Mr. C Miami Kicks Off Arts Program with Inspired Works by Federico de Francesco
Presented during Art Basel Miami, the 17 works mark the first chapter in a wider cultural program that aims to foster connections between the hotel and the local community
During Miami’s Art Week, Mr. C Miami — Coconut Grove presented a series of new works by Italian-born, New York-based artist Federico de Francesco, that will serve as the starting point for an ongoing arts program at the hotel. The project, featuring 17 works—including some never before presented in the U.S.—takes guests on a visual journey through three distinct spaces, punctuated with paintings inspired by tropical flora, the horizon, sea, and light.
Inside the hotel’s Bellini Restaurant, de Francesco unveiled a set of site-specific works commissioned for the space, where guests are meant to feel suspended between land and sea. It was on the restaurant’s terrace on Tuesday morning, overlooking the pool and marina, that the artist and Galerie Editor in Chief Jacqueline Terrebonne held an intimate breakfast and talk that further explored his vision behind the project. Guests, including Will Meyer and Gray Davis, founders of Meyer Davis, and Rafael Kalichstein and Joshua Rose, founders of Citizen Artist, sipped on the Cipriani family’s original Bellini recipe and enjoyed pastries and breakfast fare while listening to de Francesco reflect on his latest experiments with wet paint and his process in conjuring stunning landscapes from his Tribeca studio.
“We were so excited to be with Federico for this very special event and exhibition of his work,” says Terrebonne. “It’s wonderful to see his career flourishing, and we’re always marveled by his experimentation and use of paint.” The artist, who was featured early in his career in Galerie, also revealed how his studies and training as a violinist inspire his work today, and how he chose which pieces to bring to the project, which was curated by Giovanni Zuanon.
“I’m excited to present this body of work at Mr. C Miami — Coconut Grove, a place nestled within such a rich and layered history,” says de Francesco. “The paintings respond to the environment of the hotel and its surroundings. They capture my own relationship with the sea and the horizon, relating to intimacy, openness, and a connection of oneself to nature, inspired by the sense of freedom found in moving through space.”
The installation, on view through December, marks the start of a cultural vision for the Arquitectonica-designed hotel that seeks to connect contemporary artistic practice with the creative heritage of Coconut Grove. “Mr. C is rooted in a tradition of Italian hospitality that values beauty, creativity, and a sense of community,” says Matteo Prodani, General Manager of Mr. C Miami — Coconut Grove. “We are delighted to introduce Federico’s work to our guests and to begin a cultural program that will enrich the experience of staying at Mr. C. Miami — Coconut Grove, which has a remarkable artistic history, and we feel there is a natural connection between the creative energy of the neighborhood and the spirit of our hotel.”
See more highlights from the event below.
