Serge Strosberg's 'Monkeying Around Palm Beach' Series Reimagines Addison Mizner's Pet Monkey

Palm Beach artist Serge Strosberg has created a new portrait series titled 'Monkeying Around Palm Beach' that transforms Johnnie Brown, architect Addison Mizner's famous pet monkey, into a contemporary symbol of island life. Johnnie Brown was a prominent social figure during the Roaring Twenties, attending parties with Mizner, accompanying him around town, and even participating in a mock mayoral campaign. Strosberg discovered the monkey's gravestone in the courtyard of Pizza al Fresco on Worth Avenue during a walk, which inspired his artistic investigation into local mythology. The artist uses jewel-like oil and egg tempera techniques to depict Johnnie as an impeccably dressed, martini-adjacent character that reflects Palm Beach's modern identity. Strosberg's work reinterprets this historical animal as a mirror for the island's current social landscape, connecting past legends with present-day culture. The series represents a personal exploration of Palm Beach's unique heritage through the lens of a nearly mythical local character.