Site Unseen

President Reagan had his picture snapped at Vizcaya, as did Pope John Paul II. The grand old manse has made cameo appearances in movies such as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Money Pit and in the photo albums of giddy newlyweds and quinceañeras. “When people seek a theatrical setting...

By Carlos Suarez De Jesus

March 10, 2011

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "19274298",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17482312",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18711090",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17482310",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18711090",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17482313",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

President Reagan had his picture snapped at Vizcaya, as did Pope John Paul II. The grand old manse has made cameo appearances in movies such as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Money Pit and in the photo albums of giddy newlyweds and quinceañeras. “When people seek a theatrical setting in Miami for pictures, they always think of Vizcaya first,” says artist Ernesto Oroza, whose “Archetype Vizcaya” is on view as part of the museum’s Contemporary Art Project. Oroza studied the decorative elements and objects housed at Vizcaya, creating a map for visitors to discover the unseen or overlooked motifs tucked into the nooks and crannies of the historic building that has beguiled visitors throughout the years. “One of the things that interested me most was how the original interior designer, Paul Chalfin, created a theatrical setting that in essence has been a perfect setting for a photo op,” Oroza says. “I wanted to reflect how the building has lent itself to being appropriated by different people since it opened its doors.” Oroza has also collected YouTube videos shot at the stately digs. “There are some videos shot by drunks with their cell phones and a Japanese visitor who used it to promote tourism in Florida after returning back home.”
Mondays, Wednesdays-Sundays, 9:30 a.m. Starts: March 20. Continues through May 29, 2011

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Miami, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.