LIST OF SPECIAL PROJECTS 2023
 

Artist: Benito Esquenazi
Left Wall Mural: Embrace
Short Wall by Door: The Seer
Right Wall: Spirit Animal

Bio: Benito Esquenazi is a Cuban-American artist who has a studio practice, and is venturing into performance and interactive mediums. 
 
Born in Cuba, he arrived in Miami Beach, Florida when he was 5 years old. His formal art education began at Miami Dade Community College-North. Then transferred to Pratt where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1984. 

Upon graduating Pratt, Benito went on to establish a studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where painting, drawing, and street art were his preferred mediums. During that time, he participated in various artistic / community events and exhibitions on the Lower East Side. He curated a New York-Miami Exchange Exhibit in 1986 and founded one of the first galleries on the Lower East Side in NYC in 1995. During this time, he worked on several murals in South Florida. 
 
Since 2020, he has been exhibiting his work. Moving back to South Florida in 2020, Benito began to incorporate art performances into his practice; creating 500 drawings in one 32 hour sitting in public titled "The Lincoln Road 500". He also produced a dance titled "Dance of the Drawings" based on his drawings coming to life; which premiered as his solo show opening during Art Week Miami 2021, at the JCC, Schwartz-Jacobs Gallery. Benito’s interactive sculpture “You Are Worth More Than Your Weight in Gold” was featured during Miami Art Week 2022 at Aqua, where he also exhibited. 
 
Benito is actively creating from his studio located in Miami Beach.
 
Link to Landing Page:
https://www.atelierbenito.com/post/from-odyssey-to-art-a-homecoming-mural-by-a-local-artist

GALLERY: Aqua Spotlight Series: Miami Edition (An Exhibition of Key Biscayne Women Artists) 
ARTISTS: Flor Godward, Nathalia Delgado, Laura Marmol, Proyecto 100, Vieterre Porcelaine 

“Key to the Realm of Dreams” 
The key to the realm of dreams lies within the imagination, unlocking possibilities that transcend the boundaries of reality. 

GALLERY: 1ST Gallery OC 
ARTIST: J LEE 

swish! swoop! Shhhhhh 
As an artist, I constantly think about my brushstrokes. 
...Shwoooooo 
I imagine my movements to be like the wind.  
  
My work seeks to close the distance between time and matter; then transcend them both. By coupling natural and artificial materials into a strange duet, I borrow from the present world to anticipate an experience of the future. My projects point to the sublime harmony in and beyond nature. 
  
A few years ago, in the middle of the dry California desert, I met someone who was in love with the sky. This person had been exploring constellations with a telescope for decades and intended to continue doing so for the rest of his life. That day, alongside the stars, I saw Saturn and Mars directly. The wonder I felt led me to dwell on the mystery of planets.  
  
These pieces you see speak of deep longings. As someone who was once a full-time homemaker for many years, I am consciously moving from the present to the future. I too am striving to overcome vast distances in time. Through these desert stones and manufactured paints, I am seen trekking to my destination — Mars. A place I have only seen in the picture of my mind. 
  
Now, look. Can you see it? My planet that your eyes are touching.  
  
May it inspire you on your journey to your planet.  

GALLERY: Jenny Chandler Art 
ARTIST: Jenny Chandler 

Jenny Chandler, a visionary artist whose name shines brightly in the world of abstract art. Hailing from Alabama, her artistic journey began as a formula of solace and self-discovery through the exploration of colors, unleashing her creativity and setting her on a transformative path towards self-expression. Her large-scale painting 'Revelry' is created through her profound passion and emotional connections. She uses acrylic paint with movement as a vibrant tapestry of emotions, inviting viewers to experience unique narratives that resonate deeply. Jenny's exceptional talent has earned her a place of distinction in the art world, receiving recognition in renowned publications. She also is a passionate supporter of the arts through philanthropy at LACMA, MOCA LA, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Hammer Museum and the Academy of Motion Pictures. She serves as an esteemed member of the Vogue 100 in recognition of her dedication to the arts, both professional and personally. 

GALLERY: Jenny Chandler Art 
ARTIST: Mary Lai 

Mary Lai is a multifaceted visual artist based in Los Angeles, California. She believes “Art is a universal language that can speak to anyone”. Her vibrant contemporary works articulate the reflective inclinations of her dreamer mindset - to discover dreams and uplift emotions for viewers. Entering into her third decade in the creative industry, the seasoned artist and designer enjoys blurring boundaries and challenging the perception of what art is and how it is experienced. Her most recent AR sculpture ‘Dream Portal’ draws viewers to a closer look into one’s unrevealed dream door; inspiring the unlocking of their own dreams and paths of opportunities. Lai has worked with several notable brands including HBO Max, Vayner, St. Jude, the Wahlbergs, American Express, Snapchat and more. She has exhibited artwork worldwide and continues to refine her craft exploring what it means to create art with impact in the physical and digital world. 

GALLERY: Alessandro Berni Gallery 
ARTIST: Erol Gunduz  

As a visual artist, I am interested in juxtaposing aesthetic narratives that exist within a range of commercial, fine art, and subcultural contexts which include character design, graffiti, figurative iconography, toy design and sculpture. Movement, pose and formalized spatial relationships blend with considerations regarding the dynamic between medium and perceived light. My studio practice employs quick and intuitive explorations of figurative form as I strive to instill immediacy and elucidate sensual information through graphic representation. The figure serves as the main visual framework of the process as I juxtapose humanist principles with narrative themes of the fantastic and whimsical. I also just try to make people smile. :) 

GALLERY: A Great Gallery 
ARTIST: Molly Goldfarb 

Molly Goldfarb (b. 1992) is an independent studio artist living and working in New York City, best known for her vibrant acrylic paintings, limited edition digital works and marker drawings. Her pop-meets-punk aesthetic, colorful in both appearance and gesture, takes shape in a wide range of subject matter. “Double Take” is the latest addition to her series of abstract portraiture, which jump started her career in 2014, and features her signature motifs of pearls set against facial piercings; patterned, roaming facial features; beauty marks; and her distinct vibrant color palette. As with all of her faces, “Double Take” began as a free-association marker portrait before taking on a new bigger, bolder life of its own. This is Molly's second time exhibiting at Aqua Art Miami (2019). You can follow her latest work on Instagram @createdangerously. 

GALLERY: Showcase 14C 
ARTIST: Charlie Spademan 
Charlie Spademan is a multi-disciplinary artist from Montclair, New Jersey. 
Having studied sculpture at the Cleveland Institute of Art, where he learned the basics of metal forging, he has since acquired a mastery of several different disciplines. His command of materials used in his artwork are wide ranging and include metal, plastic, wood, mold making, machine design, electronics and automation. 
Focusing on creating original works forged with his hands, Spademan explores the undefined boundaries between fine art, craft, and design. 
His pieces are rarely strictly utilitarian. Inspired by 19th-century and early 20th-century riveted and bolted iron structures, Spademan creates work that highlights the transformation of structural steel into organic forms. 

GALLERY: ARTE GLOBALE 
ARTIST: Domenico Ludovico 

Domenico Ludovico's work is based on the use of found and recycled raw organic material, allowing emotive and existential figures to emerge from the precious marble. Working among the quarries favoured by Michelangelo, Ludovico's works deploy both traditional methods and state-of-the-art technology to convey timeless experiences. 
Domenico has, since graduated from the Academy of Fine Art in Carrara, collaborated with some of the most prestigious art institutions in the world. His precious pieces were exhibited in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Basel, Rome, and at the Saatchi Gallery in London. In Italy in 2023 an impressive exhibition 'Dolce Vita' was staged at the Palazzo Delle Esposizioni, one of Rome's Contemporary Art Museum with the artist's collaboration and critically acclaimed work. 
Domenico Ludovico (1982, Acquaviva Delle Fonti, Bari, Italy) lives and works in the mountainous Italian region of Garfagnana, within the Tuscan province of Lucca. His art pieces are unique and one-of-a-kind masterpieces. 

GALLERY: A Great Gallery 
ARTIST: Super Buddha 

Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Super Buddha moved to the US before settling in what he considers his "hometown" Shanghai, China, where he attended high school and continued to pursue an Art & Design Degree. While in China, he began obsessing with the unique style of Eastern Art and focused significantly on immersing himself into this distinct culture that he was encountering firsthand. As an artist, Super Buddha embraced the rare and underground Urban/Contemporary art scene in Shanghai, where much of his influence would eventually stem from. He is currently credited as being one of the Pioneers of Street/ Urban / Graffiti Art in Shanghai. Following his move to Miami, the artist continued developing his own signature style of providing good fortune. Furthermore, the "Buddha" that is depicted in each painting is always conveying a message of consciousness and positive affirmations. These daily reminders are aids in keeping a healthy mindset in such a busy world and filled with so much nonsense. It's fair to say we tend to forget some fundamental values that make us human. The style and color choice of Super Buddha reflect ideologies and aesthetics of Pop Art with an influence on Urban Art. Super Buddha's color choice is lively and eye-catching with an uplifting vibe. He feels that positive vibrations are what the world needs today. 

GALLERY: Stoked Gallery 
ARTIST: Bobbi Bennett Bobbi Bennett is the creator of Stoked Surfboards. She has been an exhibiting artist internationally for over 25 years. 
After creating a body of photographs using resin, she decided to merge her passion of photography and surfing. Finding new and vintage surfboards, she redoes the front of the surfboard. She then applies her photograph and re-coats the surfboard with epoxy resin. The surfboards became so popular, she branded her company STOKED! 
And she is STOKED! Celebrities such as Dennis Quaid and Bruce Johnston have commissioned her to do one-of-a-kind surfboards. 
Stoked also gives a percentage to various non-profits with each sale of a surfboard. She is currently partnered with the Maui Strong Fund providing financial resources to support the immediate and long-term recovery needs for the people and places affected by the devastating Maui wildfires.

GALLERY: Victoria White 
ARTIST: Victoria White 
victoria white is a painter, sculptor, philosopher, mentor, and teacher born in new orleans and living in venice beach, california. she is most recognized for her larger-than-life monochromatic portraits of the iconic figures who inspire her, including artists, musicians, thinkers, actors, and athletes. 
her life took on an unexpected trajectory when a serious health struggle forced her to leave her career as a corporate lawyer. during her recovery, she found her true passion in combining philosophy and painting to make unique artworks that reflect not only the likeness, but also the soul of her subjects. 
victoria finds working with children as a great source of inspiration for her artwork. she volunteers as a teacher and director at indivisible arts, a nonprofit educational organization where she teaches creativity, consciousness, and connection to children and young adults. 

GALLERY: Capital Culture Gallery 
ARTIST: Nando Kallweit 
German sculptor in bronze. As a young boy, he was inspired by the beauty and antiquity of a bust of Nefertiti housed in the Egyptian Museum of Berlin. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, his new-found freedoms allowed him to travel to Egypt and develop his belief in the basic strength and pride inherent in inhumanity. His sculptures seek to emphasize this through elongated forms and upright postures. He reduces the figures to simple gestures and movements creating sculptures with a wonderful interplay between the archaic and the modern; between art and design. 
Nando’s work has been exhibited across Europe and is held in many private collections. He has produced a number of large scale permanent installation pieces for German municipalities and museums.



Titles:  Ghost Soldier 1, Ghost Soldier 2
Materials: Acrylic on Window Screen
Dimensions: 62 x 31
Year: 2022
Gallery: Kraine Gallery
Rooms: 204 & 205