opa projects is proud to present Serious Play brings together seven artists who reinvent the line between appearance and truth, lightness and weight, fantasy and memory. Across painting and sculpture, they remind us that playfulness can carry the most serious questions, and that behind every illusion lies a deeper reality.
Anner Cohen reclaims the cartoon world of Alice and Mickey, turning digital images into thickly painted relics that ask what remains real in a virtual age. Susanne Zagorni plunges into the raw drama of human desire, where figures appear and dissolve in a storm of color. Emma Stone-Johnson floods her canvases with vibrant hues that hover between confetti and cosmos, creating visual celebrations with unexpected depth.
Alexander James transforms personal memory into cinematic fictions, blending past and present into dreamlike fragments. Adam Parker Smith tricks the eye with bronze “pool floats” and dolphins that look light and playful, but reveal the weight of permanence.
Two masters anchor this dialogue: Karel Appel, whose CoBrA spirit brought childlike spontaneity into postwar painting, and Frank Stella, who made geometry sing with rhythm and color.
Together, these artists prove that art can be playful without being frivolous— and serious without being heavy. Serious Play invites viewers to look again, to laugh and to think, and to discover how today’s most inventive artists turn illusion into truth.
"Serious Play"
“Connecting Art, Institutions, and Collectors”
Beyond exhibitions, opa projects is a place for dialogue. Through exclusive dinners and regular events, the gallery brings together
We are dedicated to collaborating with museums, educational programs, and art schools, hosting events and initiatives that inspire and engage.
These partnerships strengthen ties between contemporary artists and major institutions in Florida and beyond.
Billy Tartour is an art historian, collector, and renowned art advisor with years of experience supporting artists and guiding collectors. His work has consistently bridged artists and prestigious institutions.
opa projects is the culmination of Billy’s commitment : a gallery designed to connect artists, collectors, and institutions, fostering meaningful relationships and forward-thinking exhibitions.
