Client: Miami Marlins

Overview

In April of 2012, Sports & The Arts unveiled the curation of Marlins Park, new home to the Miami Marlins. Under the guidance of team owner and contemporary art dealer Jeffrey Loria, Sports & The Arts created wall graphics and installed 500 pieces of photography and art. The stark whites and contemporary styles provided an excellent environment for the bold wall graphics that were installed throughout the building. Combining photography printed on both vinyl wall adhesives, mesh substrates and aluminum panels with polyethylene cores, the execution provided a huge pop of color and variety to the collection.

Goals

Several pieces of original art from Mr. Loria’s collection were reproduced onto massive wall treatments installed on the Legends Level in pubic spaces. Several thought provoking photographic installations were developed which brought the walls of the ballpark to life. Working with local history centers, the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, Getty Images and AP, we sourced many rarely seen photographs. Baseball’s quintessential moments are captured in our installation “Baseball’s Greatest Plays” located on the suite level. Each image was accompanied by a plaque describing each play in classic baseball style. Combining both wall treatments and framed photography, the installation, “Baseball’s Greatest Players” showcases not only Marlins greats, but baseball’s Hall of Famers from all eras in beautiful detail. The wall treatments on this level were created in rich duotones of Marlins colors, combining the old and new. The new Marlins Park sits on the footprint of the old Miami Orange Bowl. There, an installation pays tribute to the art deco icon that served Miami for over 70 years.

Process

Working closely with owner Jeffrey Loria large-scale reproductions of selected artwork were printed on a mesh substrate that allows for vibrant color reproduction and clarity, and are resistant to the elements. MVP suites acknowledge a different Marlins player with an exterior wall treatment printed on aluminum, each installed with metal standoffs, in a play on Piet Mondrian’s geometric style, providing both enhancement and suite identity. The suite interiors boast a 15-foot wall treatments, framed photography and memorabilia. In the Diamond Club, Field Level, an exhibit provides a glimpse of the history of baseball in Miami and southern Florida. Working with local history centers and the community, this installation shows rarely seen photographs of Miami Stadium and spring training images from the 1920s through 1980s, as well as ephemera including an authentic 1956 AAA Miami Marlins batboy jersey, memorabilia from the World Baseball Classic, and original documentation regarding the founding of the Florida Marlins. On the Founders Level corridor is a museum experience of bold wall treatments complemented by vintage photography framed in bright white molding. These visuals highlight some of baseball’s greatest moments, including “The Catch”, Willie Mays’ over the shoulder catch in Game 1 of the 1956 World Series.

Additional Information

Our installation in the exclusive Diamond Club tells the long and storied history of baseball in Southern Florida. Beginning with early photos of Babe Ruth at spring training in Miami through to the Marlins first World Championship in 1997, the story is told in rich detail combining photography and memorabilia. This space also showcased images of other baseball greats in and around Miami such as Jackie Robinson. A challenge with this project was the transformation of the team from the Florida Marlins to the Miami Marlins, complete with not only a new name, but new uniforms and colors.