables:
Living in the Clouds
We kicked off Art Week early with the grand opening of Liv Dockerty’s artist-in-residence exhibition, “Liv in the Clouds,” at the Kimpton EPIC Hotel in Downtown Miami. Following her solo exhibition at The Americas Collection gallery on Ponce de Leon Boulevard earlier this year, we couldn’t wait to immerse ourselves in the picturesque clouds dreamt up by one of the Gables’ very own artists.
The show’s artwork was inspired by the romantic colors seen at sunset, from pastel oranges to dusk’s dark blue hues. Dockerty is known for her use of interference paints, which allow the colors to shift depending on the observer’s vantage point. As we walked through the exhibition space, we were engulfed by clouds — thanks to the puffy pastel pink and purple decorations hanging from the ceiling and the tiled mirrors that reflected the large canvases.
The event took the motif to the next level by serving cocktails and bites inspired by Dockerty’s paintings. From dry-ice ceviche to cotton candy desserts, the hotel’s Area 31 rooftop restaurant captured not only living in the clouds but eating them as well.
LOUD Fashion Show
Art of Black Miami (featured in the official Miami Art Week Guide) made its way to Coral Gables thanks to Love of Urban Design (LOUD). This Miami-based incubator and production company, which celebrates and uplifts Black creatives and their culture throughout South Florida, put on a unique Art Week fashion show and marketplace out on the patio at Bay 13 Brewery.
Before the show started, we perused the market, made up of South Florida artists and vendors selling artwork, beauty products, and fashion accessories. We watched local artist Kimlayn paint a portrait of an elderly Thai woman at her tent. She told us she draws inspiration from people she meets during her travels.
Enjoying the cool evening with a pint of sour beer, we waited for the models to hit the runway, created by two sections of lined-up patio furniture facing each other with a passage in the middle. Sitting in the front row quite literally meant being part of the show. Throughout the night, a group of diverse models strutted the catwalk, showcasing streetwear fashion by Cool Creative, athleisure clothing by F + F Gains, luxury wigs by House of Postiche, and one-of-a-kind designs by students from the South Florida Fashion Academy.
Between designers, we enjoyed performances by Miami rapper King Tetrus and singer Ledoux, both promoting new music (King Tetrus’ album “Peace & Blessings” and Ledoux’s single “Beautiful Tragedy”). With each new tune, the crowd got more pumped up. We then listened to a powerful spoken word performance, where we chanted back verses about not conforming in life and chasing our dreams instead.
