Editor's note: Artist Audrey Vollrath contributed to this piece.
Art Basel happens in three places, and three places only: Basel, Switzerland; Hong Kong; and Miami Beach. And, Dec. 6-9, this gallery-forward, for-profit internationally respected art show lights up Miami Beach.
And of course, Tampa Bay artists will be there. Because we rock. Here's a look at four of them, their work and their ties to the Tampa Bay area.
Who is Ezra Johnson?
He's a painter whose work delves into collage, sculpture and video (sometimes all at once). He has an MFA in painting from Hunter College in New York and has done two residences. His work is exhibited across the United States, from Santa Fe to Philly, and also in Europe.
Floating on Top
The flagship piece in the exhibit, a six-minute stop-frame animated film he painted by hand. The six minutes include found objects from the Hillsborough River (near where Johnson lives now). In the next gallery, still life with those objects awaits.
Who is Aubrey Vollrath?
Aubrey Vollrath is a native Floridian who earned her visual arts degree from Fordham University in New York. She organizes pop-up shows and exhibits her own work from St. Petersburg to Buenos Aires.
Freaked It
Who doesn't love them a little sleaze? Ahem, Aubrey Vollrath has it all right here for you, Florida-style. It's — in her own words, this isn't a pejorative — "slimy, repulsive, charged orbits that vibrate with the same energy as the wrong side of town."
Actually, y'all, her description is so spot on, we're just gonna let her keep going:
"They buzz, like to get buzzed, fumble around, slump over, and ooze bad-girl behavior. It’s the attraction and repulsion of the intersection of Hillsborough and Nebraska, 24-hour tanning salons, next to a flashy cash for gold sign. It’s the culture of strip malls, and strip clubs with UFOs on top — all the cringe-worthy eccentricities of Florida that are both beloved and bewildering."
(Also, Audrey Vollrath helped us get the artist info for this piece)
Who is CaRth Meyer?
She's — by virtue of her degree — a graphic designer who lives in St. Petersburg. She also has a minor in art history, and today she works in multimedia. Her first graphic design work was for the NBA, NFL and the USL, and she most recently worked for Bill Edwards, but now she woks for herself.
Rule Your Selfdom
This is a multimedia piece that's digitally created piece of art. She call is a satirical look at self-doubt. Also, there are balloons.
Who is Kale Roberts?
Uh, three words — his words: "queer sporting energy." We're gonna leave the rest to your imagination…
Tailgate Projects presents: Original Mouth Salacious South
Think of it as a truck — in drag. More than 13 artists from across the globe contributed to this, and if you look long and hard, you'll find all sorts of commentary on things like tailgating, fandom, confederate flags and sports-ball things.
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This article appears in Dec 6-13, 2018.