O, Miami takes on art – Knight Foundation
Arts

O, Miami takes on art

Artists and writers alike need to pin-up their poems.

There are so many cool things about the O, Miami poetry festival (a Knight Arts grantee), not the least of which that it crosses many genres and lasts a whole month (April). Now in its third incarnation, O, Miami continues to spread its wings, and to be as inclusive as possible.

So it’s no surprise that O, Miami will hit both the ArtCenter/South Florida and the Wolfsonian FIU this month. And, in fact, poetry and the visual arts have always had a close relationship – books of poetry are often illustrated with works of art; paintings and installations weave in poems with the image.

“Pin Up Pop Up Poetry” is encouraging poets and artists who use poetry in their work (or as an inspiration) to bring an original or a favorite poem to the ArtCenter during the month, and pin it up on the walls of either the 800 or 810 building on Lincoln Road. They can be scribbled on any type of paper, on a photograph, on a drawing – they just have to be tacked up with a push pin. It’s such a neat way to keep poetry relating “to the streets,” in this case literally, as pedestrians will be able to read them when walking by. There will then be a “Pin Up Pop Up Poetry Reading” at the Center on Sunday, April 13 at 5 p.m.

Staying on the Beach, from noon until 9 p.m. on Friday, April 25, anyone with a poem gets into the Wolfsonian for free. They want your haikus and limericks, and you get to see the collection. On the first floor will be a poetry lab. Then, you should pick up a clipboard and go up to the fifth floor for the exhibits – there will be stools placed around so you can jot down your impressions (in rhyme or not!).

Numerous events of O, Miami will also be taking place in its cradle, Wynwood, where art can’t help but hit you in the face whether inside or out. The festival is doing a bang-up job of pulling down the Ivory Tower where people once thought poetry exclusively resided.

“Pin Up pop Up Poetry” runs through April, with a reading on Sunday at 5 p.m. at the ArtCenter/South Florida, 800-810 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach. For more information, contact the organizer Beatricia Sagar, [email protected]. “O, Wolfsonian Day” takes place on April 25, free, at the Wolfsonian-FIU, 1001 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. For these and all events, go to www.omiami.org.