Media Storm

An ill wind called Gustav recently upstaged John McCain. A conga line of hurricanes and tropical storms has ripped across the national consciousness, emitting howls of Doppler feedback and stirring unwarranted panic for days. And local artists are rising to the challenge for the much-anticipated return of Wynwood’s Second Saturday gallery crawl. At 7 p.m. at Gallery Diet (174 NW 23rd St., Miami), Andrew Mowbray will explore the fickle relationship between weather and technology and how hermeticlike architecture detaches us from the dangers of the natural world. Mowbray has named his solo show “Tempest Prognosticator,” after a 19th-century invention that allegedly predicted storms by monitoring leeches in small bottles. When the weather went sour, the slimy critters would try to escape, thereby ringing a bell. Judging from J. Mac’s performance during the opening of the Republican convention, the wacky premise remains unchanged. Call 305-571-2288, or visit www.gallerydiet.com.

The artistic breezes will rise to a gale force at the refurbished Dorsch Gallery (151 NW 24th St., Miami), featuring work by Robin Griffiths and Brandon Opalka. Griffiths personifies the mad scientist/artist in “A Mechanical Advantage,” showcasing the sculptor’s mastery of physics and a provocative approach to beauty with a razor’s edge. Opalka’s “Yonder” transports the viewer to an otherworldly dimension where quirky imagery of landscapes and animals create a dreamy impression. Call 305-576-1278, or visit www.dorschgallery.com. Upwind at Dot Fiftyone Gallery (51 NW 26th St., Miami), catch “Perpendicularity” by award-winning shutterbug Mark Indig, whose nose for “the art of getting lost” results in eye-popping images of those in-between places people rarely notice — the ones likeliest to be fixed up, torn down, or paved over in coming years. Call 305-573-9994, or visit www.dotfiftyone.com.
Sat., Sept. 13, 2008