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EVENT

ART in
Color

By Jenny Starr Perez

FAENA ART BLURS THE LINES BETWEEN PERFORMANCE, INSTALLATION, AND REAL LIFE.

Grace & Alan Faena

The night started, as these things often do in Miami, with a whisper of salt air, a clink of glasses, and a flash of high fashion. But at Faena Miami Beach, where creativity mingles with the scent of wood smoke and the surreal is casually served with Champagne, the annual Faena Art Gala unfolded like a lucid dream. Guests walked beneath rainbow archways, past a monumental work by artist Joel Mesler, into a world where the pool glittered like glass and couture-clad performers swirled through the crowd in prismatic waves.

It was exactly the kind of event you’d expect from Faena Art, the nonprofit known for merging art with experience, and one that reflected the joyful spirit of its mission.

“We wanted the night to feel radiant and full of life,” says Executive Director, Nicole Comotti, of the gala’s theme, Follow Your Rainbow. “It’s about embracing your truest self—the full spectrum of identities, emotions, and imagination.”

Founded over 14 years ago, Faena Art commissions and produces site-specific, often immersive works that challenge traditional modes of presentation. With locations in both Buenos Aires and Miami Beach, the organization draws from and contributes to a global creative dialogue while staying deeply engaged with its community. Its programming ranges from high-concept installations and international artist residencies to family-friendly workshops and artist-led talks.
“Whether it’s an exhibition in the Project Room or a monumental piece on Faena Beach, everything we do is rooted in the idea of public engagement,” said Comotti. “We believe art should be for everyone.”

Proceeds from this year’s gala, which included a live tuna carving by James Beard Award-winner Paul Qui and open- fire cooking by famed Argentine chef Francis Mallmann, directly support Faena Art’s year-round initiatives. These include experimental commissions and exhibitions, as well as the prestigious Faena Prize for the Arts, one of the largest of its kind in the Americas. The $100,000 prize provides artists with the resources to realize large-scale, site-specific projects presented free to the public on Faena Beach.

“It’s an incredible feeling to help artists bring their boldest ideas to life,” Comotti said. “The prize opens doors—for them, and for the people who get to encounter something extraordinary in a public space.”

This year’s gala partnership with Joel Mesler offered guests an early glimpse into the emotional heart of Faena Art’s ethos. His phrase “Follow Your Rainbow,” originally part of a painting, became both the night’s title and its rallying cry. His large-scale installation welcomed attendees into a sensory dreamland of color, optimism, and humor.

“There’s a beautiful honesty in Joel’s work,” said Comotti. “It perfectly captured the joy and vulnerability we hoped to share.”
Beyond spectacle, Faena Art functions as a rare cultural hybrid—equal parts curatorial platform, creative incubator, and community engine. The Project Room, for instance, is an intimate space that allows Miami-based artists to test new ideas, often through interactive experiences. Past participants have included interdisciplinary artists working across visual media, social practice, and performance.

“We’re proud to support the local creative ecosystem,” said Comotti. “When people see themselves reflected in the work, something clicks. That’s when the conversation really begins.”

Faena Art is currently planning expanded programming in new cities around the world—another step in its mission to increase access to transformative, cross-disciplinary art. But even with that global ambition, its team remains focused on cultivating something deeply personal.

“The most rewarding part of this work,” Comotti added, “is seeing how art can move people. Whether it’s a child seeing an installation for the first time, or an artist finally realizing their dream project, those moments stay with you.”

faenaart.org

Photography is courtesy of Faena Art.

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