In January of 2020, MDPL contributed their digitized Andy Sweet archival files to the National Gallery of Arts, in conjunction with the Sweet’s family archives. Andy Sweet was a gifted photographer who from 1977-1982, documented the residents of South Beach through his camera lens. In 1982 his life was tragically cut short when he was murdered. These archives were donated to MDPL back in 2000 by Audrey Sweet, Andy Sweet’s mother. Below are a few examples of our Collection that number over fifty, dating back to his Fisher Junior High School Yearbook of 1966. Also shown below is a 1980 article about the New Year’s Eve parties along Ocean Drive photographed by Andy Sweet and Gary Monroe.

For those who haven’t yet seen the moving documentary “The Last Resort” about Andy Sweet’s work, you can still catch it on Netflix. In 2018, the book entitled “Shtetl in the Sun; Andy Sweet’s South Beach 1977-1980”, containing dozens of his bold colorful and unconventional photographs was published.