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Samuel Borkson and Arturo Sandoval III, better known by the AKA of FriendsWithYou, unveiled at Miami Art Week their impressive new 50-foot-tall sculptural work.
With an all-metal body, the work was initially named “Starchild” and was later renamed: “Earth to Ocean.”
Commissioned by the city of Miami Beach in the Henry Liebman Square, between 41st Street & Pine Tree Drive, Starchield is also a personal tribute to the city: the land in which Borkson grew up and the adopted home of Sandoval III, a native of Cuba.
Starchild follows a long-running conceptual project that began as a vehicle for the exploration of emotional healing through the creation of culture and art. As with the Little Cloud that has characterized the duo throughout their long creative journey, underscoring their intent to bring more joy, kindness and love into the world, similarly Ocean represents the symbol of light, power and nature.
“Ocean is a collection of metaphors conjuring our combined humanity; where most belief systems highlight what’s unique to them, Ocean’s mythology aims to unearth the common myths and viewpoints that exist in everyone, deep in the human psyche, to create a mythology that everyone can not only relate to but be apart of, regardless of cultural background. The closer we get to the truth of our existence, the more we can sense the power of our nature. The unification and creation of a better society has to start with this understanding which allows us to be more compassionate to each other as well as seeing every living thing as us,” declare in concert the artists, who were present at the opening of the work and ready to answer questions from the public.
The Ocean concept will later be presented in collaboration with two galleries: the Gavlak and Nanzuka Gallery, which with FriendsWithYou will premiere at Art Basel a new sculptural plasticine painting from the Ocean series, titled “Adventus” and generated with the help of AI depicting the moment when Starchild arrives on earth.
In addition, on the occasion of Miami Art Week, FriendsWithYou, in order to make art an accessible commodity for all, will present a line of accessories called “Friend” that coincides with the release of the Starchild amulet. The Friend line was created with the purpose of signaling that the wearer is: “a friend, an ally, a helper and a kind human person,” the duo states.
FriendsWithYou has gained international recognition through their public exhibitions and artwork exhibited in museums, art galleries and public spaces around the world, including the Indianapolis Museum of Art, NSU Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale and Dallas Contemporary, and which was followed by the creation of the Little Cloud balloon for Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2018.
But that’s not all, the duo that previously set up the set for J Balvin at the Coachella Festival which was followed by the creation of Little Cloud Sky: a public art installation commissioned by the city of Miami Beach, are also the creators of a successful animation series entitled: “True and the Rainbow Kingdom” made for Netflix. Despite their varied and busy ongoing projects FriendsWithMe is already working on two new TV shows, with the goal of bringing art to the world through the medium, powerful positivity and compassion.
(on the title, Starchild by FriendsWithYou, 2022. Powder Coated Steel & Aluminum28.5 x 6 x 50 feet. Commissioned by The City of Miami Beach)
