Vizcaya has a long tradition of inspiring and commissioning works by contemporary artists. When the estate was first built in 1916, a number of prominent artists were invited to create works for the site.
For example: Alexander Stirling Calder, the master sculptor responsible for the statues that adorn Vizcaya’s Barge; Robert Winthrop Chanler, an American muralist who created the ceiling mural that gives Vizcaya’s Swimming Pool Grotto its immersive quality; and Gaston Lachaise, the French artist who created stone peacocks (not currently on display) for the Marine Garden.
The Contemporary Arts Program
This artistic tradition remains alive at Vizcaya today through the Contemporary Arts Program (CAP). Initiated in 2006, CAP commissions artists to develop site-specific work inspired by Vizcaya. The program draws on the spirit of creative dialogue that characterized Vizcaya’s founding, provides our visitors with new ways of seeing the historic estate, and establishes relations with contemporary artists.
CAP projects range from long-term installations by individual artists to one-night-only programs featuring the work of several artists. All CAP projects explore themes related to Vizcaya and provide different lenses through which to look at and think about the estate, its history and its place in today’s world.
Below are some examples of past projects.
Past CAP Exhibits:
Click below to watch a 6-video playlist of past Contemporary Arts Program exhibits:
