If you go to Coral Gables, you’ll notice a distinct change in atmosphere in every corner of the revered city. The tree-lined boulevards, carefully crafted buildings in and around the busy downtown section and lush, green spaces combine to make one of the most pleasant communities in South Florida. But Coral Gables also has a different side when the sun goes down, transforming places like Merrick Park and its historic Miracle Mile with shops and restaurants into a bustling corridor with sparkling lights that bring residents together. Even with this glowing avenue that remains one of the most popular places to be, Coral Gables needed an extra bit of magic to really showcase its charm.
As a sponsor of Illuminate Coral Gables, MG Developer is honored to help elevate the city’s culture and history while setting it apart from any other place else in South Florida.
Photo Credit: MG Developer
Illuminate Coral Gables (ICG), one of South Florida’s most transformative public art initiatives with gleaming art, is that bit of magic. Operating under the Coral Gables Community Foundation and supported by MG Developer, ICG takes the intentional use of light and technology to transform public art by day into inspiring works at night. Curated by Lance Fung with Catherine Cathers, Jennifer Easton and Rosie Gordon-Wallace, ICG is created for specific outdoor locations throughout Coral Gables, adding an element of intrigue and sophistication that residents can enjoy during an evening stroll or meeting with friends and family for a night out.
“Coral Gables has always had something different that makes it one of the most dynamic and interesting places to live, work and play,” says MG Developer CEO Alirio Torrealba. “We’re here to build beautiful residences that complement the city’s design, but we’re also here to create world-class communities and support local businesses that make this The City Beautiful. The people are what make this community, and it’s our pleasure and honor to be a part of this initiative that elevates the city’s culture and history while setting it apart from any other place else in South Florida.”
Photo Credit: MG Developer
On display from February 12 to March 14, ICG brings eight fantastic projects including video projections, sculpture and art installations by a stellar group of 15 local, national and international artists including Kiki Smith and Cai Guo-Qiang.
Smith’s project, Blue Night, brings 42 suspended mirrored renderings of animal constellations from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres over Giralda Plaza, a pedestrian-centric shopping corridor with unforgettable restaurants and music performances. Reflecting light through transparent blue backgrounds and holographic vinyl that denotes the stars comprising each constellation, the piece has an Augmented Reality (AR) component that enables viewers to see ghosted constellation images and asterism on their devices throughout the day and night, offering a unique conversation piece before or after dining at Giralda’s fine restaurants.
Cai Guo-Qiang’s Fireflies, making its debut in South Florida, is an interactive and mesmerizing public artwork with lighted pedicabs that roam through the city’s downtown, adding color and joy with handmade Chinese silk lanterns. Based out of Giralda Plaza and Miracle Mile, guests can enjoy riding through a mobile work of art and seeing Coral Gables from a new perspective, taking in its classic architecture, modern boutiques, and effortless lifestyle.
With an extensive variety of functional art in and around the city’s business district, Coral Gables is having a shining moment in culture and community, inviting everyone to visit and make their home in what continues to be the City Beautiful.
Photo Credit: MG Developer
MG Developer is a residential property development company based in Coral Gables, Florida. Led by Alirio Torrealba, the firm provides and implements a comprehensive array of real estate-oriented services, from concept creation and property site selection to project advancement. MG Developer has reignited George Merrick’s vision of Building Beautiful as a member of the Coral Gables community and is committed to the beautification of the City and supports its Art in Public Places program.
In December of 2018, MG Developer dedicated an original stone bench, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to the City of Coral Gables at the inaugural dedication to the City’s Art in Public Places, Public Art in Private Development program, furthering MG’s mission of enhancing arts and culture in the community. Soon, it will add another piece of public art in the City’s Balboa Plaza. With a resurgence of art and culture, Coral Gables is showing its neighboring cities and global guests that it can also offer a trove of creativity that produces an array of works found nowhere else in South Florida. For additional information, visit www.mgdevelopermiami.com.
