GEORGE SANCHEZ BIO

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SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2003 | Miami Midway | Miami, Florida
A Midway installation, which created a metaphoric portrait framing South Florida’s Artistic and Philanthropic community. Coinciding with the arrival of Art Basel Miami Beach and the December 4 birthday of Santa Barbara, the installation involved a 50-foot Ferris wheel, 75 Local Performers, such as poets, an Afro-Cuban band, dancers, actors, classical musicians and Vegas Style wedding tent occupied by Reverend Ethan Acres. Estimated Attendance: 5500 individuals Installation Banners: The Midway was literally framed in Twenty “Old Fashioned” Circus Banners all hand painted by myself. The banners depicted the top twenty art collectors of South Florida. Sponsored by: The City of Miami, Miami-Dade County, Midtown Miami, and Diversified Development Realty.

2003 | The Numbers Project | Miami, Florida
The Numbers Project involves information, the manner in which we receive it, and how it affects our lives. By incorporating statistical information pertaining to dates, amounts, and proportions: and projecting them graphically onto the edifice known as the Freedom Tower, a portrait of the South Florida community is created. The numbers chosen demonstrate a great affinity, which exist amongst the immigrant population of South Florida and growing concerns shared throughout the United States, particularly issues pertaining to Freedom of Speech and Civil Liberties. Sponsored by: People for the American Way Foundation.

2002-2003 | La Bendicion | The Blessing | Overtown, Florida
“La Bendicion” involved the re-creation in eighty percent scale of Le Corbusier’s infamous home, “La Villa Savoye.” The first public art work sponsored by the City of Miami,“La Bendicion”, called into question the goals of modernism by juxtaposing the quintessential modern home, “ La Villa Savoye” under the I-395 expressway. The installation and event under the freeway had over 2500 attend it, marking a new vision for a long forgotten and neglected area of the community. Sponsored by: The City of Miami

1999 | Monumento / Monument | Coconut Grove, Florida
“Monumento” was a thirty thousand square foot installation, which took place in the previously occupied airplane hangers of Pan American Airways. The exhibit involved a Thirty-foot helium inflatable, a refrigerated vehicle, grandstand seating and the re-creation in model scale of every plane flown in the Bay of Pigs invasion. In the five days the exhibit was open to the public over 3000 individuals attended. On the fifth day the exhibit was open to the public it was vandalized and the majority of the artwork destroyed. Funding for the exhibit was raised privately.

1999 | Museo de los Balseros / Museum of the Rafter | Franklin Furnace Archive, N.Y.
“Museo de los Balseros” involved the re-contextualization of rafts and remnants found out at sea which had pertained to Cuban rafters. The exhibit involved a six-person lecture and the assembling and the loans of rare cultural artifacts. The faux Museum created a discourse surrounding the display and re-contextualization of culturally and politically charged objects. As a result of the exhibit, a limited edition of reference books was created and distributed to libraries throughout the Country. Attendance was particularly high for the Franklin Furnace whose library was consequently acquired by the Moma.

2000 | Artist in Residence | Las Fallas, Valencia, Spain
As an artist in residence in Valencia, Spain, I had the privilege of working with some of the most talented artisans in the world creating the tallest Falla ever made. Las Fallas is a festival, which traces its origins to the seventeenth century. Las Fallas involves elaborate hand made wooden sculptures whose subject matters are political satires. As a collaborator I was responsible for the completion of the eighty-five foot wood sculpture, which at midnight, March 19, 2000 was, as custom requires, ritualistically burned to the ground. Construction on the sculpture lasted three months as opposed to the burning, or “crema,” which was thirty minutes in duration.

AWARDS & HONORS:
2003- OSCAR B.CINTAS FELLOW
2004- SOUTH FLORIDA CULTURAL CONSORTIUM RECIPIENT