For emerging artists, being showcased in an exhibition is among the most prized highlights of their burgeoning careers. For a select group of local students, they are getting the opportunity to showcase their talents this summer in the Miami Design District. This summer at Locust Projects, 20 talented Miami-Dade County high school students are participating in a four-week long summer intensive called Locust Art Builders, one of the institution's most notable programs. During this time, these students who have a diverse array of backgrounds and disciplines come together to learn how to conceive and execute an exhibition from start to finish. During that time, they are mentored by arts professionals in a broad spectrum of practices to give them insights and lessons on how to pursue their passions and engage in field trips to galleries and artist-run spaces to further their knowledge of the local arts community. The exhibition is still in the works but past shows have touched on numerous topics; last year’s show dealt with the intersection of digital communication and human interaction while the show prior to that dealt with the phenomenon of “Florida Man,” or the ongoing antics of Florida residents that make the news for their crazy, sometimes criminal behavior. Also on view will be the LAB:MFA show, which supports the work of emerging, graduate-level artists. The show will highlight the work of Julian Gilbert-Davis, an MFA student at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. Titled "Neighbors," the exhibition will explore the connections between polling places in Miami and New Brunswick through their architectural and design commonalities and investigates the role of these sites in our civic democracy. Both shows will open on July 15 a reception from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will be on view until August 5. To learn more about the LAB program, go to www.locustprojects.org.
