Less Concept, More Action is a project by Misael Soto and Liz Tracy which dares Miami artists to do things that make them uncomfortable, but in a friendly way.

We ran into artist Mike Balbone at the Occupy Miami planning meeting last Saturday where a very nonorganic dare idea popped up organically. While other organizers spoke for hours about protests, permits, porta potties, and sustainable cuisine we sent Mike on a particularly dangerous and tasteless dare, asking him to bring back food from the evil corporate poisoner McDonald’s and eat it at the meeting. He bravely agreed.

Can you briefly describe the work you make?
My work mostly deals with recycling and crafts and public memes and pop culture and love.

How do you feel about the Occupy Wall Street/Occupy Miami movement?
I support it, but sometimes a sad thing that can happen with such protests are the people think it’s a venue for their own personal diatribes instead of the actual group consensus of changing things with government, politics, and Wall Street.

Would you attend the demonstration next Saturday?
I think I’d have to stop showering for a week to be on par.
Yah, I totally would, I’m just kidding!

He’ll be there. But first, he ate McDonald’s.

Less Concept, More Action is a project by Misael Soto and Liz Tracy which dares Miami artists to do things that make them uncomfortable, but in a friendly way.

Artist Venessa Monokian is an even keel sort of gal and not an adventurous dresser, so we dared her to hussy up like a chonga and get a cafe con leche at Enriqueta’s. We asked her three questions first.

Please describe what you do in very few words.
As far as my artwork, I do photography, small sculptures, and stop animation. I’m also an adjunct professor at several local colleges and universities and my studio is at the Art Center on Lincoln Road.

How would you describe your personal style? Like what you’d wear on a typical day.
Pretty casual. T-shirt, jeans, sneakers. Nothing exciting. Pretty covered up.

What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever done in public?
Probably the wildest thing I’ve ever done is gotten a coffee at Starbucks. I’m not an exhibitionist.

Until now…

Expect some of this with Cheryl Pope live tonight at the old Spinello Space thanks to the Dorsch Gallery.

We all agree art walks in Miami are nuts, so some smart gallerists with quality art that you and I want to see are opening their doors on days other than the second Saturdays of each month. For those in need of culture before the madness, here are some very worthy openings and events to tide you over.

Thursday
Diet Gallery (174 NW 23 Street) is having an opening of Behind the curtain, a lock of hair falling today from 7 to 10 p.m. The show’s title is taken from a line in a Matthew Abess poem, thus it’s fitting that there’s a reading by the writer at 7. Works in this show are by Joshua Abelow, Sarah Conaway, Talia Chetrit, Debo Eilers, Nicolas Lobo, Martin Oppel, and George Woodman.

The Dorsch Gallery is hosting a live performance by Cheryl Pope called Stacks at the old Spinello space (155 NE 38 Street) at 8 p.m. This is in conjunction with Matter of Fact, her opening at Dorsch Gallery, which is taking place the following day.

When I heard about Autumn Casey’s idea for her show Mission Impossible at the Little River Yacht Club, I thought, “so smart, that lady.” She’s the singer and guitarist of Snakehole, a talented artist, and a pleasant Churchill’s bartender.

She came up with the idea to do the show while actually watching Mission Impossible; part of the concept is “trust no one.” Casey brought together a group of artists to pick a name out of the hat, “spy” on the the chosen person, and then make art about them. Here’s all of what came from this Tom Cruisian inspired exhibition.

Miami’s own TM Sisters need help getting to Washington D.C. for the opening of Call and Response: Textures.

C+R:T is a unique artistic endeavor that’s pairing 4 artists with 4 writers and using the interplay between their crafts to create new and unique pieces of expression. The lineup includes award winning artists and writers, a few of which can’t actually make it to the opening without some help.

If you like art and have a few bucks lying around, consider kicking some their way. If you’re in the D.C. area the weekend of April 16th, you should totally check out the opening!

A survey the Miami Art Museum is currently conducting asks whether they should “participate in artistic conversations that are unfolding internationally,” or “focus on issues pertaining specifically to Miami.” The only other option is “not sure,” and I find this to be a pretty odd way to phrase a question, because it seems that the obvious mission of an art museum is to figure out how to do both those things at the same time. Ironically, the MAM has been doing a good job of balancing the two imperatives for years, and the two exhibitions currently up are a good illustration.

My art walk pictures will probably BORE you. But I don’t care. I’m sharing them anyway. Usually I bitch and moan about the heat and the people and the texting and the phone calling and the “where are you“ing, but this month was a delight, even though I had one wicked hangover with which to contend.

There were a few unexpected treats. At the Snitzer, the treat was expected, but especially delicious. Boy, Oh Boy is a show is about a boys, one of my favorite subjects. It included a photograph by the recently deceased Dash Snow and a painting by local favorite Hernan Bas, both you must go to see, since I didn’t post images here. It was hard to choose my preferred works. It was reaaaally hard (har har – get it, you know, the image there? Below?). This collage is by Alex Flemming and was part of a series of phalluses drawn or painted on photographs.

These really rule my world.

In which our heroes overcome heat, humidity, camera failure, and lots and lots of artistic mediocrity to bring you a few examples of worthwhile work during the first Summer arthop of 2010.

The dramatic conclusion to Marina Abramović‘s MoMA exhibition. Team New York sat with her two weeks ago and were suitably moved.

You expect declines in the quality of art at Miami artwalks as Summer approaches, and while the story last time was how that decline was slow in coming, well, what a difference a month makes.