Art and architecture play off one another at Acqualina Resort & Spa on the Beach, where guests enter a world where they are surrounded by fine art. Inside the hotel, classical Baroque-style fountains, and Venetian stucco are juxtaposed with large-scale contemporary works at the neighboring residential properties, the Mansions at Acqualina and the Estates at Acqualina.
Resort guests are invited to tour the grounds to see the original works. The Mansions at Acqualina house minimalist sculptures by Nathan Mabry, mixed-media pieces by Nancy Lorenz, unique hyperphotos by Jean Francoise Rauzier, Roger Phillips's abstract metal works, and imposing bronzes by Guy Dill. All were specifically chosen for the residences to contrast the classically inspired great halls and salons of the hotel.
Artist Nancy Lorenz was inspired by the sea, land, and light of Acqualina Resort and Spa on the Beach.
Inside the Grand Salon of the Mansions at Acqualina, two masterpieces by Nancy Lorenz grace the east and west wings. Made of pearl and gold leaf, the works took nearly four months to create and were specifically commissioned by the hotel. Also in the Grand Salon, are two, 12-foot, bronze sculptures by Guy Dill entitled, Loma and Venice Angel. Each weigh 1,000 pounds; look closely at the abstractions and you can see a figurative element subtly hidden within the lines and curves of Dill's sculptures.
The tour then goes outside by The Mansions saltwater infinity pool, where Roger Phillips' Open Disc and Circle, made of stainless steel and brightly painted aluminum, holds court.
"This is the first sculpture I've made that has a hole in the center," said Phillips, who explains that "no matter what position you're standing in or what angle you're viewing the art, you can always see the ocean."
The tour then leads guests to the wine lounge to discover more about a spectacular work of art by Jean Francois Rauzier. The Paris-based photographer developed a concept called "hyperphoto" in 2002, a technique which involves digitally "stitching hundreds of images together."
Miami became one of the centers of the art world when Miami Beach was designated as a stateside outpost for the Switzerland fair in 2001. Acqualina pays tribute to Basel at the final stop of the tour, at the Estates at Acqualina's sales center, where Nathan Mabry's tribute and comic commentary on sculpturist Alexander Calder sits in front. Measuring a Calder Against a Raven was purchased at Art Basel in 2015.
To learn more about Acqualina Resort & Spa on the Beach, or to arrange an on-property art tour, please contact the concierge upon making a reservation.
