Ernesto Briel was born in Guanabacoa, Cuba in 1943. An artist with a particular interest in the theater, Briel was a painter, producer and theater set designer who also worked briefly as an actor. He studied painting at the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes San Alejandro, and design at the Escuela Nacional de Diseño in Havana, and later photography, at the Parsons School of Design in New York. In 1969 he founded the Grupo de Arte Optico Cubano along with fellow artists Fornes, Serrano, and Morales, becoming the most representative and methodic artist of the genre. Feeling ostracized by the community regime due to his orientation he migrated to the US as part of a generation that left the island through the port of Mariel in the spring of 1980. Soon after his arrival he participated in the exhibit Three Cuban Painters at Middlesex County College in 1982 and in 1992, Jadite gallery of NY presented the exhibit Two Geometric Artists, along with Carmen Herrera, followed by a post humous solo show in 1994. His work is in the collections of the Jersey City Museum in New Jersey, the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Havana and the Housatonic Museum of Art in Bridgeport, Conn. Briel died in NYC in 1992.
These 3 tips will help you navigate art commissions when working with clients and brands. following these tips will allow you to enjoy creative problem solving with you creative expression in your career.
1. Maintain Creative freedom through better communicating your ideas to clients
2. Maintain your Copy Rights. Be aware of the term “Work for Hire” in your contracts.
3. Be Selective with the commission you take on. All commissions are not good commissions
As a self-employed contemporary artist, I rely on commissions more so than selling my work in galleries. However, some artists are not great negotiators or business-minded, and art commissions that start off optimistic can sometimes turn into a sour experience. These eight tips will help you maintain good clients, manage their expectations, and produce work with integrity.
TIPS FOR ARTISTS ACCEPTING COMMISSIONS
1 – Timing is key. Be responsive and follow up on your leads immediately.
If someone expresses interest in buying one of your pieces, but can’t make a deposit or payment right away, take down their contact info and follow up with them by the end of the day/event. Most people who buy art don’t “need” it. It’s a luxury item that is often an impulse buy — they fall in love with the art and have to have it. But if you wait too long, the infatuation can fade or even transfer to another item. If the art is intended as a gift, timing is even more important. I learned while working in advertising that no matter how well your product is advertised, if you don’t make the sale at the right time, you’ve missed the chance. But luckily, people are more willing to wait when it comes to art.
2 – Don’t be shy to state your terms.
It’s always wise to have an artist’s agreement signed by both parties to protect you from unwarranted situations. First off, licensing terms should be made clear. Does the client want the right to reproduce the artwork for commercial use/sale? They may think that owning the artwork is the same as owning the license to reproduce it as they see fit. It’s your job to educate them if this is the case. Most artists retain their licensing rights for their work even after a sale. But an unaware client may take your commission and innocently reproduce it on T-shirts or publish it for commercial use without informing you first. That will definitely lead to a sticky situation that could be avoided. Freelance artists may also ask for a “kill fee” — a mandatory fee in case the project is cancelled midway. Kill fees can be 50 – 100% of the project cost, depending on how soon the project is cancelled.
3 – Ask for a payment up front.
It’s fair to ask for as much as 50% up front to cover the cost of your materials and time. Some people prefer 30% down and a couple of installments. I would recommend taking between 30 – 50% up front, unless the commission is for a friend or somebody who has good standing credit with you. For larger commissions, consider a monthly payment plan, where you send your client monthly progress updates. Making a payment will help both the patron and the artist stay invested in the piece, and build a credible professional.
4 – Know exactly what you’re being asked to do.
Be clear in your descriptions and check in with the client at certain intervals. Remember why the client chose you to begin with, and don’t doubt your ability. DO take creative license — this is why you were hired! DO start with concepts or sketches for them to approve before moving on to costly or large scale work. DON’T check in too often, or seem unsure of yourself or ideas, as this is an open invitation for your patron to suggest their ideas, or perhaps drag you along a creative journey that isn’t your own. They’re just trying to help, but it’s probably doing the opposite.
5 – Cherish your good clients, and learn to manage difficult ones.
Not every commission will go smoothly, but don’t let a few bad experiences ruin the potential for great ones. I’ve had my share of difficult clients, especially when I was an eager and fresh art school graduate. This is a learning curve that will take experience, but here are some cues to watch out for. The good clients will insist on paying you up front, leave a lot of the artistic license to you, and give you a broad spectrum to work with without interfering with your creative process. Hang on to the good clients, as their trust will inspire you to be more creative, resulting in more portfolio pieces, and you’ll love what you do even more. The bad ones will try to dictate how you do things, change their minds after you’ve already started, or micromanage your work — but they insist they’re just trying to help. Good client management skills and educating your client on your process — like what you DO and DON’T need from them in terms of creative input — is crucial to keeping the integrity in your work.
6 – Know your market.
What type of art do you enjoy creating the most? What type of art are you best at? If you market yourself wisely, you’ll end up with commissions you absolutely enjoy. I had trouble deciding for a long time because I enjoy creating in many styles — my work ranges from plein air landscapes and travel memoirs to quirky dark illustrations to colourful portraits. If I had to choose, I do enjoy the illustrations the most, but they take the most time and have a much slimmer market compared to the landscapes and colourful.
7 – Have a method to pricing your work.
This will prevent panic when an opportunity comes up. Most artists price their work based on a per project rate ($ = estimated hours to completion x hourly rate) or based on size ($/sq footage) but there are four variables to keep in mind:
1) Time – Will you be working weekends or long hours? Or can you do this leisurely in a couple of hours? Is it due immediately, or can you take your time?
2) Size – Larger pieces require more paint, materials, handling, shipping costs, etc.
3) Skill Required – Portraits and figurative art generally require more skill than landscapes, so they are priced higher. Is the subject complex, like lace or patterning that requires a lot of detail?
4) Creative Integrity – Will this piece enhance your portfolio, or will you never show it off after it’s complete? Is the project interesting, meaningful, and fun to work on?
8 – Provide a good experience by sharing your process.
The more open and honest you stay with a client, the more positive the experience will be for both parties. Check in periodically, and send them some photos of work in progress, or an enthusiastic update. I can’t stress the enthusiasm enough: YOU are the artist. If you sound excited about your piece, so will the client. If you sound unsure or unconfident, chances are your client will also lose confidence in the project.
Markham artist Stacey MacNevin stresses the importance of not just delivering a painting, but delivering an overall experience. She advises, “Spend the time up front really listening to what a client wants for their piece. They may say: ‘I love your stuff — do whatever you want’ but what they are really asking you for is an experience.” Commissioning an artist should be an interesting, thrilling, and enjoyable experience that is rich in conversation and creativity. So take the time to understand your client, listen to their vision, and give them some insight into your creative process. It’s worth the time two-fold: the client will feel more connected to the piece because they are now more connected to your process.
While art commissions can sometimes be an exercise in trial and error, in my experience, these tips make clients happy and allow you to maintain your artistic integrity and creative vision.
Here are some questions to ask your client when working out the initial expectations of a commission:
Does the client have a design brief?
What is the timeline?
Is the client expecting sketches of preliminary designs? If so, will those be paid separately?
Is there an expectation of travel? And if so, who will cover this expense?
If the work is to be used commercially, where will it appear (web, print, etc)?
Am I free to interpret a theme or are there specific elements that need to be incorporated into the design, such as a client logo?
If the product is a physical artwork, what is the size and medium?
If the product is digital, what are the technical requirements (size, file type, number of images or files)?
JESSICA STEWART
Every commission contract should include:
The description of the project:
The contract should start with a loose description of everything you verbally agreed on (the size, colors, materials, subject matter, and other details of the composition).
Payment Agreement:
Most artists will request a 50:50 payment structure, requiring you to pay 50% upfront and the rest when the artwork is finished. Paying in advance is important, as it allows artists to purchase materials, and cover their initial expenses. In order to elaborate on the price, the artist will probably list the prices of other pieces, as a point of reference.
Creative Process:
This is where the artists should detail their requirements. For example, if you want a portrait of your dog, the artist may ask you to send several clear images of the pet. Also, this is the part where you arrange how often you’ll receive visual updates, (drafts, progress photos, etc.) and in what form (high-resolution images are great for two-dimensional works, but videos are more useful for sculptures, as they show the piece from every angle).
Copyrights:
It’s important to mention that even when you purchase a piece, artists still retain legal rights to it. Most artists will want to include an image of the artwork in their portfolio or website and sometimes, artists will ask to borrow their art pieces for an exhibition. If there’s a reason why you don’t want the art piece to be featured on their website (for example because it’s a very private portrait of your loved one or a portrait of your house) make sure to state that in the contract.
Shipping Strategy:
Now that you have an artwork completed, you need to get it delivered. It is important to explore shipping options and ensure that the artwork you ordered arrives safely on its location. In this part of the contract, you’ll see who is arranging the shipment: the client, or the commissioned artist. If you are ordering an art piece from another country, you will likely have to pay taxes, customs charges, import duty, and VAT, which will increase the price of the commission.
Since shipping can be complicated, it might be better to leave it to the artists or their gallery. Most galleries are knowledgeable about shipping options and additional costs, and will be more than happy to take care of all shipping arrangements.
Timeline:
The timeline should contain time estimates for every part of the creation process. It should include a payment schedule, deadlines for drafts and compositional previews, (and their approval), and the time needed to complete and deliver the work.
Alexis Valdés presenta su show “Para los enhumorados”, con “Cristinito” y “Nereida”
“Para los enhumorados” tendrá lugar el sábado 12 de febrero, a las 8 pm, en el Miami Dade County Auditorium. Es un espectáculo imperdible, producido por Claudia Valdés, con un Alexis Valdés a plenitud, haciendo stand up comedy, e interpretando a “Cristinito” y “Nereida”. El invitado especial de la función será el ingenioso Mónico Pino. Los boletos ya están a la venta en el www.ticketmaster.com “‘Para los enhumorados’”, explica Alexis, “será un show dinámico donde mostraré distintas maneras de hacer comedia, con un “Cristinito” que es el disparate total, y ‘Nereida”, que es la elegancia y el saber callejero”. “Cristinito” fue creado por Alexis hace décadas y se ha lucido en programas de televisión, redes sociales y presentaciones teatrales, mientras que “Nereida” es más nueva y ha sido un suceso en las redes sociales y en Youtube. “No es lo mismo ver a estos personajes en participaciones breves de televisión o redes sociales que desarrollándose completamente en el escenario, contando todo e improvisando”, manifiesta Alexis, que es actor, director, dramaturgo, poeta y músico. Alexis pasa por un gran momento profesional ya que mantiene sus producciones en el Teatro Trail a sala llena y, además, viene de haber filmado una serie para HBO, “Los fontaneros de la Casa Blanca”, junto a Woody Harrelson y otras figuras de Hollywood. Sobre “Para los enhumorados” afirma que hay una gran relación entre amor y humor. “La risa es un potente elemento de seducción, enamora; uno quiere tener cerca a personas que le alegran la vida, como el dicho que reza que ‘Quien bien te quiere te hará reír’”.
CONCURRENCES. OBLIQUE VIEWS/ART BASEL SEASON SHOW REVIEW TO WWW.ARTMAGAZINE.COM
Milagros Bello, PhD.
The exhibition proposes a coalescence of mediums, topics, and approaches that reflect our rich contemporary times. The artworks are concurrent and make dialogues in contraposing and aesthetic collisions, sharing the same visual space. They also confirm the freedom of innovation in the artists, away from restrictive canons and academic sets. They manifest an expansive spirit in the context of these changing times—not only due to the ongoing pandemic and its sociological and cultural mutations, but also on the emerging new art perspectives where the NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) are flowing into the markets and new buyers from the techno world are coming on board in an uncertain flow of money and investment. In addition to the sudden outburst of market/collectors and museum/curatorial recognition for marginalized voices, racial and/or gender minorities, underrepresented creators, all have created an unprecedented revision of the fixed 20th-21st century art canons until now being carefully gatekept by the central powers of the arts. The art world is put into a mutation mode. From all corners of the arts, its curatorial inteligentzia and the art gatekeepers are setting different strategies to cope with the deals and scopes of the current transformations and to sort out the new economics and social unexpected situations. The pandemic has dislocated and disrupted the world as we conceived it; this is a fact with a critical matrix of changes still in progress, still to be seen. It is with this spirit of “transformative aesthetics” that, as a curator, I have selected this group of artists of CONCURRENCES. OBLIQUE VIEWS presented during the Art Basel Miami/Miami Art Week December 2021 until December 28, 2021. The works span from notions of high and low, good and bad, figurative and non-objective, decorative and obnoxious, appropriative—with a bold focus in the creative, nifty, and daring attitude of the artist. Sami Akl uses an appropriation method in his artistic strategy. His painting appropriates the Flemish Baroque Peter Paul Rubens’s 1623 painting, Self-portrait of the Royal Collection, UK. Maintaining the rule of the baroque chiaroscuro technique of high-contrast lighting in tension, the artist radically changes the pictoriality of the painting. The character’s smooth skin carnation of the original Ruben’s work transforms into a rough and coarse impasto material, and the face and neck are altered into a pasty and thick white surface, into a new kind of masked and mysterious personage of intense daring visage. Akl puts it into a visual revision the Baroque legacy, connecting the aesthetics of the past and present.
Rosario Bond Jungle Fever, 2021 Acrylic-Flashe Paint on Canvas
Rosario Bond’s gigantic paintings of illusory proportions overview in large scopes the evolvements of nature and its curling and twists. Leaks, drops, drips, open escapes, in contrasting vivid colors, reveal immense panoramic views of mentally navigating wildlife and nature. The canvas is an active milieu of pure dancistic automatic gestures. They form a rich choreography of automatisms of instantaneous and intuitive marks that exhales the power of expressionistic approaches to the contemporary art. Noteworthy is the incorporation of surgical masks and cardboard containers to the work in a strong allusion to the pandemic crisis.
Eliana Barbosa inaugurates a new hybrid method that combines painting and photography in a mixed translational process. She starts from creating ephemeral silhouettes outlined and drawn over the surface of a large can. The random and unpredictable figures created with leaks and drops of color paint remain just seconds on the surface before they melt onto the white paint. This momentary and transient image created in the immediacy of time is the first artistic act. Then, the artist photographs the evanescent images before they disappear, as a second creative act. The photograph capture becomes the outcome of this transposed hybrid method of creation that combines automatic action painting and contemporary photography conveying the rich artist imagery.
Ricardo Carbonell, who is a master collage-maker of obsessive quality, instates an original technique of cut-outs electric tapes strips, diligently pasted, and ordered in mathematical sequences and geometrical shapes over a canvass, creating a new approach to non-objective art. They assemble as visual trajectories of rhythmic tensions and dynamic collisions in the pure simplicity of geometry. Repetitive patterns, juxtaposed lines, gradient of monochromatic colors, or overlapped contrasting colors form rich matrixes of his tactics to minimal configurations that at a metaphorical level evoke inner life trails.
Sergio Cesario Tenebris, 2021 digital photograph mounted on acrylic
Sergio Cesario’s digitally post produced photographs are based on real architectural structures that he photographs, and over which he re-purposes his creative imaginary. Using software, the artist infuses the original scene with pictorial elements. Diluted colors, serpentine lines, space dissolutions, and scribbling lines serve to de-compose the vista into a fictional and dream-like scenario. Cesario transposes reality into invisible dimensions of intimate life experiences, visual reflections on existential states, and projections of inner introspections.
Meg Cogburn Dark Horse, 2020 acrylic on canvas
Meg Cogburn proposes in her figurative painting on canvas a strong biblical reference to Famine of the Horses of the Apocalypse. Cogburn peculiarly interprets its symbolism through a hopeful vision on humankind. Regeneration and spiritual enlightenment oozes in the scene: the Famine’s horse rider is portrayed as a stone-like personage, and his horse is rigidly crashing on the ground, but they are blissfully surrounded by buoyant green growth and upbeat symbols of renaissance in the alpha and omega emblems.
Rafael Montilla
Rafael Montilla creates post-constructive paintings in which he recharts geometric patterns and plan-spaces into new permutations of asymmetrical colored diagrams and linear schemes. When using double thickness canvases, Montilla’s constructive forms speed off to the outer space in a sculptural optical effect. Montilla visual interplays linear rhythms of flat colors in unexpected pulses and configurations towards Spartan visual partitions and modules that recall the aesthetics of Constructivism.
Brandon Mitchell The towers Nightguard, 2021, Acrylic on Canvas
Francisco Ceron recreates the spirit of the cities in his digital photographs, gathering iconic societal and cultural references for the metropolis he has visited and personally explored; with an intertextual technique, he composes peculiar amalgams of complex signifiers of cryptic associations for the viewer. The cultural effect is enhanced throughout a pop art approach of neat silhouettes projected over monochromatic pop-color backgrounds.
Francisco Ceron Cocacola, 2021 Digital Print on Metal
Dalia Ferreira depicts in her digital photograph a strong visual impact of the hecticness of our current overpopulated cities and their critical consequences over the humans, mostly during quarantine. A yellow overcrowded building portrays neighbors jumping out of the windows, others gazing in desperation to the outside void, and others just witnessing the hopelessness of humanity. The work exposes a sharp reflection of the effects of our urban life pandemic times and the critical out-bursting of our communities.
Matt Jacobs Fertile Garden, 2020 12×9 inches oil on inset panel
Matt Jacobs shows sumptuous, lush-nature small paintings reshaping the concept of the horror vacui of the Baroque period. His works are rhapsodic visions of nature of high profuse foliage arranged in pastoral settings. There are idyllic and lavish views of plain flower bouquets, twirling clouds over blue skies, and abundant greenery. An explosion of colorful arabesque forms and exuberant ornamentation define with prolific creativity, the spirit of spectacle at the core of the commanding 1600s century style.
Karina Matheus The Art Is Alive IV, 2018 Acrylic On Paper
Karina Matheus proposes abstract colorful brunt and tangential brushstrokes on paper. It is a nonrepresentational approach to art that evokes musical tonalities and emotional feels. There are in the works imaginary sounds and timbres in different tempos and cadences that project as expressive dimensions of the spirit.
Brandon Mitchell The towers Nightguard, 2021, Acrylic on Canvas
Brandon Mitchell’s paintings as a young emergent artist expose the collective mythologies of the present moment. De-figured and expressionistic characters in frontal visual projections are delineated through scribbled and graffiti-like lines and strong raw colors. Mitchell’s instinctive work uncovers paroxysmic individuals in primal circumstances. Personages of daring gaze and compulsive denture depict ultimate life instances, recalling the practices of Street Art, Brut Art, Cobra, Jean Dubuffet, and Jean-Mitchell Basquiat.
Clark Medley This Means Something 2019 Mixed media on canvas
Clark Medley presents calligraphic-thought-thinking paintings. He creates a visual arabesque-like alphabet that conjures Chinese, Arabic, Japanese, Judaic, Hindi calligraphies. The inscriptions develop in dynamic turns and twists, deriving in a visual script of cursives and imaginary fonts. They transcribe the artist’s perceptual and aural experiences, such as sounds and phrases he draws from his close surroundings. The works present literary meanings of personal abstraction. Medley’s works excel in their opticality based on their high glare artifice that results from the artist’s use of gold leaf in the backgrounds, and colored glass powder and acrylic paint in delineating the lettering.
Wuilfredo Soto’s neo-kinetic paintings propose geometric reiterative forms of dazing anamorphic squares sets in monochromatic compositions. Soto’s works create strong optical visual shocks onto the observer’s eyes in a stimulating perceptual struggle.
Carola Orieta Sperman Reverberation (Blue) 2021
Carola Orieta-Sperman’s aerial acrylic sculptures pose gracefully over the space swirling vertiginously into their negative space. Twirls and turns, reminiscent of thriving blooms in stylish movements, flourish as organic forms in incessant spirals. The sculptures set their conception on perpetual motion and pure fluid energy as philosophic concepts.
Ada Rivera’s digital photographs display bucolic landscapes of subjective tones of calmness and serenity. Capturing a sublime essence, the views orient to the power of Mother Nature and its magnificent splendor. They excel on their penetrating wonder and majesty. Over this wishful sight, Rivera sets a connoted compound of colored neon tubes in geometric shapes traversing over the scene. The neon glare transforms the site into a critical spot in which the illusory quietude is broken and bustled. Through these intercrossed visuals effects, Rivera’s alludes to the ongoing ecological crisis and the blunt disappearance of our natural environment.
Alexis Rivero Performance In-Appropiation Homage to Pierre Boulez
Alexis Rivero (Performance In-Appropriation. Le Marteau sans Maitre/Hommage to Pierre Boulez) created a theatrical approach to performance. Appropriating the sonic Pierre Boulez’s piece, he reinterpreted it with his own sounds, and improvised noises from the audience that projected primal vocal articulations and played tambourine and drums percussions. He located his “performative persona” over a colorful pictorial textile platform with whimsical fabric strips over which he improvised gestures and elusive movements uttering on the distressed human condition.
LA RECONOCIDA GALERIA HERNAN GAMBOA ABRE SUS PUERTAS ESTA VEZ PARA RECIBIR UNA COLECTIVA LA RECONOCIDA GALERÍA HERNAN GAMBOA ABRE SUS PUERTAS ESTA VEZ PARA RECIBIR UNA COLECTIVA INTERNACIONAL DE ARTISTAS PLASTICOS QUE EXPONDRÁN SUS OBRAS EN UN MARAVILLOSO EVENTO QUE CON INSPIRACIÓN EN EL MES DEL AMOR…SE LLAMARA..”ENAMORARTE”.LLEVADO A CABO DEL 3 AL 25 DE FEBRERO.
SOLUTIONART EMPRESA DEDICADA AL ARTE Y QUE REPRESENTA EN ESTA OCASIÓN A LOS ARTISTAS PARTICIPANTES , BAJO LA DIRECCIÓN DE MERCEDES PRIETO ,HAN EXTENDIDO PARA EL DÍA DEL VERNISSAGE UNA INVITACIÓN MUY ESPECIAL A DOS ESCRITORES ACLAMADOS, CECILIA ALEGRA “DOCTORA AMOR” Y ANIBAL ANAYA,QUIENES PRESENTARÁN SUS MÁS RECIENTES OBRAS LITERARIAS INSPIRADAS EN EL SENTIMIENTO MÁS BONITO DE LOS SERES HUMANOS…EL AMOR. ALGUNOS DE LOS ARTISTAS PARTICIPANTES:
PILAR NARANJO
DALIA BERLIN
ADRIANA MANGUPLI
ROGER MARI
APIA
FRANKLIN GUTIERREZ
SAMUEL GALLEGOS
JUDIT MALVESTITI
MARIANNE SUCRE
TITA MILLAN
MARIA VICTORIA LONDOÑO
ANDREA CARDENAL
ELSA DELGADO
JULIO PORTO
SABRINA BLANCO
LEONARDO SIERRA
ANGELA CUELLO
TODA LA COMUNIDAD ESTÁ INVITADA A PARTICIPAR DE ESTE MAGNO EVENTO.VERNISSAGE FEBRERO 3/ 6:30 PM.4000 W FLAGLER ST.CORAL GABLES FL 33134.
Ariel Jiménez is an historian and curator of modern and contemporary art. He studied Art History and Archaeology at the Université Paris-Sorbonne (DEA 1983). He has curated numerous exhibitions in public and private institutions in Venezuela, Latin America, and the United States. He was Director of the Education Department at the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Caracas (1984–1986); General Director of the exhibition hall at Fundación Eugenio Mendoza in Caracas (1989–1997); Chief Curator at Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros (1997–2011); and Director of Museo de Arte Moderno Jesús Soto in Ciudad Bolívar (2004–2006). Currently, he works as Independent Curator and Advisor for the Colección Ignacio y Valentina Oberto in Caracas.
He has published, among others: La primacía del color (Caracas: Monte Ávila Editores, 1992); He vivido por los ojos. Correspondencia Alejandro Otero/Alfredo Boulton. 1946-1974 (Caracas: Fundación Alberto Vollmer and Fundación Museo Alejandro Otero, 2001); Conversaciones con Jesús Soto (Caracas: Fundación Cisneros, 2001); Soto, a monograph (Caracas: Fundación Jesús Soto and Fundación Banco de Venezuela, 2007); Alfredo Boulton y sus contemporáneos. Diálogos críticos en el arte venezolano. 1912-1974 (New York: MoMA and Fundación Cisneros, 2010); Carlos Cruz-Diez in conversation with/en conversación con Ariel Jiménez (Caracas/NY: Fundación Cisneros, 2010); Jesús Soto in conversation with/en conversación con Ariel Jiménez (Caracas/NY, 2011); Ferreira Gullar in conversation with/en conversación con Ariel Jiménez (Caracas/NY: Fundación Cisneros, 2011); Roberto Obregón en tres tiempos (Caracas: Colección C&FE, 2013); Una América diversa, el idioma silente de las formas. (Caracas: Ediciones María Gil de Oberto, 2013); Waltercio Caldas en conversación con Ariel Jiménez (Caracas/NY: Fundación Cisneros, 2016); and Dolor cifrado una estética topológica o de los inconmensurables, a monographic essay on Roberto Obregón (Caracas: Fundación Seguros Venezuela), currently in the editing process.
39th ANNUAL MIAMI FILM FESTIVAL TO HONOR THE WHITE LOTUS COMPOSERCRISTOBAL TAPIA DE VEER WITH ART OF LIGHT (COMPOSER) AWARD
Miami, FL Chilean-born, Montreal-based composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer will receive Miami Dade College’s (MDC) acclaimed Miami Film Festival’s Art of Light (Composer) Award, presented by Alacran Group, at its 39th edition, set to continue with an in-person format running from March 4-13, 2022.
Tapia de Veer made headlines in 2021 with his music for HBO’s zeitgeist-shaking limited series The White Lotus. “Part of what made The White Lotus such a buzzy breakout…is the original score, a tension-swelling burst of tribal music,” Indiewire’s Zack Scharf wrote in a feature story.
Miami Film Festival’s Art of Light Awards are presented to cinematic artists whose exemplary work shines new wonders on the continuing evolution of motion pictures. 2021 winners included actors Aldis Hodge, Andra Day and Nomadland cinematographer Joshua James Richards.
Hailed as a “musical genius” by Paste Magazine, multiple award winner Cristobal Tapia de Veer is recognized for creating some of the most memorable soundtracks in modern entertainment. His early television work includes the critically acclaimed Channel 4 cult series “Utopia,” which earned him awards from the Royal Television Society among others. Along with, “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency” and “Black Mirror,” Tapia de Veer earned a BAFTA and other honors for C4’s miniseries National Treasure, and an Emmy nomination for Amazon/C4’s Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams. Recent television projects include 2 HBO series The White Lotus, and The Third Day (produced by Plan B Entertainment and Punchdrunk International; starring Jude Law and Naomie Harris), which received multiple nominations and wins for its haunting score, and the Jordan Peele-produced “Hunters” for Amazon Prime starring Al Pacino, which earned him an ASCAP Award. In the wake of his award-winning score for his first feature film, the 2016 dystopian drama The Girl with all the Gifts, recent film work includes the 2019 Spanish comedy Advantages of Traveling by Train (Ventajas de Viajar en Tren).
“Music is an essential chaperone in entertainment, intensifying the action on the screen as well as the emotions that audiences feel, and Cristobal Tapia de Veer’s art reminded us of the vitality of the work of the composer in 2021,” said Miami Film Festival Executive Director Jaie Laplante. “We are thrilled to be able to present him our Art of Light (Composer) Award at the 2022 Miami Film Festival.”
Alacran Group, sponsor of Miami Film Festival’s 2022 Art of Light (Composer) Award, is a multi-faceted entertainment company consisting of music label Alacran Records, state-of-the-art recording and live streaming facilities Alacran Studios in Miami, and film production company Alacran Pictures.
The full 2022 Miami Film Festival line-up and additional honorees will be announced at a later date.
Local filmmakers encouraged to submit their ideas for the Short Documentary Development Funding & Consultation program from Jan. 10-24, 2022
See them all and make your best prediction about which films will receive the five nominations:
Tuesday, Jan 4 –THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD (Norway). The opening night of the series is one of the clear frontrunners. Joachim Trier’s film was named Best Foreign Language Film by the New York Film Critics Circle. (6:50pm start time)
Thursday, Jan 6 –A HERO (Iran). Filmmaker Ashgar Farhadi is already a two-time Oscar winner for these previous films, A SEPARATION and THE SALESMAN. (6:50pm start time)
Saturday, Jan 8 –HIVE (Kosovo).Miami Premiere! Winner of multiple awards at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival.
Tuesday, Jan 11 –LAMB (Iceland). Starring Noomi Rapace (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo).
Thursday, Jan 13 –THE HAND OF GOD (Italy). Paolo Sorrentino’s love letter to his native Naples has an epic sweep.
Saturday, Jan 15 –DRIVE MY CAR (Japan).Miami Premiere! Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s stunning film is another clear frontrunner for this year’s Oscar. The film has been named Best Picture of the Year by both the New York Film Critics Circle and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, one of the rare times the two critics groups voted for the same film. (6:00pm start time)
Tuesday, Jan 18 –PRAYERS FOR THE STOLEN (Mexico).
Thursday, Jan 20 –GREAT FREEDOM (Austria).
Saturday, Jan 22 –COMPARTMENT NO. 6 (Finland).Miami Premiere! A moving cinematic experience. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.
Tuesday, Jan 25 –LUNANA: A YAK IN THE CLASSROOM (Bhutan).Miami Premiere! This beloved feel-good film marks Bhutan’s first-ever appearance on the Oscar shortlist.
Thursday, Jan 27 –PLAYGROUND (Belgium). Miami Premiere! In French with English subtitles, presented by TV5 Monde.
Saturday, Jan 29 –I’M YOUR MAN (Germany).
Tuesday, Feb 1 –FLEE (Denmark). Another major frontrunner. An Audience Award runner-up at the recent Miami Film Festival GEMS, and winner of major prizes from Sundance, New York Film Critics Circle, Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
Tickets on sale for all films a minimum of one week prior to their showtime. Tickets range from $12.75 per adult to $5 for members (weekday and weekend pricing vary). MDC’s Tower Theater Miami is located at 1508 SW 8th Street. Visit www.towertheatermia.com for showtimes and more information.
About Miami Dade College’s Miami Film Festival
Celebrating cinema in two annual events, Miami Film Festival (March 4-13, 2022) and Miami Film Festival GEMS (November 3-9, 2022), Miami Dade College’s Miami Film Festival is considered the preeminent film festival for showcasing Ibero-American cinema in the U.S., and a major launch pad for all international and documentary cinema. The annual Festival welcomes more than 45,000 audience members and more than 400 filmmakers, producers, talent and industry professionals. It is the only major festival housed within a college or university. In the last five years, the Festival has screened films from more than 60 countries, including 300 World, International, North American, U.S. and East Coast Premieres. Major sponsors of Miami Film Festival GEMS include Knight Foundation, Telemundo, American Airlines, Estrella Damm, and Miami-Dade County. The Festival also offers unparalleled educational opportunities to film students and the community at large. For more information, visit miamifilmfestival.com or call 305-237-FILM (3456).
DJ Roumy es uno de los mejores productor de música urbana del momento
DJ Roumy es uno de los mejores productores de música urbana del momento
Su nombre real es Alejandro Urra Escalona y actualmente promociona su nuevo sencillo junto a Chamuel y Jacob Forever titulado “EL ALCOHOL” el cual está teniendo muy buena aceptación. “La música es mi vida, es uno de mis combustibles, me ha dado la posibilidad de viajar el mundo y conocer grandes artistas”.
DJ ROUMY es un productor discográfico de música urbana y compositor cubano. Un visionario que siempre está dispuesto a experimentar y crear nuevas tendencias, sin la necesidad de seguir patrones establecidos.
Inicia su carrera en el año 2003, pero no fue hasta el 2015 que logró su primer Hit musical
Como productor ha sido el creador de múltiples canciones como: Hasta que se seque el malecón de Jacob forever, Quiéreme de Jacob forever, Abraham Mateo y Farruko entre muchas más.
“Siento que mi trabajo ha influido en otros productores y artistas de la industria, en los últimos 5 años he sido productor de muchos temas en Cuba y Miami que hoy en día son parte de la fórmula musical para crear nuevos hits.”
Dj Roumy ha iniciado una nueva etapa como productor artístico donde el objetivo es lanzar numerosos sencillos con artistas reconocidos y también con nuevos talentos. Hasta el momento ha colaborado con grandes artistas como: Farruko, Arcángel, De la Guetto, Abraham Mateo, Cosculluela, Víctor Manuelle, Jacob Forever, El Micha, Lenier, El Taiger, Diván, y muchos más.
“Mi mayor sueño es poder darle siempre mucho amor y felicidad a mi familia y la música ha sido el vehículo para poder lograr y orquestar todas estas aspiraciones en la parte material, quisiera que así fuese eternamente.”
Este joven de la industria musical siente que se debe destacar su participación en muchos proyectos musicales de los cuales ha sido parte. Entre sus deseos a futuro está el poder colaborar con artistas como Justin Bieber, Chris Brown y Daddy Yankee.
Do’s and Don’ts of Commissioning an Artwork Sought Florida
You’ve created a vision for a work of art that you want, or you’ve found an artist that fits perfect with your style. So, how do you go about asking them to create a piece specifically for you?
If you are considering commissioning a piece for the first time, it can be intimidating. But, it can also be a fun and collaborative experience!
Follow these do’s and don’ts, so you can walk away happy with your custom piece and support an artist you appreciate.
DO take care of important details in the initial contact.
Reach out to the artist to see if they are taking commissions and will accept the type of work you would like done. Many artists can be contacted by email or a gallery can help make the connection for you.
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. So, make the initial contact a pleasant one. Let the artist know why specifically you would like them to make the piece.
What is it about their work that intrigued you? Prepare yourself to answer these questions artists might be ready to ask you when considering accepting your project.
DON’Tassume that every artist will want to accept your request.
And don’t wait until the work has started to discuss important details. There are many reasons an artist may turn down an offer. Some artists have had awful experiences with commissions in the past, are currently working on other projects, or they may feel they are not a good fit for your project. It may put an artist’s mind at ease if you ask about the medium’s they can use, price and timeline upfront.
DO provide the artist with as many details about the piece you want as possible.
They will need to know what materials will be needed to produce the piece you want. Providing reference images is a great way to communicate with them about what you are looking for.
If the piece will be for a certain area of your home, provide the artist with an idea of the style so they can understand how this piece with fits with your aesthetic.
DON’T be vague about what you want or expect the artist to know exactly what you will like.
If the artist accepts to work on the proposed piece without a clear idea of what you want, there is a good chance you might not be happy with the end result.
DOexpect a contract. Or, be prepared to make one.
You should have a contract in place between you and the artist before work begins. The contract should include the price, with all applicable expenses associated with creating the piece, and payment terms. Many artists will also ask for fifty-percent up front or some sort of deposit.
The contract should also include a timeline detailing when certain aspects of the work will be completed so that you know when to check in with them. The timeline should also include the date of completion and approval process. The contract will also be the place to include what rights you and the artist have for using the work.
Think & Wonder Ink provides a great example of what the contract between you and an artist would look like.
DON’T assume that terms, price, and timelines will work themselves out or develop along the way.
A formal contract keeps the process of commissioning an artwork as professional as possible by setting clear expectations for the project.
DOcommunicate and have fun while working on a commissioned piece.
Keep in touch with the artist to make sure the project is staying within the timeline. Also, see if they need anything from you. Do they need more reference images or materials? By communicating clearly any concerns or questions to the artist you can both put doubts aside and be excited about the project.
DON’T lose contact with the artist.
Do not wait until the piece is close to being finished before you check in. If the artist is on the wrong track, big revisions could be expensive, timely, and compromise your relationship with the artist. Most artists will expect you to be reaching out and communicating pretty often — it should be part of the process.
Everyone appreciates recognition and praise for their work. Commissioning a work of art can be great for both collectors and artists, if it is done right. As a collector, it is your chance to be a part of the creative process and bring to life something that you will connect with forever. For artists, it’s a chance to build lasting relationships with collectors and stretch their creative boundaries.
Not sure where to search for artists who might commission pieces you like? Artwork Archive’s Discovery pages are a great way to find artists who would love to hear from you.
