Enveloped in a sea of turquoise blue, visitors to The Williams McCall Gallery enjoyed a special, multi-media exhibit during the debut of "Post-Millenial Jonah" on December 7th. The art installation, on display at the first fine art gallery South of Fifth on South Beach, is the creation of artist Dorothy Palanza.
Palanza successfully set out to bring a different perspective of the ocean and the union of air and water space by creating a multi-sensory installation for people to walk through. Her work, which is deeply rooted in the experiential, includes drawings and paintings of migratory Right Whales. Art enthusiasts praised the exhibit, which took place during Art Basel Miami 2012, the most prestigious contemporary art show in the Americas.
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Artist Dorothy Palanza and gallery owner Gail Williams |
Those who attended the opening reception were not only treated to a cascade of flowing champagne, but to a unique, multi-sensory experience. That's because the installation included a video by Elizabeth Bradfield and poem by Demet Taspinar. Bradfield is currently the Poet-in-Residence at Brandeis University. Demet's work has been shown in galleries from Turkey to the Tate Modern in London.
"The synthesis of these three mediums perfectly came together to allow our guests to experience the union of the elements of water and air," said Palanza. "What an incredible opportunity this has been, to not only bring the plight of the Right Whale to life, but to allow guests to embrace this important part of our world."
Palanza and Bradfield were among those in attendance, Richard Delaney, President and CEO of the Provincetown Center of Coastal Studies in Provincetown, Massachusetts, also attended the event. A portion of the sales at the exhibit will benefit the Center, whose mission is to conduct scientific research and preservation of marine mammals, habitats and whales in the western North Atlantic Ocean.
Palanza was born in Massachusetts and is a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design (BFA) and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (MFA). Palanza's work reflects the personal, environmental and socio-cultural influences from her life experience and extensive history of exploration and collaboration in the arts. Palanza has had numerous group and solo shows. Her work is collected by private patrons internationally.