Faena Art Goes Funktastique
This season Faena Art will host its annual fundraising gala where art and community convene in the Faena Forum for an unparalleled night of creative expression, art installations, top chefs, and musical performances.
ARTICLE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN FAENA JOURNAL ISSUE #56 • SUMMER 2024
Once a year, the rarest seeds bloom in Miami. Come, dance, and taste their fruits at the Garden of Earthly Delights, a night for lovers of exquisite cuisine, roller-dancing, cocktails, and world-class entertainment in celebration of art. Brought to you by Chase Sapphire, Faena Art has tapped its cadre of international and local artists who’ve showcased their work in the Faena District to create site-specific installations throughout the Forum. Proceeds from the gathering will continue to support the artistic community and make art accessible to all through free, open-to-the-public programming.
Artistic duo Assume Vivid Astro Focus will transform the exhibit hall of the OMA-designed Faena Forum into a roller-disco experience with skating performances from the Griffin Brothers and a music set from DJ Amanda Portillo. Famed Argentine grill master Francis Mallmann will serve up wood-fired gourmet bites with a finale of sweet treats from pastry chef Frédéric Monnet. An immersive installation from Cielo Tejido, an all-female artisan collective from Mexico, wraps the space in a spectacular textile of colorful hand-crocheted hexagons using a traditional weaving technique.
In the rose-marble amphitheater, artist Pilar Zeta will transform the space into a temple of sorts inspired by Hieronymus Bosch’s triptych painting. Chef Paul Qui will be onsite cooking up his Filipino-inflected fare, from a fresh-caught tuna carving and seafood towers to tom kha rice with trumpet mushrooms. Musician Sabina Sciubba will kick off the evening with an hour-long performance.
Artists Cornelius Tulloch and Kelly Breez, who have previously had immersive exhibitions in the Faena Art Project Room, will adorn the space with their captivating and unique visual views on Florida’s landscape, personality, and humor.
“We want to continue to expand and grow these unprecedented collaborations, and this annual happening plays a critical role in allowing us to do so,” said Alan Faena. The evening calls for a Funktastique dress code inspired by Bosch’s “Garden of Earthly Delights,” with a prize awarded to the best dressed of the night.
“There is so much imagination in our community,” noted Faena. “We’re so proud to be a platform for such outstanding creativity.”
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