The Avalon, 700 Ocean Dr
Why do we seem to only celebrate big milestones and huge accomplishments? If the pandemic showed me anything, it’s to appreciate the privilege of experiencing the everyday. Don’t wait for the major milestones to celebrate. We are not guaranteed our next moment of breath, so take advantage of the opportunity to appreciate and celebrate what’s right in front of us. Sometimes, you gotta stop and eat the pie.
The sculpture is shaped like a slice of Key lime pie — not only a Florida quintessential but also homage to the sculpture’s location: A Fish Called Avalon. Chef Kal Abdalla, Executive chef of A Fish Called Avalon, was awarded “Best Key Lime Pie” by The American Pie Counsel. The sculpture is meticulously covered in thousands of shiny sequins. While boldly and playfully reflecting light, they also serve as a symbol of the ephemerality and delicacy of life.
Gianna D is a mixed-media artist born and raised in Miami, Florida. She earned her Master of Fine Arts at Florida International University where she previously obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts. Gianna was a Florida International University Ratcliffe Art + Design Incubator Fellow, participating artist for Vizcaya Museum and Gardens CAP Lab, and first place winner of The Women in Visual Arts, Inc. Velia Sweet Scholarship. Gianna has shown extensively throughout South Florida including a solo exhibition at Miami International Airport, at the historical Moore Building, and a commissioned mural for Simon’s Dadeland Mall. Gianna’s work has also been exhibited nationally, and internationally, in both group and solo exhibitions, at art fairs, and in public places.
Much of life is measured by points – birth, graduation, marriage, insert-your-own-milestone-here, death. The reality is, though, that most of life really occurs between the points. These spaces are ripe with possibility — things are not fixed. Even on an emotional level, we may speak of happiness, sadness, and anger, and miss the nameless emotions in-between. While the English language is not equipped to identify these spaces, I find I can talk about these in-betweens visually. I do this by aligning concept, material, and process.
