The City of Coral Gables unveiled the public art sculpture, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, at Balboa Plaza, located at 2414 DeSoto Blvd.
The City of Coral Gables recently accepted the title transfer of the donated artwork from MG Developer Miami LLC, the first donation of its kind through the Art in Public Places, Public Art in Private Development program.
The artwork on display is an immense dream sofa constructed of oolitic stone, 30 feet long and four feet high. It is framed on both sides by two lamps standing 14 feet high, the creation of artists Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt.
In 2016, the Coral Gables City Commission approved to combine Art Acquisition fees from two development projects — Beatrice Row at 2509 Anderson Rd. and Valencia Townhouses at 444 Valencia Ave. — to be used toward a waiver of the Art in Public Places fee in lieu of donation of this artwork. The donated sculpture has an estimated value of $119,000.
Artists Behar and Marquardt of R & R Studios were selected in 2016 to commission the sculpture bench A Midsummer Night’s Dream. They have created award-winning landmark projects in Miami, Denver, Austin and Phoenix and their work has received numerous awards including recognition by Americans for the Arts as one of the best public art projects of 2007 and 2013. The social sculpture was consequently recommended by the City of Coral Gables Arts Advisory Panel and the city’s Cultural Development Board. It received final approval from the Coral Gables City Commission.
According to the artist, “the oversized piece is sudden and wondrous, at once real and fantastic, familiar and unprecedented, bringing a slice of domesticity in a public park. The artwork invites us to converse, experience a moment of repose or wait for a friend. Together with the two lamps we are reminded of home.”
Free Wi-Fi at the sculpture is provided by the City of Coral Gables. The installation is placed in front of an existing large banyan tree with the historic fountain looking north toward the banyan trees on the Granada Golf Course, bringing all the comforts from home to this public park.
