dec 1 – Dec 4
Hampton Art Lovers presents Point Comfort Art Fair + Show in Historic Overtown at the Historic Ward Rooming House during Miami Art Week/Art Basel/Soul Basel 2022. Point Comfort comprises an art exhibition and Indaba Lounge Series at the Historic Ward Rooming House and Gardens. Sponsored by the City of Miami Southeast Overtown / Park West Community Redevelopment Agency & Art of Black (Greater Miami Convention & Tourism Bureau), 100 Black Men of Florida, FIU-Wolfsonian Public Humanities Lab, Lowe Museum at University of Miami, South Florida People of Color, E11leven Vodka and Duke + Dame Whiskey.
The name “Point Comfort” is derived from the place in colonial Virginia where the first captives from the West African Kingdom of Ndongo (Angola) arrived in 1619. The people of Ndongo and other African tribes lost their native tongues and many of their traditions here in America. Through tremendous adversity, remnants of these lost traditions continue to express themselves in the song, dance, art and crafts of today's African-American community. "Point Comfort Art Fair + Show" celebrates those remnants. “We're not just selling art” – The show is a curated, multi-dimensional experience designed to tell the powerful narrative of the African-American experience through art and conversation. POINT COMFORT is a teachable moment, designed to pique curiosity, share legacies and facilitate the purchase of Black artwork. Point Comfort provides a platform for African American masters of American fine art at the largest art exposition in North America (Miami Art Week). Providing inestimable exposure to an international audience of art professionals, collectors, lovers and patrons of the arts.
Point Comfort Art Fair + Show 2022 is a panoramic experience of ART, CONVERSATIONS and Community. Our ART FAIR features the art of Basil Watson, Brandon Clark, Tiffani Glenn, Phil Shung, Musa Hixson, Chris Clark, Tommy the Animator and Judy Bowman, in the Gardens @ The Historic Ward Rooming House within a 80x40 foot tent.
Our ART SHOW features an historic collection inside of the Historic Ward Rooming House showcasing "Charles White, Move on Up!" from The Norwood Collection and Florida Memorial University Special Collection, featuring the artwork of Charles White and his circle of influence - artists that inspired and mentored him and artists that he mentored and inspired - David Siqueiros, Hale Woodruff, Henry Tanner, Thomas Hart Benton, Romare Beardon, Barrington Watson, John Biggers, Ernie Barnes, Benny Andrews and Musa Hixson. This show is the official companion exhibit for the Lowe Art Museum's (University of Miami) Exhibition "Charles White, A Little Higher", a 40 piece survey of the artwork of Charles White. The names of the respective shows at the Lowe Museum & Historic Ward Rooming House in Overtown, is a play on words and unites a consistent theme within White's work. Charles White created a charcoal drawing entitled "Move on Up, a Little Higher", a drawing that conveys all the emotional and figurative realism one associates with Charles White. The title refers to the gospel song of Mahalia Jackson whose 1948 recording made her famous. We hope "Move on Up" and "A Little Higher" literally and figuratively becomes one, providing the viewer a total unitary experience.
Point Comfort and the Legacy of HBCU Museums
Hampton Art Lovers and Point Comfort Art Fair + Show are committed to showcasing the collections of HBCU Museum's during Miami Art Week in Historic Overtown every year. This year we are honored to have ten artworks from Hale Woodruff and Benny Andrews from Florida Memorial University Collection for our show “Charles White, Move On Up!”. HBCU Museums are the guardians of African-American Culture and History. Many of this nation's HBCUs hold significant collections of American art and have founded galleries and museums on their campuses. Including Hampton University Museum, the first collecting institution devoted to Black fine art in America. HBCU collections provide a rich resource for the study of nineteenth- and twentieth-century American art, with a special emphasis on African American art. As the principal caretakers of late nineteenth-century to late twentieth-century African American art, HBCUs hold incomparable objects and an unsurpassed record of educating artists and scholars of American art. Florida Memorial University's small but significant collection is a jewel and we are honored to present it for the enjoyment of the community.
Indaba Lounge Series
Point Comfort is a panoramic experience of ART, CONVERSATIONS and VIBES. Point Comfort's Indaba Lounge Series brings people together in conversation through art. The word “Indaba” is Swahili for “come together” or “meeting of great minds”. Our Indaba Lounge Series includes our Opening Reception, Art Talks, musical vibes curated by the world renowned musicologist Rich Medina and many other events. This year we are presenting our community art exhibit “Bespoke: Motor Gallery”, a curated show of "Rugged Rigs" presented by Miami Jeep Pull-Up.
Historic Ward Rooming House Gallery
Hampton Art Lovers operates year-round the Historic Ward Rooming House Gallery in Historic Overtown. Built in early 1900s and rebuilt in 1925, by Bahamian architect Shaddrack Ward and his wife Victoria, who arrived to Miami from Key West in 1894. The Ward Rooming House opened its doors to both out-of-town Blacks and Native Americans, who were typically unable to find welcoming accommodations in Downtown Miami during the first half of the 20th century.
The Rooming House was frequently occupied by Bahamian immigrants and is historically significant because of its association with the early African-American community of Overtown. As one of the few remaining buildings of its time, a seemingly ordinary rooming house becomes significant for the larger role it serves in preserving the history and architecture of Miami's Black community. The building has been restored, and now serves as the Ward Rooming House Gallery, under the curatorial direction of Hampton Art Lovers.
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GENERAL SCHEDULE
Sun | Nov 27 | 04:00PM – 6:00PM
Thu | Dec 01 | 06:00PM – 8:00PM
Fri | Dec 02 | 12:00PM – 8:00PM
Sat | Dec 03 | 12:00PM – 8:00PM
Sun | Dec 06 | 12:00PM – 6:00PM
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SPECIAL EVENTS SCHEDULE
Sun | Nov 27 | 4:00PM – 6:00PM
Soul Basel Kick-Off | Hosted by Miami MoCADD and Hampton Art Lovers
#CreativeConversation, Celebration and Mural Unveiling
Sponsored by Southeast Overtown / Park West CRA
Thu | Dec 01 | 3:00PM – 6:00PM
Press Review
Thu | Dec 01 | 8:00pm – 11:00pm
Indaba Lounge Series | Opening Reception
Hosted by 100 Black Men of South Florida
Sounds Curated by FLY Guy
Fri | Dec 02 | 2:00pm – 4:00pm
Indaba Lounge Series | Art of Patronage
The Theme: Art x Tech
Presented by Hampton Art Lovers and Front Paije, Inc.
Fri | Dec 02 | 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Indaba Lounge Series | Sound Sculpture Session
The Medium: Vinyl 45s
Curated by Rich Medina
Sat | Dec 03 | 3:00pm – 4:30pm
Indaba Lounge Series | Art + Social Justice
Art Talk with Jill Deupi, Director and Chief Curator of the Lowe Museum (U of M)
& Christopher Norwood, Founder and Curator of Hampton Art Lovers:
“Charles White: Move On Up, Alittle Higher”
University of Miami Black Alumni Society
Sat | Dec 03 | 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Indaba Lounge Series | Art + Social Justice
“Images of Social Justice @ Point Comfort Art Fair”
Hosted by South Florida People of Color
Sat | Dec 03 | 8:00pm – 11:00pm
Indaba Lounge Series | Closing Reception
Hosted South Florida People of Color
Sounds Curated by Six Millz (Rare Grooves)
Sun | Dec 4 | 2:00pm – 6:00pm
Indaba Lounge Series | Hampton Art Lovers Presents:
“Bespoke Motor Gallery : Rugged Rigs”
Presented by Miami Jeep Pull-Up