MIAMI – "Emerging Perspectives," the large-scale art "wrap" that surrounded the quarter-mile Espirito Santo Plaza construction site at 1395 Brickell Avenue from January 19 through 21, has resulted in a $23,500 contribution to the New World School of the Arts thus far. "More than 80 percent of the professional and student art pieces were purchased during a silent auction Friday, January 19, with the total proceeds contributed to the school," said Bill Ross, president of Estoril, Inc., developer of Espirito Santo Plaza.
Additional money is being collected as the remaining art is bought.
"We’re still receiving inquiries from the community about purchasing the few remaining art panels," Ross added, "with the University of Miami Art Department and the Miami Mayor’s Office among those calling to express interest."
"Emerging Perspectives" was a one-time art "wrap" of the full city block of the construction site of Espirito Santo Plaza. The event featured 115 canvas scrim panels, painted by gifted high school and college students with the New World School of the Arts and several of Miami’s most famous professional artists.
This year’s exhibition continues a series that began with last year’s successful "Departing Perspectives," where 50 major professional Miami artists and student artists used the interior of the former building on the site as the "canvas" for their original artwork. "Departing Perspectives" resulted in a donation of almost $10,000 to the New World School of the Arts last year, added Ross. "This year’s substantial increase in the amount of money raised for the school is all the more remarkable as the size of these panels, all 10-feet by 5-feet, provide a somewhat challenging display issue for the typical art collector," Ross noted. "That so many pieces of this size sold at auction is symbolic of the quality of the next generation of local artists and representative of the Miami community’s interest and support of emerging artists."
Louise Romeo, dean of the New World School of the Arts, added, "Group Espirito Santo’s contribution to the arts community in Miami is absolutely remarkable, particularly so since the new building will not open for more than two years. Any city would be delighted to have such a good corporate friend of the arts. "Espirito Santo Plaza is developing a reputation among members of Miami’s cultural society," she added, "by establishing 1395 Brickell as one of the city’s best known addresses for the artistic community. The unique site-specific exhibitions of 2000 and 2001 will only amplify the excitement the city will feel when the new building’s sweeping architectural design is completed in 2003."
"Emerging Perspectives" was presented by Estoril, Inc., a subsidiary of the global Group Espirito Santo, and curated by Fredric Snitzer of the Fredric Snitzer Gallery in Miami.
The 1.2 million-square-foot, $160 million new office, retail, hotel and residential complex, designed by Kohn Pederson Fox of New York, will provide a 36-story, elliptical-curved figural arch that is symbolic of Miami’s unique perspective as the continental gateway to Latin America.
Espirito Santo Plaza will front Brickell Avenue and extend a full city block, in the heart of Miami’s international financial district. The building will provide 300,000 square feet of office space, 7,500 square feet of retail space, restaurant facilities comprising 15,400 square feet, a 7,000-square-foot indoor fitness club, and a major, first-class hotel occupying 225,000 square feet that will also provide suite management for the 121 residential condominiums.
