Another Year of Culture

Faena Art announced its public programming for Miami Art Week 2023, presenting four major installations by artists Sebastian Errazuriz, Beeple, and Kelly Breez; collectively titled ‘Spaces of Influence: Shaping Community in the Modern World.’

 ARTICLE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN FAENA JOURNAL ISSUE #54 • WINTER 2023

This year’s exhibition unites four provocative installations across the Faena District that explore the tension between community and individuality, technology and tradition, power, and grassroots.

From the AI-generated pathways of Sebastian Errazuriz’s Maze to the nostalgic corners of Kelly Breez’s Dirt’s Dive or Beeple’s S.2122, culminating in the epic struggle depicted in Battle of the Corporate Nations, this collective showcase invites viewers to navigate and question the evolving landscapes that define our sense of community in a rapidly changing world. Liene Bosquê’s Before Miami Design Preservation League, a site-specific installation representing the skyline of demolished buildings in Miami Beach before the ‘80s, will also be exhibited as part of No Vacancy, a program of The City of Miami Beach, The Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority, and The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau.

MAZE: JOURNEY THROUGH THE ALGORITHMIC SELF BY SEBASTIAN ERRAZURIZ

Faena Art presents a monumental immersive public artwork created by multidisciplinary artist Sebastian Errazuriz. The sand-covered labyrinth has been designed intentionally for those not to get lost but to find themselves. Conceived as a space to spark conversations regarding society’s upcoming technological and environmental challenges, the installation coincides with the launch of Errazuriz’s new book of the same name, which is a series of questions and answers designed to raise awareness of the opportunities and threats we face with the rise of artificial intelligence. “I ultimately believe artificial intelligence is the most significant transformative development in human history—more important than the printing press, the industrial revolution, and the internet,” he explained. “As such, it’s up to us to decide how it will affect the fate of humanity.”

At the center of the maze, visitors find a wide-open space, like a small plaza, where they can gather, contemplate, and engage in meaningful conversations. There will also be a QR code to download a free copy of his book. In addition, the artist will host a series of panel talks on AI and its transformative role for the creative industries at the hotel during Miami Art Week. “Throughout the decades, it has been writers, filmmakers, visual artists, etc., that have been capable of imagining future scenarios and challenges in a way that can move the needle in terms of the public opinion,” he said.

“I believe creators today have a responsibility to participate in the discussion surrounding technology.”

‘BATTLE OF THE CORPORATE NATIONS’ BY SEBASTIAN ERRAZURIZ

Errazuriz will also display Battle of the Corporate Nations at Faena Cathedral. The poured marble and bronze sculpture, inspired by a previous series he developed in 2017 entitled The Beginning of The End, explores the reality that corporations have surpassed the financial reserves of small to medium countries and have started wielding substantial political power and influence. The artist, who has been participating in Art Basel for nearly 20 years, is honored to work with Faena Art on one of the biggest public artworks destined for Miami this year.

“It’s extraordinary how Faena Art uses its platform to elevate South American artists in Miami, Latin America’s cultural capital, presenting our work side-by-side. It’s a beautiful moment.”

‘DIRT’S DIVE’ BY KELLY BREEZ

Born-and-bred Floridian Kelly Breez will launch Dirt’s Dive at the Project Room, featuring an immersive installation that pays homage to the long-lost bar scene of old South Florida. The artwork calls attention to a disappearing type of establishment where one can encounter characters such as the old Florida fisherman—someone who tells tales of times past filled with color and wisdom. “South Florida and particularly Miami is seeing this massive influx of new development that is quickly erasing old haunts full of character,” said Breez.

Bars have always been a communal space where everyday life unfolds, relationships begin and end, and business deals are made and broken. Dive bars speak particularly to Breez because they have an authentic, unpretentious milieu typically filled with intriguing relics. “I’m really looking forward to creating a space that feels imbued with the same sense of full-body chill and wonder as some of my favorite spots like Happy’s, and the now shuttered Jimbo’s,” explained Breez, who drew on inspiration from works like Ed Kienholz’s ‘The Beanery’ and posters from Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. “It’s fun to look at 2D work during Art Week, but it’s always great to feel like you’re a part of a show.” Visitors can expect a diorama of sorts showcasing cutout figures, found objects and deep-rooted nostalgia. Presenting this exhibition during Miami Art Week in the middle of all the glitz and glamour adds a sharp element of humor, highlighting the artist’s observations of the absurd.

“I would really love it if Dirt’s Dive made people think twice about how important history is within a community. If someone or something is ‘old’ it means it’s even more interesting, all-knowing, and worth preserving.” 

‘S.2122’ BY BEEPLE PRESENTED BY THE REEFLINE WITH FAENA ART

In a climate change-themed narrative, Beeple’s 3D animations manifest a new form of storytelling that mesmerizingly unfolds on screen, evoking the sensation of peering into a futuristic slice of sci-fi worlds he frequently portrays in his art. The piece, titled S.2122, portrays a futuristic building complex, adorned with hovering drones and mushrooms, encapsulated in a gradually rising sea of water.

Beeple, known offstage as Mike Winkelmann, ingeniously intertwines the digital with the tangible, controlling and adapting the displayed design within the sculpture. “Much like The Reefline, which bridges the realms of marine conservation with art, I have planned the evolution of S.2122: every 5 years, the water level inside this virtual ecosystem will rise by a quarter, leading to the entire structure being engulfed in a span of 25 years. The inhabitants will evolve and adapt, symbolizing not just the resilience of humanity in the face of climate change, but also our inherent ability to thrive amidst adversities,” commented Beeple.