MDC Museum of Art + Design
600 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, FL
The Miami Dade College (MDC) Museum of Art + Design (MOAD) will present Arnold Mesches: A Life’s Work, a major retrospective-style exhibition spanning over 60 years of work by renowned American painter Arnold Mesches. Mesches’ most comprehensive and inclusive retrospective to date will open with a reception at 6pm on Wednesday, February 13, at the Museum of Art + Design located in MDC’s historic Freedom Tower. There will also be a gallery talk and book signing at 1pm on Thursday, February 14. The exhibition, reception and lecture are free and open to the public.
Arnold Mesches (b. 1923, The Bronx, New York) has presented 136 solo exhibitions to date. Arnold Mesches: A Life’s Work commemorates his 90th birthday and will feature more than 85 works, beginning with a 1945 painting—the first piece he ever exhibited. It is curated by Kim Levin, respected art critic, curator, writer and former regular contributor to The Village Voice. In addition, 280-page book published by the Cement House and distributed by the University Press of Florida feature essays by artist, academic and critic, Robert Storr; curator Lowery Sims, and noted art historian Peter Selz.
On the evening of the opening reception, a special one-night exhibition of garments designed by Arnold’s grandson, Kim Mesches, will be on display as well. The creator and founder of KM Collective will present 12 of 24 looks in his line that use prints derived from the black and white drawings of Arnold Mesches’ Coming Attractions II.
Arnold Mesches: A Life’s Work is generously underwritten by The Musikatow Foundation. The exhibition will on display through May 4. Gallery hours are Tuesday–Saturday, noon–5pm. Private tours are available.
The college will present three individual exhibitions of Mesches’ works in conjunction with A Life’s Work, opening on Friday, February 15, at MDC’s North, Kendall and Wolfson Campus galleries. All exhibitions and reception are free and open to the public.
About MDC’s Museum & Galleries of Art + Design
The MDC Museum & Galleries of Art + Design is a network of venues and initiatives at the College’s campuses located throughout South Florida, including MDC’s flagship exhibition venue, the MDC Museum of Art + Design, housed at the historic Freedom Tower at Miami Dade College in downtown Miami. MDC’s Museum & Galleries of Art + Design has more than 15,000 running feet of exhibition space in its network of galleries and public art spaces, making it one of the largest and most diverse institutions in the country devoted to the visual arts.
In addition to presenting external exhibitions and programs, MDC has been collecting art since the 1960s. Over the years, the MDC Permanent Art Collection has grown to more than 1,600 works in all mediums and genres, including painting, sculpture, works on paper, photography, video, film, installation and public sculpture. The collection is known for works by emerging artists, under-recognized artists, as well as major figures in modern, post-modern and contemporary art. Among the greatest strengths in the collection are pieces within the movements of Minimalism, Pop Art of the ’60s and ’70s, Conceptual Art and contemporary Latin American art.
The MDC Museum & Galleries of Art + Design utilizes its gallery spaces, its art in public spaces, its staff and visual resources (exhibition and permanent collections), as well as the expertise and artistic talents of faculty and students at MDC, to provide year-long programming of activities that offer a unique learning experience through direct contact with the visual arts. Art, concerts, lectures, film, video and much more are part of its network of art spaces, with events that are free and open to the public.
For more information about the exhibition, please call 305 237 7700. Specific gallery locations and hours can be found on the Museum & Galleries website: www.mdcmoad.org.
