Art Center South Florida. From June 6 through July 16, 2012.

Miami artist David Zalben presents “A Love You Can’t Live Without,” a free-wheeling poetic installation about love, sex and relationships.  On June 6, Zalben began writing prose in his signature wire-graffiti style in the main windows of ArtCenter/South Florida (800 Lincoln Road, just west of Meridian Avenue). Adding verses to his poem every night, the storefront space will be completely engulfed by an unfettered stream of risqué consciousness by July 16, 2012.

“Each evening, I will write about my many muses, love, lust and other related subjects,” said Zalben. “Aside from the physical challenge of bending 16-gauge wire into intricate lettering, there’s the psychological pressure of creating something in public that is normally a private process, and of sharing meaningful thoughts that are an honest expression of my state of mind.”

Zalben is by nature a controlled individual who gravitates toward structured lines and form.  The spatial constraints of the 12 x 12-foot window will force him to twist and squeeze words into limited white space, breaking free from his traditionally linear and clean wire text. “Even the works that seem chaotic are organized, so haphazardly installing words in rapid succession in any manner will be truly against my nature.”

After 41 days at the end of the installation process, viewers will have literally and figuratively a window into Zalben’s soul.  In a jungle of wire wordage, his thoughts will be one part reality – based upon his real experiences – and another part fantasy; all will be exposed as a long laundry list of feelings, allowing onlookers to follow, critique and enjoy the ride of Zalben’s daily musings.  

David is fascinated with complicated simplicity and wire as a medium gives access to this interest, allowing him to invent using just his hands and a pair of pliers. The artist’s goal is to create unexpected sculptures that resonate beyond the immediate aesthetic by combining a sense of nostalgia, innocence, humor and sexuality. His art form emphasizes both skill and vision, which stops short of giving the viewer too much information and encourages them to draw their own conclusions. Zalben transforms poetic verse into a visual art form that is sculptural, but also speaks cleverly about love, pain and a feeling of spiritual growth.  He is currently represented in Hong Kong by established art gallery Karin Weber, and is preparing for an upcoming show in August 2012, Guatemala City.

ArtCenter/South Florida
800, 810 and 924 Lincoln Road
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305.674.8278
www.artcentersf.org