The Betsy – South Beach Launches New Public Digital Art Program on Orb

The Betsy – South Beach recently debuted the installation of a permanent, state-of-the-art projection system for The Betsy Orb, a year-round digital public art program that will showcase commissioned digital works by global contemporary artists.

Designed by architect Allan T. Shulman and Betsy co-owner Jonathan Plutzik, the Orb was created during the hotel’s 2016 expansion. The egg-shaped structure functions as a sculptural installation, an interior gallery space and a functional bridge connecting two buildings. It is now expanded with the introduction of the state-of-the-art immersive digital projection capabilities.

The Christie Jazz Series 1DLP laser projector delivers 17,800 lumens of high-contrast, deeply saturated color — approximately nine times more powerful than a standard home projector. The system is precisely calibrated to the Orb’s spherical geometry, allowing artwork to conform seamlessly to its curvature. Projections appear contained entirely within the structure, without spillover onto the buildings on either side.

Within a custom-designed enclosure, the remotely operated projector enables continuous programming and flexibility for artists working across mediums. Each participating artist receives a detailed digital template reflecting the Orb’s dimensions. Final pieces are mapped, tested and reviewed before debuting in the space. Projections will be on view 365 days a year, free and open to the public.

The next projection on the Orb will be “The Gooooaaaaal is Love,” a cinematic work inspired by the upcoming FIFA World Cup games in Miami by local transmedia artist dNASAb, presented by The Betsy in partnership with John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Jorge M. Perez Family Foundation CreARTE program and on view throughout June and July.

Confirmed Orb artists for 2026 include:

• August: Digital artist and curator Carl Phillipe Juste will collaborate with Miami-based internationally acclaimed artist Edouard Duval-Carrié to create a projection inspired by his Global/Borderless Caribbean exhibition, which spotlights artists from the Caribbean and explores themes of migration and identity.
• October: RISD-trained motion designer Laura Paresky Gould, behind Miami Color Theory, will debut a new work.
• November: Filmmaker and video artist Juan Carlos Zaldivar presents new work based on Hummingbird.
• December: The Betsy will partner with City of Miami Beach’s No Vacancy program to commission a new work.