During the month of March, AXS Art and Fontsquared joined forced to launch their first post-pandemic art show that highlighted female artists and the art they created during the pandemic. The show which is titled; “(Brave) New World, (Bold) New Rules” is a means of catharsis for the women that have braved the pandemic and in the process documented their experiences through art. Follow along as Miami Vibes Mag explores the ethos of this Women’s History Month exhibit.
AXS, a boutique law firm in the heart of Wynwood believes in the importance of safeguarding local artists and has so dedicated its office as a gathering place for artists to exhibit and share their ideas. Besides facilitation, AXS and their partners also collect art as well as advise local artists on matters of law. Valentina Gutchess, the marketing lead at AXS Law, tells us that the goal with these quarterly events is to create an opportunity for artists who can't afford the high rent prices to showcase their work and meet collectors. She mentions that all the proceeds of art sales go to the artist.
Fontsquared which also falls under Warehouse 4726 is an artist-run studio space in Miami that is run by Ignacio Font and Jean Blackwell Font. Their shared experiences in the art world bring together a powerhouse of curatorial, administrative, marketing, and educative expertise. The theme of highlighting female artists who braved the pandemic was the brainchild of Jean Font who was also one of the exhibiting artists.
The ethos of the event was inspired by the work of English Philosopher Aldous Huxley and his novel "Brave New World. As we've had to adapt to the present times this event forces you to think about how to live in a free and more sustainable world. The event which was well attended was also hosted by Emmy Award-winning journalist, producer, and TV personality Cynthia Demos, who led a Q&A artist session.
This is a free exhibit and can be viewed till May 31st by appointment only. If you'd like to visit please contact AXS Law to schedule your appointment and don't forget to check and support your local artists at Warehouse 4726.
To also get a feeling for the artists work, please find their bio's below:
Jean Blackwell Font
Jean Blackwell Font is the co-founder of Warehouse 4726, a mixed media artist, an arts marketer and administrator or, an artist-owner-marketer-admin, in Miami, FL.
Jean never stops learning about art and her own artistic practice, learning from people she knows personally or from studying the lives, art, and work of those she admires. Influenced by artists Betty Saar, Doris Salcedo, and Joseph Cornell, the artist has developed a visual vocabulary to express ideas and concepts through collage and assemblage.
Her artwork has garnered the attention of several important collectors in Miami and is now part of Florida International University Special Collections.
Nadyia Duff
Nadyia Duff is a Jamaican/American Artist, Art Educator, and Museum Educator. Nadyia creates elaborate narratives using her method of drawing and painting. She combines the painterly and realistic. Every layer is a unique and uncalculated build up of mediums and color. The juxtaposition of roughly drawn background imagery and the detailed subject imagery creates vast visual narratives.
Mila Hajjar
Born in Rome, Italy, and raised in Venezuela, Hajjar is a plastic artist who has participated in more than 150 exhibitions, between individual and collective, in the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia. She has won several awards including the Soho International Art in New York, the International Art Show d ‘Estiu in Catalonia, Spain, and the first prize at the Maneiro Art Salon in Venezuela. She graduated with honors in architecture from the Federico II Faculty in Naples, Italy, and did other studies at the Szombathely University in Hungary and at the Carabobo University, in Venezuela.
Mary Larsen
Raised in New York City, Mary Larsen attended an art magnet high school then studied printmaking and filmmaking at Hampshire College. Her education continued through her extensive travels throughout Europe, India, Nepal, and China, filling sketchbooks and immersing herself in the art and culture of the places she stayed. She completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts, graduating Magna Cum Laude from Florida International Univerisity. She has lived, worked, and exhibited in NYC, San Francisco, San Juan, and Miami. Her work is in corporate and individual collections in New York, Miami, and San Juan.
Marilyn Valiente
Marilyn Valiente is a visual artist living in South Florida for most of her life. After her bachelor’s degree in art education from the University of Florida, she continued her education in psychology having achieved a Master's degree in mental health counseling and a Ph.D. in pastoral psychology. She practices her skills as a psychotherapist for many years treating people with various mental health disorders. For the past 20 years, she has become very active in pursuing her love for the visual arts; entering exhibitions, fine art festivals, and art competitions. She is a signature member of both the Miami Watercolor Society and the Florida Watercolor Society. For the year of 2017 and 2018, she has was the president of the Miami Watercolor Society. She holds numerous awards to name a few: “Best in the show” in the Broward Art Guild 2019, Miami Watercolor Society Fall 2017 Exhibition, and First place in the Spring 2018 exhibition. She is the president of the Coral Gables chapter the oldest and prestigious professional organization of women artists: The National League of American PEN women.
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