The Art Enthusiast’s Guide To Miami, According To A Pro

Details

Mikhaile Solomon

Mikhaile Solomon

Perez Art Museum Miami

Perez Art Museum Miami

Barbara Jones-Hogu painting, courtesy Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami

Barbara Jones-Hogu painting, courtesy Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami

The Little Haiti Cultural Complex in Miami

The Little Haiti Cultural Complex in Miami

Sculpture by Anina Major

Sculpture by Anina Major

Trained as an architect, Mikhaile Solomon admits to always having been interested in “architecture and projects that connect the arts with community.” Six years ago, during Art Basel Miami Beach, she managed a satellite fair that did just that. In 2013, she founded the Prizm Art Fair, which exhibits cutting-edge work by contemporary artists from Africa, the African Diaspora and emerging markets, such as the sculpture by Anina Major, shown center left. Beginning with 25 artists in downtown Miami, the fair peaked with 120 last year. This year, from December 3-9, Prizm will welcome a more manageable 80 artists to Miami’s Dupont building. Here, the South Florida native shares her favorite local haunts for art enthusiasts.

STAY

Copper Door B&B: Located in historic Overtown, this boutique property opened this summer. It’s small (just 22 rooms) and each is done in an adorable vintage style. A young couple, Jamila Ross and Akino West, who live on-site, are the owners. She’s the real estate/hospitality whiz and he’s a chef who’s a veteran of famous spots like Noma in Denmark and Michael’s Genuine down here. The food is wonderful.

EAT

Vegetarian Restaurant by Hakin: It’s a very humble place in North Miami Beach with good food. The owner decorated the interior himself using wooden shipping pallets. I really enjoy a plant-based diet, and he makes his Caribbean dishes with vegan ingredients.

Bali Cafe: For great Balinese/ Indonesian food paired with a quiet ambience in downtown Miami, this is my go-to. It’s very nondescript from the outside. When you walk in, though, it’s like you’ve been transported to Indonesia. There are beautiful hand-carved sculptures and paintings of Indonesian life. The dishes are phenomenal. I get a steamed whole snapper with savory vegetables and fragrant spices. They also do a delicious barbecued eel that’s served on a bed of steamed jasmine rice.

SHOP

The Caribbean Marketplace: The Little Haiti Cultural Complex in Miami is a cool place to go. There’s literally nothing else like it in South Florida. It’s reminiscent of the beautiful gingerbread-like houses in Haiti, done in vibrant colors and ornamental patterns. [Opened in 1990, the building was designed by renowned architect Charles Harrison Pawley.] There are a lot of local artisans who make beautiful handmade jewelry and clothes.

PLAY

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden: I love wandering around the garden. On Saturdays, back when I had more time, I’d randomly pick a place to visit that I’d never been to before. I’d put it on Instagram as #saturdayadventures.

Perez Art Museum Miami: It’s one of my favorite buildings in the city. Most museums feel and look hermetically sealed, but Herzog and de Meuron created one that conjures a light tropical modernism. The shade overhang, which acts as a trellis for its vertical garden top, right, is another lovely feature that defines the outdoor living room below it.

Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) North Miami: I’m excited about the exhibition honoring the 50th anniversary of the African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists (AfriCOBRA), a movement of black artists that began in Chicago during the late 1960s. They’re pioneers known for neon-colored work that depicted text and images of famous black figures.

PHOTOS: SOLOMON PHOTO, ROD DEAL; PAMM PHOTO, ROBIN HILL; BARBARA JONES-HOGU PAINTING, COURTESY MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART NORTH MIAMI; CARIBBEAN MARKETPLACE PHOTO, SUPREME ALLAH; SCULPTURE PHOTO, COURTESY ANNA MAJOR