Cirque St. Armands Beachside features pop-up abstract artist


Artist Darnell “Solo the Artist” Kirkwood shared his series "Discoveries Along the Way" with visitors at Cirque St. Armands Beachside during a pop-up event open to the community.
Artist Darnell “Solo the Artist” Kirkwood shared his series "Discoveries Along the Way" with visitors at Cirque St. Armands Beachside during a pop-up event open to the community.
Photo by Dana Kampa
  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
  • Share

Art-loving community members can rejoice in having another venue to take in creative works on Lido Key.

Cirque St. Armands Beachside, a luxury resort celebrating the legacy of the Ringling Circus with its unique decor, recently invited the public to attend a pop-up artist feature event.

Darnell “Solo the Artist” Kirkwood presented his six-episode painting series for a one-day showcase on June 17, depicting the relationship between the two characters Ama and Amore.

The first two paintings in the "Discoveries Along the Way" series depict each character in their own frame, using abstract details to communicate their individual traits. Ama is a social media creator, and Amore aspires to be a star basketball player. 

The following four paintings showcase their initial meeting, the first time they start to open up and deepen their connection, the moment they both learn of new opportunities to pursue their dreams, and an ambiguous final frame left up to the viewer's perception of whether they will decide to make it work or bid one another farewell.

Attendees view a pop-up traveling art exhibition on June 17 at Cirque St. Armands Beachside, which plans to host more community events in the future.
Photo by Dana Kampa

Kirkwood took the time to walk attendees through the paintings, pointing out subtle elements that indicate how the pair's relationship changes over time. He also invited viewers to offer their own opinions of what they see in the art.

"This whole series is based off of true events from my life and from close friends," he added. "I blended them into these two characters."

Attendees took the opportunity to chat with the artist.

When asked what it means to him to see patrons actively engage with his work, Kirkwood said, "She did exactly what abstract artwork should prompt. It should draw you in, make you ask questions, instead of just automatically putting a label on something. It means the world to me that people respond to it the way they do."

Milos Davidovic, regional general manager, welcomes Darnell “Solo the Artist” Kirkwood for a one-day pop-up exhibition at Cirque St. Armands Beachside.
Photo by Dana Kampa

Even though it took some extra steps to coordinate, Kirkwood said he is glad the traveling exhibition could include the original paintings rather than prints. Up close, viewers can better detect the subtle writings and other elements incorporated into the art.

Milos Davidovic, regional general manager, said the resort looks forward to offering similar events open to everyone in the community, especially considering how much residents appreciate the thriving local art scene.

He said Kirkwood was the perfect artist to feature as the resort seeks to extend its hospitality to the wider community, considering much of his work centers around human energy and connection.

"It correlates with our core values and what we represent as an industry," he said.

Kirkwood, who is based in Los Angeles, brought his traveling exhibition to Lido Key as part of a five-city tour among Opal properties. For more about his other works, visit SoloTheArtist.com.

 

author

Dana Kampa

Dana Kampa is the Longboat Key neighbors reporter for the Observer. She first ventured into journalism in her home state of Wisconsin, going on to report community stories everywhere from the snowy mountains of Washington State to the sunny shores of the Caribbean. She has been a writer and photographer for more than a decade, covering what matters most to readers.

Latest News

Sponsored Content