On November 10, 2018 Locust Projects hosted its 20th Anniversary Benefit Dinner honoring Debra and Dennis Scholl, current and founding board chairs, and the three artist founders, Westen Charles, Elizabeth Withstandley and COOPER at The Standard Spa, Miami Beach.

Co-chaired by Munisha Underhill and John Joseph Lin, the sold out event drew one-hundred and fifty friends and supporters of Locust Projects and was sponsored by Art Miami, Fendi, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Northern Trust, Phillips, TOD’S, and Vhernier.

The event commemorated twenty years of supporting artists in the heart of Miami, and raised critical funds to support Locust Projects in its mission to provide contemporary visual artists the freedom to experiment with new ideas without the pressures of gallery sales or limitations of conventional exhibition spaces.

As Locust enters its third decade, the space and its supporters remain committed to its ideals and to the important role it plays in the South Florida art ecosystem and the art world at large. Locust Projects will always be a place that welcomes, embraces, and empowers artists.

The evening kicked off with cocktails and music by The Rhythm Foundation in the Lido lounge followed by Executive Director Lorie Mertes, who presented the crowd with a preview of Locust Projects: The 20th Anniversary Retrospective publication by Tra Publishing.

“It was hard not to take notice when, in 1998, three artists announced that they had opened a space in a warehouse in a little-known neighborhood called Wynwood,” said Lorie Mertes, Locust Projects Director. "The evening honors and celebrates a legacy of art and artists who were visionary pioneers (even if they did not know it then), and Debra and Dennis Scholl, our current and founding board chairs, who knew Locust Projects was onto something important for Miami."

Following cocktails, a convivial gathering of friends ventured outside to enjoy a multi-course meal under the stars and a performance choreographed by Monica Lopez de Victoria of the TM Sisters.

Notable Miami artists, art leaders, collectors, curators, gallerists and patrons converged to support Locust Projects, including Claire Breukel, David Castillo, Bonnie and Jim Clearwater, Rosa de la Cruz, Sylvia and Alfredo Cubiñá, Alex Gartenfeld, Nick Korniloff and Pamela Cohen, Diane and Alan Lieberman, Ilona Oppenheim, Vivian Pfeiffer, Stefanie and Evan Reed, Victoria Rogers, Jessica and Franklin Sirmans, and Alexa Wolman.

20TH ANNIVERSARY FOUNDERS CIRCLE: Diane and Alan Lieberman, Phillips, Debra and Dennis Scholl, Susan and Richard Arregui, Art Miami, Irma and Norman Braman, Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz, Fendi, Evelyn and Bruce Greer, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Kinga and Edward Lampert, Rochelle and Steve Lanster, Northern Trust, Darlene and Jorge M. Pérez, Jackie Soffer and Craig Robins, TOD’S, Vhernier, Alexa and Adam Wolman, Florence and Sheldon Anderson, Cara and Robert Balogh, Marianne and John Devine, Dawn Adels Fine and Billy Martin, Debra and Barry Frank, Diane and Werner Grob, Jeff Krinsky, George L. Lindemann, Morlic Engineering Corp. – The Mora Family, Museo Vault –, Sydney and David Schaecter, Amy and Richard Pollack, Dr. Lynne and Mr. John Richard, Faye and Jeffrey Roth

Additional thanks to: John Joseph Lin, The Standard Spa, Miami Beach, Tra Publishing, Munisha Underhill

Images by World Red Eye