The historic museum contains a blend of diverse periods and artistic styles, including baroque, Spanish influence, and neoclassical, among others. “The building itself is a perfect expression of the use of different types of styles and materials,” she tells New Times in an interview at the estate.

Last year, the Contemporary Arts Program at Vizcaya commissioned the Broward native to create three unique, site-specific works for the museum. The resulting installation, titled Pastiche, is on display through May 25.

“Pastiche is essentially the combination of disparate elements to make something new,” she explains, standing up from a stone bench within the Vizcaya Museum & Gardens’ main house. The stone, concrete, marble, and coral in the entrance foyer make the area feel colder than it should. The lavish energy of the space contrasts with decades of adding some life back into the 109-year-old former home of James Deering.

Shapiro’s installation coincides with what would have been the 150th birthday of Vizcaya’s late artistic director, Paul Chalfin. The artist was recruited by Deering during the construction of the former residence, then known as Villa Vizcaya. In the 1910s, Chalfin was involved in all aspects of the design, from training and purchasing art for the property to rendering its rooms and even influencing its overall architecture.

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read the digital article: Miami New Times