Designer Todd Oldham and the Wolfsonian–FIU’s Dynamo Museum Shop present limited-edition Welcome mats during Art Basel | Miami Beach

Marietta, GA, Nov. 14, 2009 - The Wolfsonian–Florida International University presents a selection of signed, limited-edition welcome mats created by designer Todd Oldham and contributing artists Wayne White, Megan Whitmarsh and Brock Shorno. The welcome mats are being offered in conjunction with New Voices: New Works, a series of site-specific installations, featuring the contributing artists and curated by Oldham in celebration of Art Basel | Miami Beach.

Available in four distinct designs, the mats take their cue from the inspirations of the New Voices: New Works installations. The 2’ x 3’ mats, will be on sale for $250, starting Tuesday, December 1st at The Dynamo Museum Shop with all proceeds benefiting the museum, courtesy of Durkan, the hospitality brand of the Mohawk Group. A frequent Oldham collaborator, Durkan is a leader in innovative design solutions and high style, high performance hospitality carpet.

About the Artists

Todd Oldham

Todd Oldham is a well-known designer and an innovator of accessible design. Originally a New York fashion designer and the host of "Todd Time" on MTV's House of Style, Oldham is currently the mentor on Top Design, Bravo's reality competition series spotlighting interior design. Todd's career has evolved to include all areas of design, from interior design, film and photography, to furniture, carpets, graphic art, and a collection of floral design for FTD.com. Oldham is the author of Hand Made Modern, and hosted HGTV's Hand Made Modern series of specials. He designed The Hotel and Wish restaurant in South Beach. Oldham is also the author of several books including a monograph on the life's work of artist Charley Harper; a unique series called Place Space that explores brilliant, singular places and the uncommonly devoted people that create them; his newest book, Kid Made Modern; and he is the editor of a monograph on the brilliant, warped work of Wayne White (one of the installation artists).

Megan Whitmarsh

Megan Whitmarsh, born in 1972, lives and works in Los Angeles. She is known for her idiosyncratic and detailed hand embroidery, a medium she has been working in since the mid 1990s. She works in a variety of low-tech media including self-published comic books, stop action animation film, soft sculpture, painting, and drawing. Her work refers to the visual noise of her youth in the 1970s and 1980s. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including shows in New York, Los Angeles, Reykjavik, Toronto, Brussels, Barcelona, Malmo, Bologna, Tokyo and Seoul.

Wayne White

Wayne White’s painting and sculptures have been exhibited in galleries and museums across the world. He was a three-time Emmy winner for his set and puppet designs on PeeWee’s Playhouse, as well as an art director for music videos such as Peter Gabriel’s "Big Time" and the Smashing Pumpkin’s "Tonight, Tonight." Recently, he created an art installation of a twenty-three-foot-long puppethead of the country music legend George Jones titled "Big Lectric Fan To Keep Me Cool While I Sleep" at Houston’s Rice University. A monograph of his thirty-year career, Maybe Now I’ll Get The Respect I So Richly Deserve, edited by Todd Oldham, has just been published by Ammo Books.

Brock Shorno

Brock Shorno is an artist engaged in the investigation of object, body, and space. Formal training in sculpture at Hunter College has led to his current work with video and performance. He lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.

Sponsorship Information

The Wolfsonian’s Art Basel | Miami Beach events are sponsored by Cheryl and Chris Davis; Continental Airlines, the Official Airline of The Wolfsonian–FIU; Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Miami; and Braman Motors. Wine compliments of Quattro Leoni. Spirits compliments of Bacardi USA, Inc.; and Bombay Sapphire.

About Durkan

Durkan is the hospitality brand of The Mohawk Group, a leading commercial carpet manufacturer and a pioneer in the design of sustainable carpeting. From the hotel lobby and corridors to guest rooms and ballrooms, casinos, and areas of assisted living facilities, Durkan is world-renowned as an industry leader in innovative design solutions and high style, high-performance hospitality carpeting. With state-of-the-art spectronic printing and forward-thinking pattern and texture technologies, Durkan's comprehensive line of patterned and custom carpet products provide the inspired design, advanced engineering and expressive style needed to set the right tone for every installation. Durkan's primary manufacturing facility is located in Dalton, GA. For additional information, look for Durkan at www.durkan.com or www.themohawkgroup.com or call 800-241-4580. Connect with The Mohawk Group on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

About The Dynamo Museum Shop

The Dynamo Museum Shop offers a selection of carefully selected, unconventional gifts, books, and films, much of it inspired by The Wolfsonian's collection of modern objects from 1885-1945. The Dynamo Café also features a sophisticated menu in a casual and artfully designed setting, also inspired by and reflecting the themes of the museum's collection. The Dynamo Shop's eclectic offerings include products by renowned designers and brands, such as a selection of bags, scarfs, and belts by Issey Miyake; jewelry by TJepkems and San Lorenzo Silver; vases by Zaha Hadid; Areaware designed by Harry Allen; and products by Droog Design. The books, magazines, and films reflect the themes of the collection, with a section on selected banned books from the museum's time period as well as iconic films from the period. A selection of creative children's toys from brands including Vilac and Melissa & Doug round out the shopping experience.

The Dynamo Museum Shop and Café is open noon-6pm Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Saturday, noon-9pm Thursday and Friday; closed Wednesdays. For questions or information, call 305.535.2680 or paola@thewolf.fiu.edu.

About The Wolfsonian–Florida International University

Durkan is the hospitality brand of The Mohawk Group, a leading commercial carpet manufacturer and a pioneer in the design of sustainable carpeting. From the hotel lobby and corridors to guest rooms and ballrooms, casinos, and areas of assisted living faciliThe Wolfsonian is a museum, library, and research center that uses objects to illustrate the persuasive power of art and design, to explore what it means to be modern, and to tell the story of social, historical, and technological changes that have transformed our world. The collections comprise approximately 120,000 objects from the period of 1885 to 1945—the height of the Industrial Revolution to the end of the Second World War—in a variety of media including furniture; industrial-design objects; works in glass, ceramics, and metal; rare books; periodicals; ephemera; works on paper; paintings; textiles; and medals.

The Wolfsonian is located at 1001 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, FL. Admission is $7 for adults; $5 for seniors, students, and children age 6 -12; and free for Wolfsonian members, State University System of Florida staff and students with ID, and children under six. The museum is open Monday, Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday from noon-6pm; Thursday and Friday from noon-9pm; and is closed on Wednesday. Contact us at 305.531.1001 or visit us online at www.wolfsonian.org for further information.

The Wolfsonian receives ongoing support from The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; the City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council; the William J. and Tina Rosenberg Foundation; Continental Airlines, the Official Airline of The Wolfsonian–FIU; Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.; and Pistils & Petals.