Geoff Winningham is an American photographer, journalist, and filmmaker best known for his photographs and documentary films focusing on Texas and Mexican culture.

Over the course of his career he has received two Guggenheim Fellowships, five grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, and numerous commissions. He has lived in Houston, Texas, and taught photography in the Department of Visual and Dramatic Arts at Rice University since 1969. In addition, he directs the Pozos Art Project, Inc., a non-profit enterprise offering art and photography opportunities to children in Texas and in Mexico.

Selina Gold Dust Motel
Photo by Lorenzo Capelli, DSL Studio

The Selina Gold Dust Motel is a marvel of architectural history hailing from the 1950s. It is a quintessential example of the Biscayne Boulevard motel, a typology deeply ingrained in Miami's cultural fabric. Perfectly positioned to capture the growing influx of car-borne tourists in the postwar decades, it became a point of reference for sun-seeking travellers, distinguishing itself for an architectural configuration which placed the pool - rather than the car park - at its centre, as well as its extensive terraces overlooking the Little River. Expertly restored to new life by the Vagabond Group, a firm specializing in adaptive reuse and historic preservation in partnership with Dragonfly Investments, it is now operated by Selina.

The Emancipator Boatyard, on the opposite side of the Little River, is another key historical site of the neighbourhood. Previously owned by Samuel Mortimer Auerbach, a noted figure in the annals of speedboat racing, it is here that in the 1940s the “Emancipator” line of highly prized wooden racing boats was built. Today, it is a historically listed site being brought back to new life as an exhibition and events space thanks to extensive renovations undertaken by the Vagabond Group.

Over the course of the five-day event, Alcova Miami will showcase a carefully curated selection of installations, exhibits, and performances, with representation from emerging talents and renowned artists and designers from the US and across the world. The event is set to include exhibitions from both established and emerging designers, providing a platform for innovative ideas and creating opportunities for new forms of collaboration and engagement.

French Fries #6 The Traveller Issue: Interview with Geoff Winningham

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