The Art of Wednesday

Aki Sasamoto will perform May 16 at Gallery Diet in Miami.

Gallery Diet
174 N.W. 23rd St., Miami, 305-571-2288, Gallerydiet.com

Good Tool, a performance by Aki Sasamoto, a  New York-based Japanese artist who works in performance, sculpture, dance, and other mediums, will perform at 6 p.m. May 16. To get a feel for her performances, check out a five-minute excerpt from another show she did at Whitney Biennial in 2010. See Gallery Diet's announcement for more details.

Museum of Contemporary Art

Joan Lehman Building, 770 NE 125th Street, North Miami, 305-893-6211, Mocanomi.org

The Luminous Breath of the Human Spirit: Donna Karan and Philippe Dodard, an exhibition focusing on the collaborations of fashion designer Donna Karan and Haitian artist Philippe Dodard," features six of Karan's Spring 2012 Collection dresses inspired by the artist's graphic ink wash paintings.

“I learned to develop a harmony between painting, sculpture, drawing, words and sound to really express myself through the essence of love that I find in every human being," notes Dodard, who fuses Caribbean mythological iconography with modern art. "I find that every drop of nature that nourished my childhood, in every event in my life, good or bad, built my personality.  I consider art to be the luminous breath of the human spirit – a glimmer of light that inspires love.”

The artist also collaborated with Karan on design and metal projects through her Urban Zen Foundation, which helps preserve Haitian culture and promote sustainable commerce in Haiti, and both contributed to photographer Russell James’s multi-media art project Nomad Two Worlds.

As MOCA director and chief curator Bonnie Clearwater notes in her statement, "The ongoing collaboration between artist Philippe Dodard and Donna Karan has wide ranging implications, from the revitalization of Haitian metalwork ateliers to the distribution, dissemination, and interpretation of Haitian art, and the enrichment of art education in Haiti. This collaboration is just one example of the international cultural exchanges taking place since Haiti's earthquake."

Dodard who is also director of the National School of Arts in Haiti, will participate in the panel discussion "Culture After disaster: Haiti After the Earthquake," which begins 7 p.m.  May 16 at MOCA. Admission is free but seating is limited so please RSVP to 305-893-6211 or Mocanomi.org. The discussion will also be streamed live at Mocanomi.org/live-stream.

FIU's Miami Beach Urban Studios
420 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Mbus.fiu.edu

Beach Talks is a three-event series in which panelists, meeting 10 years after the first Art Basel, consider how Miami's contemporary art scene will look in another decade. The second panel in the series will include gallery owner David Castillo, Brandi Reddick, communications and artists manager at Miami-Dade County Art in Public Places and Tom Scicluna, adjunct professor of art at Florida Atlantic University and Miami-Dade College. The events starts at 7 p.m. May 16. The talk will take place on the fourth floor where MFA candidates will be waiting to direct guests

Wynwood Kitchen and Bar
2550 N.W. Second Ave., Miami, 305-722-8959, Wynwoodkitchenandbar.com

Musing with Myra, Myra Wexler's last monthly arts networking event of the season, will feature assorted performing artists, jazz by Leo Casino, small bites and happy hour specials, 6-9 p.m. May 16.