Faena Art Celebrates a Decade in Miami Beach with Es Devlin’s “Library of Us”
A monumental rotating library by Es Devlin transforms Faena Beach during Miami Art Week, December 2–7.
Free and open to the public | faenaart.org
British artist Es Devlin—known for creating large-scale installations that blend light, language, and architecture—will bring her latest luminous vision to Faena Beach this December. Library of Us, a monumental 50-foot rotating sculpture composed of 2,500 books, will be the centerpiece of Faena Art’s 10th-anniversary celebration during Miami Art Week 2025.
The kinetic library invites visitors to sit at a circular reading table and engage with texts that have shaped Devlin’s life and philosophy. Each day, the artist will select and annotate books that inspired her work, transforming Faena Beach into a shared space of reflection and connection. “I have always experienced libraries as silent, intensely vibrant places where minds and imaginations soar,” Devlin said. “This installation seeks to express the vitality of the library through encounters between viewers revolving to meet one another through language around a circular collective reading table.”
A 30-foot LED subtitle screen within the bookshelf will project illuminated phrases from 250 featured books, accompanied by Devlin’s voice reading them aloud. The artist drew inspiration from thinkers such as Umberto Eco, Jorge Luis Borges, and James Baldwin, each exploring how books guide and mirror the human experience.
A Living Library on the Beach
Photo courtesy of Es Devlin © Faena Art
Set against the ocean’s horizon, Library of Us transforms Faena Beach into a meditative landscape of light and motion. The illuminated sculpture rotates slowly within a reflecting pool, surrounded by stools where guests can pause to read, meet new faces, and share a collective moment of stillness amid the vibrancy of Miami Art Week.
All 2,500 books will later be donated to public libraries and schools across Miami-Dade County—an act that extends the artwork’s spirit of generosity and shared knowledge long after the week’s festivities end.
The experience continues inside the Faena Cathedral, where Devlin presents Reading Room, and in the Faena Project Room, featuring her drawings and painted glass works. Together, the three installations form a sweeping survey of the artist’s multidisciplinary practice.
Ten Years of Faena Art
Founded in 2011, Faena Art has become one of Miami Beach’s most dynamic cultural institutions, renowned for transforming public spaces into immersive art experiences. Over the past decade, it has redefined the city’s creative landscape through its commitment to experimental, accessible works that connect artists and community.
“Celebrating ten years of Faena Art commissions is a deeply meaningful milestone,” said Alan Faena. “Miami Art Week has always been a moment to ignite imagination and connect our community through culture. This year, with Es Devlin’s transformative installations, we are taking that vision to new heights.”
Supported by Chase Sapphire Reserve, the 2025 program reflects Faena Art’s ongoing mission to create inclusive experiences that blend art, environment, and dialogue.
Experience “Library of Us” During Miami Art Week
Free and open to the public from December 2–7, 2025, Library of Us welcomes visitors daily from 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Faena Beach, with related installations at the Faena Cathedral and Faena Project Room.
Programming throughout the week will include an artist talk with Es Devlin at Faena Theater, an Edible Library dinner, and a series of collective reading and listening experiences that further explore the connections between literature, light, and community.
For more information, visit faenaart.org or follow @FaenaArt on Instagram.
Looking Ahead
As Miami Art Week approaches, Library of Us stands as both a celebration of Faena Art’s first decade and a reflection on how art can unite communities through imagination, empathy, and shared dialogue.
Stay tuned for more Miami Art Week (Art Basel) announcements at Luxury Guide USA’s Art Fairs & Festivals section.
