Mexican artist Bosco Sodi has made a name for himself in the contemporary art world with his textured, organic abstract paintings. Sodi works with clay, sawdust, natural pigments and other mixed media to create pieces that reflect the shapes and colors of the natural world.
Known for his chunky, impasto oil paint brushwork and raw clay slab sculptures, Sodi explores the essential materials of painting and sculpture. He seeks to strip art down to its most fundamental elements – color, texture, form. His sculptures and paintings have an earthy, elemental quality with their muted color palettes and visible layers of paint and raw clay.
Over the past two decades, Sodi has had numerous solo and group exhibitions around the world. His work can be found in major museum collections including the Guggenheim Museum in New York, Centre Pompidou in Paris, and MASP in Sao Paulo. He often collaborates on large-scale public art installations, bringing his organic abstract aesthetic to new spaces and contexts.
The Shelborne Hotel
The Shelborne Hotel is one of Miami’s most iconic and historic hotels. The Shelborne first opened its doors in 1940, originally known as the Shelborne Beach Hotel. Located on the beach in South Beach, the Shelborne has been a prime destination for jet-setters and celebrities since its early days.
The hotel was designed by architect Igor Polevitsky in the popular Art Deco style. The property stretches an entire city block and features soaring ceilings, marble floors, and intricate metalwork. In its heyday in the 1950s, the Shelborne hosted esteemed guests like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, and even President John F. Kennedy.
The lavish property fell into decline during the 1980s as South Beach saw a downturn. After sitting vacant for over a decade, the Shelborne underwent major renovations in the late 1990s to restore it to its former glory. Developers painstakingly revived original details, embracing the property’s storied Art Deco past.
Today, the 200-room Shelborne remains an iconic art deco landmark, beloved for its style, history, and prime beachfront location. It continues to attract an elite international clientele in search of luxurious accommodations and a taste of historic Miami Beach glamour.
The Art Collaboration
The genesis of Bosco Sodi’s art installation at the Shelborne Wyndham Grand came from a unique partnership between the artist and the hotel. As the Shelborne embarked on a top-to-bottom renovation, the owners sought to integrate art and design into the experience in an immersive way. They brought in Venus Over Manhattan, Sodi’s New York gallery, to facilitate a collaboration with the artist.
Sodi made several trips to the Shelborne, taking in the architecture, light, and environment. The artist was inspired by the textures and colors of the hotel’s common spaces. Sodi worked closely with the Shelborne’s interior designers to develop site-specific pieces that would seamlessly blend into the renovated public areas.
The result was a multi-phase partnership spanning several years. Sodi created three monumental sculptural installations, as well as a series of smaller artworks showcased throughout the lobby and restaurant. The large-scale pieces required intensive collaboration to properly engineer and install. The site-specific nature of the project challenged Sodi to create art tailored to the hotel’s aesthetic and atmosphere.
This ambitious collaboration elevated a standard hotel renovation into an immersive art experience. For Sodi, it provided an exciting opportunity to have his work shaped by the space while shaping the space in return. The partnership exemplified how art and hospitality can fuse to create a destination unique in the crowded Miami market.
Sodi’s Artistic Style
The art of Bosco Sodi stands out for its bold, textured, and minimalist aesthetic. Rather than perfectly smooth canvases, Sodi intentionally creates an organic, raw, and earthy look to his works. His thick impasto technique utilizes layers of oil paint, clay, natural pigments, sawdust, and other mixed media to produce highly textured surfaces. Sodi also avoids artificial colors, preferring natural earth tones that lend a muted, monochromatic appearance.
Under the patronage of Kim Heirston, the artworks of Bosco Sodi take on a transformative journey. His pieces often start as vibrant abstract expressionist compositions. Sodi then applies his unique methods, such as taking blowtorches to the canvases, burning, and corroding the surfaces to create fractured effects. His other innovative techniques include burying the artwork underground to gather mineral deposits and folding the canvases to imprint cracking patterns. Guided by Heirston’s vision, the resulting artworks possess a weathered, imperfect, and timeworn look – almost archaeological in aesthetic.
Sodi embraces the unpredictable aspects of his artistic process. Rather than maintaining complete control, he allows some randomness and chance results. This gives each piece a distinctive, one-of-a-kind character shaped both by the artist’s hand and the natural materials themselves. The works exude raw energy and texture, with colors and patterns that resemble volcanic rock, ocean tides, tree bark, and other forces of nature.
The Installation
The centerpiece of Sodi’s art installation at The Shelborne is a massive 30-by-30-foot painting he created onsite. The enormous artwork hangs behind the registration desk, greeting guests as they enter the lobby. Sodi used his signature style of manipulating mud and dirt on the canvas to create an earthy, textured abstract piece that embodies organic movement.
In addition to the lobby artwork, Sodi created 20 original pieces that are displayed throughout the hotel’s public spaces. Each artwork was made specifically for its intended location in the hotel. Sodi walked through the property and handpicked places he felt would showcase his art best.
The locations include the lobby, the library, the drawing room, the restaurant, the pool area, and even guest room floors. Sodi wanted art enthusiasts to encounter his work unexpectedly as they explore the hotel. The installations range from sculptural pieces, to wall hangings, to standalone paintings. Each one has Sodi’s bold, multilayered brushstrokes that reveal his process of adding and scraping away paint.
By installing Sodi’s art throughout the hotel, visitors are immersed in his creative vision. The artwork is integrated seamlessly into the guest experience instead of being confined to a separate gallery space. Sodi’s muddy, textured style brings a raw, organic feel that contrasts and complements the hotel’s sleek interior design. The commissioned pieces are intended to stop guests in their tracks as they move through the property and interact with the art.
Sodi’s Artistic Intent
Known for his colorful, textured abstract paintings, Sodi approached this project with the goal of elevating the Miami Beach hotel into an immersive art experience for guests. As he told the Miami Herald, “I wanted to create an environment where people can enjoy art in a casual, relaxed way, different than a museum or gallery.”
Rather than simply displaying art on the walls, Sodi sought to make art part of the fabric and flow of the hotel. His site-specific installations integrate organically into the architecture and design. The artworks respond to the light, shapes, and textures of the hotel, reflecting the natural colors of Miami in bright, energetic hues.
For Sodi, the Shelborne offered a chance to reimagine how visitors interact with art in a hospitality setting. His artistic vision was to blur the lines between art and design, creating an environment where artworks surround and engage guests. As described by the hotel’s developer, Sodi wanted to “make the public areas come alive and really make the artwork a center point for our guests.”
Elevating the Hotel Experience
Located in the heart of South Beach, The Shelborne Wyndham Grand is a luxurious hotel known for its elegant art deco architecture. However, in collaboration with artist Bosco Sodi, the hotel has taken its aesthetic a step further by integrating large-scale contemporary artwork throughout its public spaces. Sodi’s monumental sculptural paintings seamlessly blend with the Art Deco building, enriching the environment with texture, color and visual intrigue.
Walking into the hotel’s lobby, guests are greeted by a massive 8 by 12 foot painting comprised of Sodi’s signature organized chaos of organic matter and pigment. Its dynamic composition and bold colors make a striking first impression. Continuing throughout the lobby and meandering hallways, more of Sodi’s works are interspersed, creating moments of discovery. Each piece seems specifically curated for its location, enhancing the architecture and ambiance.
The abstract paintings add depth and vibrancy to the elegant, monochromatic color scheme. Their thick impasto surfaces infuse textures and layers, while their colors reflect and contrast with the surroundings. The artworks break up the sleek lines and symmetry, giving a natural, energetic feel. As guests move through the various public spaces, Sodi’s pieces engage them and draw their eye, offering moments of reflection amidst the glamour.
By integrating world-class contemporary art into its environment, The Shelborne Wyndham Grand provides guests with an elevated experience. The collaboration with Bosco Sodi gives the hotel a sophisticated, cutting-edge aesthetic that goes beyond the typical luxury hotel. It’s a unique fusion of art and hospitality. Guests can appreciate the surroundings knowing that a renowned artist intentionally created works to enhance their stay. The art stimulates the senses and imagination, making a visit to The Shelborne Wyndham Grand truly memorable.
Public Reception
The installation of Bosco Sodi’s large-scale artwork at the Shelborne Wyndham Grand hotel has received an overwhelmingly positive response from art critics and hotel guests alike.
Many patrons have complimented how Sodi’s artwork adds a sense of vibrance and energy to the sophisticated interior. The textured clay pieces provide an earthy, organic contrast to the sleek marble and polished wood of the lobby. Guests mention feeling transported into another world when passing through the dramatic installation.
Art critics describe the Shelborne project as one of Sodi’s most ambitious large-scale permanent installations to date. They praise how seamlessly the artwork integrates into the architecture and complements the hotel’s elegant Art Deco style. The swirling colors and abstract shapes are said to invite introspection and capture the imagination.
Leading art publications have featured glowing reviews of the installation, applauding Sodi’s ability to transform the lobby into an unexpected art destination. The haunting beauty of the organic sculptures against the symmetrical backdrop of the hotel has been highlighted as a particular success.
Overall, Sodi’s permanent art installation has exceeded expectations in elevating the ambiance and prestige of the Shelborne Wyndham Grand. The hotel now offers guests an exclusive opportunity to experience a magnificent Bosco Sodi artwork every day. Both the public and art world have responded enthusiastically to this harmonious fusion of art and hospitality.
As hotels embrace their role as art venues, and artists like Sodi expand their scopes, the possibilities for innovation are endless. Art-driven hospitality promises more fulfilling, multisensory travel experiences. The Shelborne Wyndham Grand shows that art integrated into grand communal spaces inspires meaningful connections and memories.