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The submissions New Times received for this year’s MasterMind awards, presented by the Adrienne Arsht Center, were the most diverse to date, including artists, filmmakers, musicians, theater groups, writers, curators, and even one guy who makes balloon animals. So it’s fitting that the 2013 MasterMind winners, announced last night at Artopia, represent a wide range of culture.
Arts and filmmaking collective Bleeding Palm, dancer and choreographer Rosie Herrera, and musician Jesse Perez took home the giant checks last night, winning $1,000 each and the title of New Times MasterMind.
See also: – Photos: Artopia 2013 at Coral Gables Museum
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New Times editor Chuck Strouse announced the winners last night from the Artopia stage, calling each of the winners up to receive their prizes.
Art collective Bleeding Palm, made up of Christina Felisgrau, Ronnie Rivera, and “two secret members,” creates dizzying neon masterpieces in several forms: films, websites, and the Internet’s beloved animated GIFs. The group caught the attention of the Miami Heat’s Chris Bosh last year when the player’s lawyers threatened to sue over their short animated film Adventures of Christopher Bosh in the Multiverse, which killed at the Borscht Film Festival.
Rosie Herrera attended Artopia fresh off a trip to New York City, where her company, Rosie Herrera Dance Theater, staged its debut at the prestigious Focus Dance festival. Herrera’s unique aesthetic, incorporating elements of cabaret and drag shows into her choreography, was described by one MasterMind award panelist as “Hialeah Pina Bausch.” Later this year, she’s taking her tour on the road, visiting the Baryshnikov Arts Center and American Dance Festival.
An award for Jesse Perez is an award for the very things that have made Miami famous: booty, bass, and booty bass. So naturally Perez, the man behind tracks like “Hialeah House Party” and “Miami’s My Town,” took home the prize. Few Miami artists have the skills to, as he puts it, “make chongitas dance” the way Perez can. And with his label, Mr. Nice Guy, Perez is also helping to develop the Miami music scene, putting out records by Hectik Rivero, Sex Sells, and Mika Materazzi.
Congratulations to Perez, Herrera, and Bleeding Palm, as well as to all of the 2013 MasterMind finalists and honorable mentions. The submissions New Times received for this year’s award were overall the most interesting and engaging to date. Miami creatives, we’re awed by what you do.
And readers, if you’re new in town and looking for some local culture, the list below is a great place to start.
2013 MasterMind Award Winners:Bleeding Palm
2013 MasterMind Award Finalists:Alma Leiva
Miami Performance International Festival
2013 MasterMind Award Honorable Mentions:
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