MIAMI BEACH, FL.- ArtCenter/South Florida (“ACSF”) proudly partners with curator and artist Carolina Salazar to present Love Cures, a contemporary charity art auction exhibition benefiting the advancement of neuroblastoma research. Fifty emerging and established artists including Yoko Ono, William Wegman, Elizabeth Peyton, Carlos Betancourt, Pablo Cano and Michele OkaDoner were invited to interpret love into a unique work of art for this heart-warming exhibition. The opening reception on January 9, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. will kick-off a three-week show of auction pieces at ACSF (800 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach). On view until February 1, 2009, bidding night will follow on February 5, 2009 at Miami Art Space in Wynwood. For more information please call 305.674. 8278 or visit www.artcentersf.org.
On September 10, 2007, Salazar was informed by doctors at the Miami Children’s Hospital that her baby had a rare and potentially fatal form of cancer called neuroblastoma. Undergoing bone marrow biopsies, surgery, chemotherapy, CT-scans, X-rays and numerous MRI’s before his first birthday, Salazar chose to fight as passionately for a cure as her son was fighting for survival.
“Working in the arts administrative field and practicing art for most of my life, an art auction was the clear vehicle of choice to help bring awareness to this deadly disease,” said Salazar. “I believe that art has the power to heal, to inspire and to even transform a person’s life. Thanks to the arts community and to generous supporters, Love Cures comprises an inspirational selection of works created in a variety of mediums and perspectives.”
One-hundred percent of the proceeds from the Love Cures auction will be donated to The Band of Parents Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to neuroblastoma research at one of the world’s leading institutions, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Neuroblastoma is a childhood cancer of the sympathetic nervous system, with diagnoses occurring on average at approximately 17 months of age. Children diagnosed before the age of 18 months have a high survival rate, but high-risk children diagnosed before age five only have about a 30 percent chance to live. The cause of neuroblastoma is unknown, though it is believed to be an accidental cell growth that occurs during normal development of the adrenal glands. Increased awareness and research is needed to find a cure for the 650 children diagnosed every year.
Participating artists: Ray Azcuy, George Bethea, Carlos Betancourt, Pablo Cano, Rosemarie Chiarlone, Elisabeth Condon, Adalberto Delgado, Carlos DeVillasante, Franklin Einspruch, Priscilla Ferguson, Daniel Fiorda, Andy Gambrell, Rebecca Guarda, Amanda Keeley, Iran Issa Khan, Joshua Levine, Stephanie Lee-Jones, Peter Lik, Emilio Martinez, Beatriz Monteavero, Mile Murtanovski, Michele OkaDoner, Yoko Ono, Elizabeth Peyton, Josephina Posch, Lucio Pozzi, Darren Price, Ralph Provisero, Brian Reedy, Carolina Salazar, Yolanda Sanchez, Carolina Sardi, Claudia Scalise, Diego Singh, Odalis Valdivieso, William Wegman, Michelle Weinberg, Annie Wharton, Richard White and Laena Wilder.