Germane Barnes will receive the Arison Award at the annual YoungArts Miami Gala this Jan. 28 at the iconic YoungArts campus in Miami, said the organization today. The evening will honor Barnes' significant contributions to the arts, the 2023 YoungArts award winners—the nation's most accomplished young artists in the literary, visual, and performing arts—and all artists across the country. Barnes will accept his award at YoungArts' largest annual fundraiser, an evening of artistry, dining, and dancing that brings together artists, influential community leaders, and philanthropists.
Prada is presenting the Miami Gala, featuring performances by Uriel Ramirez (2015 YoungArts Award Winner, Dance), Anton Kot (2019, 2020, 2021 YoungArts Award Winner, Jazz), Alice Blumenfeld (2008 YoungArts Award Winner and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, Dance), Marjan Naderi (2020 YoungArts Award Winner, Writing), Peter Eom (2013 YoungArts Award Winner, Classical Music) and Tariq Al-Sabir (2011 YoungArts Award Winner, Voice). Jacomo Bairos, acclaimed musician and conductor (1994 YoungArts Award Winner, Classical Music), is the artistic director and emcee for the evening. Honorary co-chairs Sarah Arison, Thomas Wilhelm, Jill Braufman, and Daniel Nir will host the event.
"The YoungArts Miami Gala is an evening of art and inspiration. Germane Barnes is one of the most compelling and relevant architects working today, and we are honored to celebrate his contributions to Miami and beyond. The thoughtful approach to architecture epitomized by his work creates deep connections between art, space and social justice. We look forward to celebrating his accomplishments and dedication to helping guide the next generation of artists alongside artists across the country," said Sarah Arison, Chair of the YoungArts Board of Trustees.
Barnes's award-winning research and design practice investigates the relationship between architecture and identity, delving into architecture's social and political agency through historical research and design speculation. Barnes examines how the built environment influences black domesticity by utilizing architecture's social and political agency. He is currently an Associate Professor and the Director of The Community Housing & Identity Lab (CHIL) at the University of Miami School of Architecture, which serves as a testing ground for physical and theoretical investigations into architecture's social and political resiliency.
His work has appeared in international venues and publications, including The Museum of Modern Art NY, SF MoMA, MAS Context, The Graham Foundation, The New York Times, DesignMIAMI/ Art Basel, Metropolis, Domus, and The National Museum of African American History, where he was named one of the future designers on the rise. Barnes was born in Chicago, Illinois, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Architecture from Woodbury University, where he received the Thesis Prize for his project "Symbiotic Territories: Architectural Investigations of Race, Identity, and Community."
Jean Shin (1990 YoungArts Winner in Visual Arts & U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts) designed the Arison Awards, which are given annually to individuals who, like the Arison family, have significantly influenced the development of young American artists.
The Gala will also recognize the recipient of the Jorge M. Pérez Award in 2023. With a $25,000 unrestricted award, the award was established in 2018 to honor a YoungArts Visual Arts award winner who has succeeded in strengthening their community through artistic endeavors. Applicants aged 25 and up are encouraged to submit materials via the YoungArts Post open call; the Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation makes the selections. Juan Jose Cielo (2015 Visual Arts), Malaika Temba (2014 Visual Arts), Ilana Harris-Babou (2009 Visual Arts), and Mateo Nava are recent recipients (2013 Visual Arts & U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts).
Prada provides support for the Gala. For more information or to purchase tickets or tables, visit the website.
Photography by: Courtesy of Arison Award
