Aventura Mall is more than just a shopping destination; it’s a cultural experience, where art and fashion converge to create a vibrant and inspiring atmosphere.
Aventura Mall’s museum-caliber collection, ARTS Aventura Mall, has become an undeniable contribution to Miami’s culture. The impressive collection features more than 25 works from renowned artists, late visionaries, and budding creators from around the world. Thrilling site-specific commissions, interactive installations, murals and sculptures are located all throughout Aventura Mall, providing guests an opportunity to engage with art at every turn. Enriching every experience, and providing moments of reflection, wonder, and joy.
One of the unique offerings at Aventura Mall is ArtWalk, a self-guided audio tour that guides guests through the diverse array of artistic expressions on display. By scanning a QR code near each piece, guests can begin a multilingual ArtWalk audio tour that shares insights about the artists and the inspiration behind each work. With a personal “tour guide” on their smartphones, guests can embark on an enriching journey through the contemporary art world, uncovering the stories behind each artist, details about the pieces, and more—all at their own pace.
Aventura Mall’s commitment to showcasing exceptional art continues with the recent addition of two captivating pieces: “Joy” by Austin Lee and “The Colored Screens” by Daniel Buren. These new installations add layers of emotion and sensory engagement to the already impressive collection housed at Aventura Mall.
Suspended above the center of Treats Food Hall, “The Colored Screens” by Daniel Buren adds a new dimension to Aventura Mall’s artistic landscape. Known for his bold use of color and geometric patterns, Buren’s installation interacts dynamically with the architecture of the space, creating a visually striking experience that plays with light and perspective.
“The Colored Screens” is more than just a visual feast; it’s an invitation to explore the interplay between art and the environment. The vibrant hues and rhythmic patterns of the screens are strategically positioned to catch and diffuse light, casting colorful reflections and shadows that animate the surrounding space. This interaction between the installation and the architecture embodies Buren’s concept of art as a “seeing tool”—a means for viewers to perceive and engage with their surroundings in new and heightened ways.
Located on the Upper Level above Center Court, “Joy” perfectly embodies Austin Lee’s unique artistic approach. By using virtual reality (VR) technology alongside traditional tools like airbrushes and paintbrushes, Lee creates pieces that glow with the intensity of a digital screen while maintaining the richness of color field painting. The result is a captivating visual experience that reflects both the vibrancy of modern digital culture and the timeless beauty of traditional art.
“Joy” is a bronze sculpture initially made using virtual reality (VR) modeling software. In this digital space, the limits of our reality are removed, and I can translate anything imagined into a three-dimensional form by drawing in space instead of on a flat plane,” said Lee.
His work often plays with the familiar, transforming ordinary subjects into extraordinary visual experiences. “Joy” is no exception. The sculpted piece, with its vivid colors and emotional gesture, engages viewers on multiple levels, prompting them to consider how technology shapes our everyday experiences.
With the addition of “Joy” and “The Colored Screens,” the ARTS Aventura Mall collection continues to grow, offering guests an ever-expanding cultural experience. Additional pieces to explore throughout the collection include Veiled in a Dream, a bronze chair sculpture created by the late Wendell Castle, considered the father of the American art furniture movement. Eye Benches by Louise Bourgeois is another piece of artistic furniture in the collection that ventures into abstract expressionism and surrealism. Bourgeois was the first woman to be given a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, making her one of the most revered female artists in history.
The brilliance of the pop art movement brings color and bold imagery to the forefront. Pop art icon Robert Indiana’s iconic LOVE sculpture, an 8-foot tall by 8-foot long by 4-foot-wide piece, is another guest favorite among the collection, creating a perfect photo backdrop for those looking to capture their experience.
Moving into the post pop-era, Rob Pruitt’s sculpture The Andy Monument is an ode to the inimitable Andy Warhol. Visitors can even pay homage to fashion revolutionary Virgil Abloh, the late Louis Vuitton’s Men’s Artistic Director who passed away in 2021. Abloh’s Flowers and Arrows is a collaboration with Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murikami.
More than looking and listening, some works invite visitors to engage on a physical level. Gorillas in the Mist by The Haas Brothers, a sculpture of three playful bronze gorillas, also doubles as a whimsical outdoor fountain for families to enjoy.
While the collection’s featured artists span the globe, the spirit of South Florida emanates throughout the mall. Guests can search for symbolism in vivid murals by local artists Nate Dee and Brian Butler, as well as a mosaic stairwell contributed by students at Miami’s New World School of the Arts.
Aventura Mall is more than just a shopping center; it’s a cultural landmark dedicated to elevating artists and creating a memorable artistic journey for all. To learn more and experience the audio tour, visit Arts.AventuraMall.com.
