Let’s face it: Miami Art Week is pretty exclusionary. If you’re a VIP (what even defines that?) or a VIP’s friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend, a member of the press, a helluva good liar, or you simply just have $ to blow... great (!!!) But if you fall into none of the aforementioned categories, then you’re likely going to find yourself limited in your nocturnal activities.
Enter Know Wave: an international community platform founded in 2012 which puts on events, makes merch, streams its radio show worldwide, and throws a killer party.
This year, Know Wave teamed up with Todd Moscowitz’s recently launched Alamo Records – with the help of Chillin Island and Electric Circus, who helped curate the night – to celebrate its roster of rising talent. Alamo’s Smokepurpp performed live, and other sets came from Ciesay, co-founder of Places+Faces, Virgil Abloh, founder and creative director of Off-White, Venus X, DJ and co-founder of GHE20G0TH1K, A-Trak, Canadian DJ and music exec, and Siobhan Bell, one of London’s most in-demand DJs.
Despot, the host of Chillin Island – a radio show that streams on Know Wave – says pairing emerging and established artists on the same bill is the key to a good time. “I want all of these new artists to be in the same room talking to each other and I want the crowd that came out to see the big names, to discover new artists,” he explains.
The guest list was also open to anyone – if you were quick enough to RSVP – and brought in a much younger and cooler crowd than most of the events happening across Miami during Art Week. “I think that (policy) speaks to the importance of exposing people to new talent,” says Despot. “I don't think these events would have the same feeling if we hand-picked 100 people and let them in on our little secret special artists. The overall goal is to expose everyone involved to something new – talent and audience alike.”
If you couldn’t make it to Miami, then we’ve got a video recap for you above.
Film courtesy of Orlando De La Cruz
