Miami City Ballet Taps Shepard Fairey for Upcoming Heatscape

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Miami City Ballet has "OBEY-ed" its artistic inclinations. Our city's prima ballerinas will be performing MCB's next big production in front of a Shepard Fairey-commissioned backdrop in the upcoming "Heatscape," but that's not the only way our city's most famed ballet company has been modernizing itself.

According to Women's Wear Daily, "MCB artistic director Lourdes Lopez checked out Wynwood's colorful street art and was so impressed with Fairey's murals that he tracked him down to suggest they pair up." Also notable are the costumes, which were designed by Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung, costume designers known for their minimal, runway-worthy pieces. After the show, Fairey, Peck, and MCB artistic director Lourdes Lopez will be talking about the performance.

Heatscape will premier worldwide in March, but Miami folk get a first glance at the performance, created by famed choreographer Justin Peck, on January 18. (Livestream here). Peck is also the subject of a new documentary, "Ballet 422," which follows the creative as he puts together New York City Ballet's 422nd new ballet.

We're noticing a trend here. First, MCB collaborates with Miami Style Mafia to produce a short film where every dancer wore the Wynwood-based brand's clothing as they pirouetted around empty rooms and Española Way. Now, they can add one of the biggest, most commercialized street artists in the world with multiple Wynwood murals to its roster of collaborators. Miami City Ballet seems to be loosening up their point shoes, heading towards a very modern, fresh, urban-friendly future.

· Miami City Ballet Taps Obey Founder Shepard Fairey [WWD]
· Heatscape Livestream on January 18 [Guggenheim Museum]
· Fashion in Motion [Miami Style Mafia]