MIAMI BEACH.-ArtCenter/South Florida (“ACSF”) is home to the surrealist and pop-fused cityscape interpreted by Neil Bender, Elisabeth Condon and Michelle Weinberg. Dubbed Beyond Picturopolis and curated by participating artist Weinberg, the exhibition created as a portrait of an imaginary world opens on January 11 and runs until February 17, 2008 at the ACSF gallery ( 800 Lincoln Road , Miami Beach ). The reception is slated for Friday, January 11 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

“Through their work in Beyond Picturopolis, Bender, Condon and Weinberg transform the ArtCenter’s public gallery into a surreal alternate universe exploring the hip, urban terrain that lurks just outside the gallery windows. This is an exciting use of the space by an intelligent and dynamic group of artists,” says Jeremy Chester, ACSF Executive Director.

Beyond Picturopolis is the collective work of Bender, Condon and Weinberg, who take a different perspective of looking at contemporary culture through the mediums of painting, drawing and sculptural installation. Their individual signature subjects – crooked geometrics, interlocking modules, ornate wallpapers and imaginary terrains – are united in Beyond Picturopolis by the common use of hallucinatory patterns, vivid colors, urban settings and free-formed sketches. Focused on exploring public spaces and human interaction, their representations include plazas, gardens, bus stops, flower plantings and physical movements.

Bender’s pieces use humor as a pivot for social and political ideas about society. The abundant flowers, internal body parts and hues of pink in his images allude to organic processes; whereas his random installations and drawings purposefully interrupt these natural forms to suspend the viewer’s interaction with the work.

Condon’s paintings of large-scale pores, scraps and splats (of paint) are inspired by human, mechanical and technological movements. Her spontaneous strokes of color and Dr. Seuss-like trees are florid creations reminiscent of an exotic or mythical backyard.

Weinberg’s miniature vista collages destabilize familiar model spaces like motels and parking lots – mundane locations common to most urban neighborhoods. The artist’s goal is to penetrate the veneer of everyday appearances by piecing printed matter together. Particularly fond of the color and print quality of the 1960’s and 1970’s, simple geometric patterns are central to Weinberg’s work and the show. Beyond Picturopolis combines the distinct sensibilities of Bender, Condon and Weinberg, producing a powerful new vision of contemporary living.

Established in 1984, ArtCenter/South Florida (located at 800, 810 and 924 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach) is a non-profit 501(C)(3) organization that provides subsidized studio and exhibition space as well as teaching opportunities for emerging and career artists in their facilities at 800, 810 and 924 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach. The mission of the ArtCenter is to advance the knowledge and practice of contemporary visual arts and culture in South Florida while providing affordable programming and work-space for professional artists. The ArtCenter/South Florida is open Monday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. For further information please call (305) 674- 8278 or visit the website at www.artcentersf.org .