Serge Strosberg Talks 'Monkeying Around Palm Beach'

This week’s Dan’s Papers cover artist and our first Dan’s Papers Palm Beach cover artist of the season, Serge Strosberg, discusses his “Monkeying Around Palm Beach” series, his unique creative process and the work’s potential to become one of the next big things in the international art world.

A Conversation with Serge Strosberg

Tell us a bit about your chosen subject, Johnnie Brown aka “The Human Monkey” and his connection to Addison Mizner?

Johnnie Brown was the pet monkey of Palm Beach architect Addison Mizner, an eccentric fixture of the roaring ’20s who built Worth Avenue among other Palm Beach resorts. Brown ran for Mayor of Palm Beach and nearly won. The legendary monkey accompanied Mizner to his Gilded Age high society events. His gravestone is located in the southwest courtyard at Pizza al Fresco and says “Johnnie Brown The Human Monkey Died April 30, 1927.”

 Were you always interested in Mizner and his pets?

In 2023, I created the series of paintings “Reimagining Palm Beach” for the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum based on black and white vintage photographs provided by the museum.

The centerpiece of the show was a larger-than-life oil portrait of Addison Mizner with Johnnie Brown sitting on his shoulder and a parrot on the other shoulder. It showed a little monkey that didn’t look too friendly and got me intrigued. There are many classical or simplified representations of monkeys inspired by this character through Palm Beach County, however none that resembles a “human monkey” and really has a personality of his own, one that is instantaneously recognizable. I reimagined the iconic Johnnie Brown character as a vibrant human monkey with quintessential Palm Beach style…

This art also references Slim Aarons. Can you talk about that?

Slim Aarons photographs are usually associated with the Palm Beach or Palm Springs social scene where the jet set gathers for parties and cocktails. The “Monkeying Around Palm Beach” series offers a playful glimpse into the social fabric of Palm Beach through the eyes of Johnnie Brown and his fellow Palm Beachers. Each painting in the series serves as a delightful avatar, encapsulating the unique quirks and lifestyles of the community.

From the “snow bird” attempting to navigate a golf course, to the elegant socialite leisurely sipping her cocktail at Swifty’s at The Colony Hotel, each piece showcases the vibrant social scene that defines life in Palm Beach. Moreover, the series culminates in humorous scenarios, such as the anticipation of being photographed for a Slim Aarons-style photoshoot, a nod to the glamorous lifestyle of the area. It is a happy coincidence that a Slim Aarons show is opening at the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens in West Palm Beach on November 15, a few weeks before my show “Monkeying Around Palm Beach” opens at Surovek Gallery on Worth Avenue and debuts at Art Miami during Art Basel week.

My prints from the series are also sold at Excentricities which sells prints by Slim Aarons. I think the one thing that I have in common with Slim Aarons is that I am both an observer and an active part of Palm Beach high society as someone who has the privilege of living on the island of Palm Beach and attending some of the galas and elite cocktail parties.

What represents quintessential Palm Beach style to you?

Quintessential Palm Beach style, to me, is a blend of nostalgic and contemporary, inspired by European fashion, Italian fashion in particular. Patterns with stripes, colors pink and green on fabric seem very popular among Palm Beachers.

Sometimes drinking an espresso at Sant Ambroeus and people watching feels a little bit like watching a Lilly Pulitzer runway show. … But “quintessential Palm Beach style” is more than a look, it is an attitude. Many Palm Beach residents are wealthy enough that they don’t need to work. They really can just “monkey around” all day.

What is your process for creating these paintings?

The vibrant collection “Monkeying Around Palm Beach” seamlessly merges contemporary technology with traditional artistry. … I began by leveraging advanced Artificial Intelligence technology to reimagine the iconic character of Johnnie Brown. This initial stage set the foundation for the dynamic series that would subsequently take on a life of its own. By combining the AI images with the time-honored techniques of oil and egg tempera painting learned in Paris, I created a collection that is both nostalgic and contemporary.

Is it difficult to get the AI technology to produce exactly what you envision?

It is a very experimental process. Most of the computer-generated images will not fit what I envision. The prompts have to be constantly refined. The images have to be altered, edited. Sometimes Photoshop will be necessary to “re-edit” certain images. Hundreds of trials are necessary before getting a result that is exploitable, similar to a photographer who shoots hundreds of pictures before getting one good image

 AI remains cold, artificial. There is no human emotion in AI images. At the last Art Basel show, I saw realist paintings that were obviously done based on AI images, however these didn’t go beyond the AI because they completely lacked emotion or were flat without depth. It may take a few days to get one good computer-generated image, but then the real work must begin: the editing, then the painting which can take up to one month to finish one 40 x 30-inch oil and egg tempera painting. My forte is creating emotion in portraits. I have been painting people for 20 years, many from life. Using AI technology as a starter but then editing and adding emotion in the paintings is what makes them stand out.

Do you have new projects in the works?

After my upcoming exhibitions at Surovek and Jennifer Balcos in December, the next phase is merchandising. Everyone likes the monkeys and they can be customized for any age group, clientele and industry. It is starting with Palm Beach because of the historical Johnnie Brown connection, however, I intend to expand the brand to big cities like Miami or NYC. It has the commercial potential of becoming as big as Romero Britto or KAWS.

Where can people see your work online?

Visit reimaginingpalmbeach.com. For price and press inquiries, I can be reached at 561-317-3657 or email sergestrosberg@gmail.com. My Instagram is @reimaginingpalmbeach.