Expanding horizons: with the Miami art world in the throes of rapid change, the author examines the impact of growth, spurred by the arrival of Art Basel, on public institutions, galleries and artists - Report From Miami

Ambrosino also represents Pepe Mar, a young, New World artist whose work appeared in the gallery's project room in November 2002. In addition to producing collages of considerable charm using images cut from magazines, Mar creates witty paintings and assemblages employing stuffed animals both as referents and painting tools. Gavin Perry, a more established artist who showed at the gallery this September, produces highly stylized abstract paintings and sculptures that feature unexpected amalgams of materials and surfaces. William Cordova has been showing internationally since 1999 and both exhibits his own work and curates exhibitions at Ambrosino. "No More Lonely Nights," a show consisting of a site-specific installation and drawings by Cordova which thematically fuse urban culture and ancient Andean spirituality, opened in the projects pavilion at MOCA in late November. On view across the street at Ambrosino is a solo show devoted to the work of Monteavaro.

Although a few other galleries have opened in close proximity to both Ambrosino and MOCA, the emergence of a North Miami Arts District "scene" has not quite materialized, except when the galleries stay open in conjunction with evening openings or jazz concerts at MOCA. Of the other galleries in the area, Ingalls & Associates (formerly Javogue and Ingalls Fine Art), next door to Ambrosino, can be counted on for strong exhibitions. The gallery is owned and operated by Chris Ingalls, who had been Ambrosino's longtime assistant at his previous gallery, in the past few months the gallery has shown two midcareer New York artists, David Baskin and Peter Barrett. In December, Ingalls & Associates features a show of British painter Torie Begg. In the Design District during ABMB 2003, Craig Robins has provided Ingalls and Brian Muller, the publisher of the British art magazine contemporary, space in which to present the exhibition "212121painting," which features "21 artists at the beginning of the 21st century with 21 positions on painting." In mid-September, Ingalls & Associates began to share part of its space with Jane Hart's enterprise, lemon sky: projects and editions, which operated in L.A. for six years but recently relocated to North Miami. Lemon sky produces and sells moderately priced, limited-edition prints and multiples.

A block away from Ingalls & Associates on 125th Street is the Leonard Tachmes Gallery. A longtime collector, Tachmes opened the gallery to promote Miami-based artists; its second anniversary was celebrated this fall. A current group show of gallery regulars includes Rebecca Guarda, Norman Liebman, Tall Rickards, Matt Rush, Carlos de Villasante and others. A few miles east on the same street is Kane Concourse on Bay Harbor Island, for about 45 years the location of the Dorothy Blau Gallery, which sold blue-chip contemporary art (Frankenthaler, Noland, Warhol, Lichtenstein and others) to three generations of Miamians. The gallery was recently closed, symbolically laying to rest the first incarnation of Miami's contemporary art scene.