An Evening with Elisa Turner and Alberto Ibargüen

***Please note: This event will take place at the Coral Gables Congregational Church. Tickets are FREE and books will be available for purchase at the event. Can't make the event or want your copy early?

Discover how Miami’s local art community transformed the city into a hub of global artistic exchange

“Miami’s Art Boom takes art as the vantage point from which to examine the growth of a city. . . . [It is] an exploration of art as the cornerstone to growth.”—From the foreword by Franklin Sirmans, director of Pérez Art Museum Miami

“Elisa Turner paints a vivid portrait of a city transformed by creativity and resilience. Turner shows that Miami’s unique artistic identity is a rich tapestry woven together from many different threads, including contributions from Latin American and African American artists. A distinguished art critic, she captures the essence of a community that rose from local roots to international acclaim, driven by passion and diversity.”—Richard Blanco, 2013 Presidential Inaugural Poet, Former Poet Laureate of Miami Dade County

“A captivating account of Miami’s arts community. Turner recounts the many artists, writers, collectors, foundations, galleries, museums, and not-for-profit art spaces that laid the groundwork for one of the most exciting and globally focused arts communities in the United States.”—Jeremy Mikolaczak, Sybil Harrington Director and CEO, Phoenix Art Museum

“Turner debunks the belief that Miami became a center for the arts with the arrival of Art Basel. Before then, artists, private and public cultural institutions, and individuals interested in the visual arts had been forging an important network that laid the groundwork for the boom that has subsequently developed. This book is a stand-out work in South Florida’s art history and a great addition to the broader history of the visual arts in the Americas.”—Francine Birbragher-Rozencwaig, founding editor, ArtNexus

“It is time for the art history of Miami to be told and in this book we get to experience firsthand the epic rise of the city as a global arts mecca. This text is a must-read for those curious about the character of Miami’s art scene, the ways it was cultivated, and how it helped fuel the transformation of the city itself.”—Erica Moiah James, University of Miami

Step into the vibrant heartbeat of Miami’s art scene during a transformative period in Miami’s Art Boom. Award-winning art critic Elisa Turner presents over 100 of her best profiles, reviews, and stories to capture the evolution of Miami’s visual arts community before and after the inaugural Art Basel Miami Beach in 2002. This book reveals how a constellation of visionary artists, curators, galleries, and museums ignited a cultural revolution that propelled the region onto the international stage.

Through four chronological sections and a richly contextualizing introduction, readers are invited to witness a pivotal era when creative pioneers like José Bedia, Carlos Betancourt, María Brito, Gary L. Moore, Eugenia Vargas-Pereira, Edouard Duval-Carrié, María Martínez-Cañas, and many others redefined artistic boundaries. Their individual stories are artfully interwoven with the broader narrative of a community energized by cross-cultural exchange. As Miami transformed into a flourishing hub of global artistry amid burgeoning support from state and private funders, the groundwork was laid for Art Basel Miami Beach, a landmark event whose explosive impact continues to reverberate.

Miami’s Art Boom is more than a history—it is a vibrant cultural artifact that not only defies myths about Miami’s artistic roots but also celebrates the spirit of innovation and diversity. This detailed, lively collection is an essential read for art students and scholars, professionals, and anyone passionate about the power of creativity. Embrace the story of Miami’s rise from the foundational work of local visionaries to the exhilarating exchange of the international art world and experience an inspirational journey.

Elisa Turner is an art critic and art journalist based in Miami. She is the recipient of many awards including the Rabkin Prize for art writing, multiple Sunshine State Awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Leadership Award from the ArtTable Florida Chapter. Turner is a contributor to ArtBurst Miami, Burnaway, Hyperallergic, Fine Art Globe, and Miami Rail, and covered the visual arts for the Miami Herald from 1986 to 2007.

Alberto Ibargüen is the former president of the Knight Foundation, which promotes democracy by supporting programs that promote informed and engaged communities in the United States and is also the former publisher of the Miami Herald. For his work to protect journalists in Latin America, he received a Maria Moors Cabot Citation from Columbia University. He has also received honorary doctorates at Wesleyan, Miami and George Washington Universities and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is the former Board Chair of PBS and The Newseum in Washington DC, and of the World Wide Web Foundation, founded by web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee. He has served on the boards of numerous other organizations, including Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Propublica, Wesleyan University, Smith College, The Council on Foreign Relations and the committee to protect journalists.

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