Cultural Council of Palm Beach County to Showcase Graffi and Mural Art in "X Marks the Spot" Exhibition

LAKE WORTH, Fla. (Oct. 26, 2018) – The Cultural Council will soon open its new “X Marks the Spot” exhibition on Friday, Nov. 16 at its historic headquarters in downtown Lake Worth. The graffiti-themed show features over a dozen Palm Beach County-based artists and runs until Feb. 2.

Graffiti isn’t a new concept in the artistic world. Past manifestations include inscribed obscenities in ancient stone, “Kilroy was here” doodles in World War II and the many colorful, spray-painted images that decorated public places in the 1980s. Now with the evolution of graffiti as mural art (à la Banksy), these lines have become blurred, and the people behind the work have transformed from “misguided youths” to professional artists. This exhibition showcases talents of local emerging and professional artists and focuses on the many styles and maturation of graffiti and mural art.

For the first time, 16 Palm Beach County artists will paint directly on the walls of the Council’s main gallery. “X Marks the Spot” will also include many new works. Featured artists include:

“’X Marks the Spot’ celebrates the individuality and creativity of street art,” said Nichole M. Hickey, the Council’s manager of artist services and curator of the show. ”For years, graffiti was considered an unwelcome form of vandalism. Now, murals bring life to dozens of cities – including Lake Worth – and transform how we see art.”

Exhibition Details

The Council will host a member preview party on Thursday, Nov. 15 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. (free for Council members; $20 for nonmembers). The event features a performance by DJ Arive and merchandise for sale by participating artists. Proceeds from artwork sales directly benefit local artists and support the Council’s mission to grow arts and culture in Palm Beach County. To RSVP, please email Debbie Calabria, the Council’s membership and special events manager, at dcalabria@palmbeachculture.com or RSVP online at palmbeachculture.com/xmarksthespot.

As part of Lake Worth’s first-annual FOCUS event, the Council will also host an “X Marks the Spot!” lecture and book signing by Sharon Koskoff on “Murals of The Palm Beaches” (free to members; $10 for nonmembers) on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 3 p.m. Her books will also be for sale.

“X Marks the Spot” runs through Saturday, Feb. 2 and is free and open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building. For more information, visit palmbeachculture.com/xmarksthespot.

Sponsors include JPMorgan Chase & Co.; Art Hive Magazine; WLRN; Berlin Family Foundation; Galera Collective; Tito’s Handmade Vodka; Christafaro’s; and Mathews Brewing Co.