Posted April 13, 2015

By COURTNEY BARICH

Having a best friend who recently graduated from the University of Miami with a film major and art history minor, I have been fortunate enough to get invited to private art events in South Miami throughout my last months as a student.

On Mar. 12, I attended an absolutely remarkable and life-changing event. I had never seen pop art combined with elegance and such elite vibes. This event was called “ART X SPEED X DESIGN.” It was the first art event at Lou La Vie, a privately owned corporation in South Florida.

Lou La Vie is a privately owned corporation created to satisfy the growing demand for the rental of luxury vehicles in Miami. “Lou La Vie’s founders and employees understand the value of service, well prepared vehicles, knowledgeable staff and a simple and direct client qualification process,” according to its Web site. This Exotic Car Rental Showroom also offers art and passion.

Lou La Vie Art Night is going to happen every second Thursday of the month. I was privileged to attend the first event and welcome artist Homero Ganem. The event was filled with expensive cars, art by Ganem, Leonardo Hidalgo, Mister E, M. Chudy, King Saladeen, UR New York, and Bisco Smith and elite people.

Homero Ganem is an up and coming artist. He was born in Bogota, Colombia in 1986. Ganem moved to America at nine years old and now lives in Miami.

Homero Ganem had a rather normal childhood in Colombia. He had a love for both art and soccer from the beginning of his life. Ganem started learning basic artistic skills in art classes in grade school. He did not take special art classes or experience much outside of grade school. In addition, Ganem pursued soccer in both Colombia and America. He only returned to art when he injured his knee and was no longer able to play professionally.

All of Ganem’s work is original and his pieces are one of a kind. He paints with acrylic and spray cans on canvas and photographic prints. Homero Ganem’s paintings are mostly pop art and contain cartoons that he grew up watching. He is an extremely dedicated artist and puts a lot of time into his work.

Homero starts with a photo-shoot and later adds pop art into the picture. “Directing my vision is one of my favorite parts in creating my art. Although it may look like a regular shoot, it isn’t. It requires getting into character to be part of my story,” Homero describes one of his photo-shoots at Lou La Vie Exotic Car Rental.

Specifically, I was extremely impressed by his painting called “New America.” It is a 60-inch by 40-inch acrylic painting on Archival pigment print. The painting is of a beautiful girl on the beach covered by an American flag. In addition to the woman, there is a cartoon of Captain America and his indestructible shield. The background of the beach is filled with a few planes, sparklers, and balloons. The painting is incredible and creates a fun, innovative and trendy vibe.

He also uses metallic paint. This use is to distinguish his artwork from other artists with similar styles. In the 21st century, many artists tend to add cartoons to their work and Ganem’s metallic paint definitely helps his stand out at events.

Another piece I was moved by, was called “Sheep Rebel.” It is a black and white painting on a 12-inch by 24-inch canvas. This painting is of a naked woman sitting in a hayfield facing away from the camera. The picture shows enough of the woman’s body but manages to still keep it classy. The image shows some skin, an arched back, and the woman’s behind without making the picture inappropriate. In addition, Homero drew two cartoons in the background hayfield. These cartoons as well as the razor in the woman’s hand are the only parts of the artwork that have any color. This painting is very modern and many people were interested in purchasing it.

Another artists’ work displayed at the event was King Saladeen. I was extremely impressed by his creativity and vibrant colors in his artwork. Raheem Saladeen Johnson is a self-taught artist born in Philadelphia. Similar to Ganem, Johnson also had a career in sports and turned away from it to focus on art. Raheem works with art galleries, interior designers, high-end auto collectors and fashion companies.

One piece of King Saladeen that stood out to me was called “Inspired by Picasso.” This piece had been sold for $4,000. It is a very contemporary piece or art filled with vibrant colors and different shapes. There is a crown on the canvas, as well as an eye with a dollar sign and an X. This piece was filled with very different symbols yet seemed to all come together.

Overall, the first Lou La Vie art event was a great experience. The vibes created an innovative, trendy, and inspirational atmosphere. The Lamborginis, Jaguars, Range Rovers, and Porsches were surrounded by incredible pop art. I felt “elite” and cool to attend this event.

• Homero Ganem
• Lou La Vie Art Night
• March 12, 2015
• 1444 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, Fla.
• 305-974-1914