Institute of Contemporary Art (Miami) facts for kids

The Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, often called ICA Miami, is a cool museum in Miami, Florida. It's a place where you can see modern art from today's artists. You'll find it in the Miami Design District.

A Brief History of ICA Miami

The museum first opened its doors in 1996. Back then, it was part of the Museum of Contemporary Art. It was in a building designed by Charles Gwathmey.

Later, in 2014, there were some problems with the building's location. The museum's leaders wanted to move. This led to the creation of the Institute of Contemporary Art. It opened in its current spot in Miami's Design District in 2017. The original museum, now called the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, is still in its first location.

The Unique Architecture of ICA Miami

ICA Miami: view from the front

The building where ICA Miami is located is very special. It was designed in 2017 by Aranguren & Gallegos architects. The museum's building was planned to look like a "Magic Box." It has bright colors and cool shapes.

The building is three stories tall. It has 20,000 square feet of space just for art! This is where they show different art exhibits and their permanent collection. There's also a sculpture garden in the back. The back of the building has many windows. These windows let in sunshine and let visitors see the beautiful sculpture garden.

The sculpture garden is 15,000 square feet. It features artworks by artists like Mark Handforth, Abigail DeVille, Allora and Calzadilla, and Pedro Reyes. The museum building was designed to be like a magnet. It attracts people with its unique design. The outside of the building even looks like a dark, smooth magnet.

Exploring the Permanent Art Collection

ICA Miami has a special collection of art that it owns forever. This is called its permanent collection. The museum wants to show both new, rising artists and famous ones.

This collection includes works from many different artists. Some of these artists are Rita Ackermann, Francis Alÿs, Hernan Bas, Louise Bourgeois, William Copley, and Ann Craven. You can also see art by Mark Handforth, Jim Hodges, Nancy and Edward Kienholz, and James Turrell.

Exciting Art Exhibitions

When ICA Miami opened in December 2017, it became a big part of Miami Art Basel. This is a famous art event in the city. Many artists showed their work at the opening. For example, Abigail DeVille had art in the sculpture garden. Other artists included Tomm el-Saieh and Hélio Oiticica.

One of the most important shows at the opening was "The Everywhere Studio." This exhibit featured over 100 artworks from more than fifty artists. It showed art from the last five decades. The exhibition was known for mixing famous artists like Pablo Picasso and Roy Lichtenstein with lesser-known artists from Miami.

Since its opening, the museum has hosted many different exhibitions.

• In April 2018, "Donald Judd: Paintings" showed 14 paintings by Donald Judd.
• Exhibitions by Walter Darby Bannard and Francis Alÿs also opened that month.
• In May 2018, ICA Miami featured Diamond Stingily in her first solo show, "Diamond Stingily: Life In My Pocket."
• At the same time, an exhibit of Terry Adkins' work opened. It was called "Terry Adkins: Infinity Is Always Less Than One."
• In July 2018, "Sondra Perry: Typhoon Coming On" opened. This show used different types of media to explore ideas about identity and digital culture.
• Also in July 2018, ICA Miami showed more sculptures by Louise Bourgeois.
• In November 2018, the museum presented "Manuel Solano: I Don't Wanna Wait For Our Lives To Be Over."
• "Larry Bell: Time Machine" also opened in November. It showed many works by Larry Bell, including his famous glass sculptures.

Engaging Programs and Events

ICA Miami offers more than just art exhibitions. It also has many programs and services for visitors.

• ICA Ideas offers classes and talks related to the current exhibitions. It also hosts performances. For example, Charles Gaines created a performance called A Visual Recital.
• ICA Speaks invites artists to give talks or lead discussions about the art in the museum. Artists like Mark Handforth and Hernan Bas have shared their insights.
• ICA Performs features dance, theater, and other live performances. The museum has worked with artists like Michael Clark and Trisha Brown.
• ICA Residents is a program that helps local musicians get noticed. It partners with Miami Music Club to bring together local and non-local artists for showcases.

How ICA Miami is Managed

Ellen Salpeter became the director of the museum in December 2015. She helped oversee the building of the current museum. In early 2018, Ellen Salpeter stepped down. Alex Gartenfeld, who was the deputy director, became the artistic director in 2018. Tommy Ralph Pace took on the role of deputy director.