Patricia and Philip Frost Art Museum, Courtesy of the Frost Museum

The building stands in the middle of Florida International University’s Modesto Maidique campus. Tall, white and ominous, the Patricia and Philip Frost Art Museum is on its way to becoming a cultural center in South Florida – but it was not always this way.

Before the opening of the new Frost, the museum had been tucked away in the campus’s oldest building, Primera Casa. Hidden in the basement, the Frost was often ignored by students, faculty, and staff.

James Bernal, a graduate of the university who majored in Fine Arts, was one of these students. “I never really went unless a teacher assigned a project,” Bernal said. “Besides the student exhibitions, I didn’t care for the Frost.”

This all changed, however after 2001, when world-renowned architectural firm Hellmuth, Obata, and Kassabaum transformed the Frost from an approximately 20,000 square foot room to 46,000 square feet of gallery space, opening up many new doors for the museum.

Yann Weymouth, the lead architect for the project, changed it from a student and faculty exhibition center to an institution that would eventually host works from world-renowned painters and sculptors.

Courtesy of the Frost Art Museum

“We want the Frost to be a lot more than just a museum,” Jessica Delgado, communications manager for the museum said.

And they are doing just that, with events that stress community involvement, from family days to lectures and exhibits that stress not only the mission of the museum, but also the diverse ethnic population of South Florida.

A recent collaboration between the Frost and the Centro Cultural Español (CCE) brought together the ideas of 14^th century philosopher Ramon Llull’s industrial logic and the aesthetics of artist Horacio Sapere to create “The Poet’s Room”, an interactive installation where bright primary colors are used on the chairs and displayed on the television screens and canvases that are featured in the exhibition.

Dr. Carol Damian, the lead curator and director of the Frost since 2006, emphasizes the community role of the museum. Before the museum’s opening, in 2006, Damian said, “We are saying to the community, ‘this is your museum’.”

For each of the exhibit openings like “The Poet’s Room”, the museum brings in musicians and performance artists that enhance the community feel of the Frost.

For a recent exhibit, “Navjot Altaf: Lacuna in Testimony”, Indian artist Altaf displayed her photographs and videos to highlight the strife of citizens who were affected by the riots in India’s Gujarat State in 2002.  “For that exhibit, the music and dancers all tied in to the theme of promoting peace, all with a focus of impermanence,” Delgado said. “It’s not just showing art, it’s having the audience participate on the art as well.”

Despite the large renovation and costs, Damian still remembers the roots of the museum – the small, intimate feel in the Primera Casa building.

But in a little over 30 years, the Frost Art Museum has gone from a small gallery to a large community center. Although the art might be impermanent, the museum strives to maintain its role as a beacon in South Florida.

Ahmed Gomez's exhibit, "Deconstructing Pinups", is only one of the many upcoming art events

Miami is a mecca for contemporary artists. The city’s vibrant culture is a breeding ground for artistic ideas, and when these customs mingle, the outcomes are limitless.

One of the most anticipated events in the South Florida art scene is Art Basel, the sister-show to Switzerland’s exhibit of the same name. Think of the Swiss version as the Summer Olympics of art, while the stateside’s take on the popular mega-exhibit is the Winter Olympics — still important, maintaining most of the groundwork of the original, but somehow, not as popular. Nevertheless, tourists and natives flock to the Convention Center to satisfy their aesthetic quota for the year.

To see what the Miami art scene has to offer year-round, head over to the Design District in Downtown Miami. Every second Saturday of the month, galleries open their doors to show wide-eyed visitors the new exhibits.

You might be saying, “Oh art, schmart, what else is there?”.

Well, street performers also come out on these nights. It isn’t uncommon to be wandering the street and then come across two guys banging on paint cans with drumsticks while another musician sings, shouts, or chants random thoughts, thoughtful lyrics, or loud protests.

If that didn’t sell you either, there’s free food (and it’s delicious).

A warning to new-comers: The area used to be, well, to put it nicely, seedy. Remnants of this still remain, as gallery-walkers have to pass by dilapidated buildings, but the high police presence and hundreds of fellow arties provide comfort.

Stay tuned, fellow bloggers and stumblers. This blog might not be “All Things Considered” on NPR, but I’ll do my best to let you in on the scoop in the Miami art scene.