Downtown’s Queue Gallery is Rebelling Against Miami’s Art World Conventions
Written By Douglas Markowitz December 5, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Queue Gallery’s muted aesthetic and interest in conceptual art sets it apart from the Miami art scene. (Photo courtesy of Queue Gallery)
Queue Gallery is a bit off the beaten path in more ways than one. It’s in downtown Miami, close to the New World School of the Arts but far from art scene hotspots like Allapattah and the Design District. It’s housed in a well-worn downtown Miami loft space, across the hall from the dance music vinyl emporium T-Bag Records. The floors are well-worn, with dark-painted wood contrasting with whitewashed walls, and a moldy smell hanging in the air outside thankfully dissipates once inside the building.
It’s not the typical place for a fine art gallery, and slightly inconvenient given the second-floor space’s lack of direct street access. But for Catherine Camargo, Queue Gallery’s owner and curator and a self-described “river rat” who grew up nearby along the Miami River, the powerful feeling of nostalgia pulled her in.
Catherine Camargo is the owner and curator of Queue Gallery. (Photo by Clarence Josey II)
“I kind of fell in love with the building, because it’s one of the last remaining old school buildings around here,” she says. “There used to be a pizza shop downstairs called Nino’s that I would go to every day during high school. So it’s very full circle being here, it feels good.”
The gallery’s ideas are even more unconventional. Camargo issued a bold rebuke to the city’s art scene when she launched the gallery with a debut group show, “Memory Stick,” in August, with a press statement declaring that Miami’s galleries and institutions were playing it too safe.
“The notion that we must safely exhibit only what can be simply understood reads as an insult to many art enthusiasts in our city—those who attend show after show seeking an experience that challenges perception, that disrupts the surface and digs deeper,” the statement read. “‘Memory Stick’ rejects the notion that audiences are incapable of engaging with complexity. Instead, it embraces work that confronts the subconscious and seeks value beyond the purely aesthetic—a thirst born not of pessimism, but of a contemporary hope, with language evolving alongside us.”
Indeed, the works in Queue’s presentations don’t feel like anything one would associate with Miami, an intentional choice from Camargo. The gallerist is a veteran of the Miami scene, having spent much of her career at the Margulies Collection and briefly at the Pérez Art Museum Miami. She took Queue around town as a nomadic gallery and magazine, curating presentations at spaces across the city in recent years, before opening up shop downtown. In that time she established an almost anti-Miami aesthetic of muted colors and utilitarian materials – Concrete, metal, fabric, found objects – as well as experimental takes on two-dimensional image-making.
Karryl Eugene’s work uses photo collage and calligraphic elements to address the ways in which black culture is transformed into status symbols for the wealthy. (Photo courtesy of Queue Gallery)
“I really wanted to make sure that for the first show the text was kind of a critique of our overall perception of ourselves,” Camargo says. “There’s an idea down here that people aren’t complex enough, or that we don’t have the capacity to indulge in conceptual art, and talk about it and enjoy it. And I have an issue with that, because I’m from here.”
In other words, it’s a rebellion in favor of art focused on ideas and against the typically decorative brightness and Caribbean joie de vivre that Miami sells to the world. An upcoming show from Phoenix, Arizona-based artist Morgan Leigh is a good example of their aesthetic: Her works made from foam wrapped in cloth, leather, and snakeskin, occasionally saturated with desert sand, feature flesh tones of brown, beige, and black but nevertheless transmit a sensual charge.
Beyond looks, conceptual ideas certainly animate Queue’s most recent show. “BLACK MANS SHADOW WORK” pairs photo-based work from Torrance Hall and Karryl Eugene, two New York-based artists interrogating themes of selfhood and identity beyond stereotypical conceptions of black manhood. Each also presents a perspective that feels rooted in the 2000s, both belonging to Gen Z, such as Hall’s digitally-manipulated self-portraits that take on a smooth, metallic aesthetic reminiscent of the Y2K era. Eugene’s photo collages, meanwhile, splice together hip-hop calligraphy with images of video game characters, celebrities, and photos taken at businessman Michael Rubin’s 2023 “All-White Party” to interrogate how black cultural signifiers are appropriated as status symbols for the wealthy.
Although Camargo has worked mainly with artists from outside of the city since Queue Gallery opened, she mentions a few key collaborators and artists working in Miami that have influenced the project, including Luna Palazzolo-Daboul, Alberto Checa, David Correa, and Fared Manzur. She too is a product of the city, and of an artistic family: Her mother Kareen Pauld Camargo, who was born in Haiti, was one of the first black dancers for the Miami City Ballet.
After graduating from the New World School of the Arts, Catherine moved on to the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, where she began to develop her curatorial sensibilities. Initially intending to become an artist herself, she found herself painting “very Caribbean, figurative, colorful paintings” that she eventually got sick of.
Catherine Camargo, Queue Gallery’s owner and curator grew up near her gallery along the Miami River and the powerful feeling of nostalgia pulled her in. (Photo courtesy of Queue Gallery)
“I felt like I was falling into a cliche and I was not making for myself, I was making for everyone else. And that translated over into my taste as a curator, because I think I got so sick of making work like that that I just started becoming obsessed with looking at other artists who were making work that looked nothing like my own.”
That mindset has carried through into her stewardship of Queue and its mission to change what art from Miami can look like and the things it can say.
“Obviously, as a half-Haitian woman, I think the Caribbean diasporic, colorful, beautiful art is still really important,” she continues, “but I think we have enough of it in Miami.”
WHAT: Queue Gallery
WHEN: Gallery hours: 1 to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday
ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music and more. Don’t miss a story at www.artburstmiami.com.
Miami art critic Elisa Turner's book, "Miami's Art Boom" is a reflection on decades of the city’s art scene. It recently was was selected as a Gold medal winner in the 2025 Florida Book Awards.
Miami Art Week Is Here: So Much To See, So Little Time
Written By Michelle F. Solomon, Artburst Editor December 1, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Visitors pass by art at the Nara Roesler gallery booth at Art Basel Miami Beach 2024. This year’s Art Basel Miami Beach will feature 287 galleries from 44 countries inside the Miami Beach Convention Center. (Photo courtesy of Art Basel Miami Beach)
With so much happening during Miami Art Week, ArtburstMiami has put together a curated list—far from exhaustive—covering everything from major fairs and VIP events to gallery exhibitions.
Art Basel Miami Beach – Wednesday, Dec. 3 to Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025
Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach
International modern and contemporary art fair showcasing hundreds of top galleries from around the world — painting, sculpture, photography, installations, new media, curated sectors (Galleries, Meridians, Nova, etc.). Private “First Choice” viewing and preview on Wednesday, Dec. 3, vernissage on Thursday, Dec. 4; public access Friday, Dec. 5 to Sunday, Dec. 7, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. INFO:www.artbasel.com
Art Miami & CONTEXT Art Miami – Tuesday, Dec. 2 to Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025
The Art Miami Pavilion / CONTEXT Pavilion, One Herald Plaza, NE 14th Street and Biscayne Bay, Miami
Long running contemporary and modern art fair (Art Miami) plus a sister fair (CONTEXT) highlighting mid career and emerging artists — broad mix across painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media. VIP previews morning/early afternoon Dec. 2; public hours begin 4 p.m. that day, then Dec. 3–6 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 7, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. INFO:artmiami.com
Aqua Art Miami – Wednesday, Dec. 3 to Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025
Aqua Hotel, 1530 Collins Ave., Miami Beach
Boutique style hotel fair dedicated to emerging and mid career artists — a more intimate, relaxed setting for contemporary art, ideal for first-time buyers or those looking for fresh, smaller works. VIP preview Wednesday, Dec. 3 from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.; public hours Thursday, Dec. 4, noon to 9 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, Dec. 5–6, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 7, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. INFO:aquaartmiami.com
Design Miami – Tuesday, Dec. 2 to Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025
Convention Center Drive and 19th Street, across from Convention Center, Miami Beach
Global collectible design fair — fine furniture, decorative arts, design objects, architectural pieces, design art crossover. Preview day Dec. 2 (members & collectors), then public days Dec. 3–7. INFO:designmiami.com
Red Dot Miami – Thursday, Dec. 4 to Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025
Mana Wynwood, 2217 NW 5th Ave., Miami
Red Dot Miami is another well established satellite fair with a broad international gallery lineup, often showcasing accessible contemporary art and serves as a complement to the major fairs. Public hours: Thursday, Dec. 4 to Saturday, Dec. 6, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 7, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. INFO:redwoodartgroup.com/red-dot-miami/
HIVE Wynwood (Creative District Activation) – Thursday, Dec. 4 to Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025
Wynwood Marketplace, 2250 NW 2nd Ave., Wynwood
Street culture meets art event blending live painting, installations, music, vendor village, and brand activations — a vibrant, festival style complement to gallery fairs. INFO:hivewynwood.com
Looking at art at the Vedovi Gallery booth during Art Basel Miami Beach 2024. (Photo courtesy of Art Basel Miami Beach)
INK Miami Art Fair – Dec. 3 to Dec. 7, 2025
Suites of Dorchester, 1850 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Fair dedicated exclusively to works on paper — prints, editions, photography — offering a curated, specialized format that appeals to collectors seeking affordability and collectability. INFO:inkartfair.com/
NADA Miami – Tuesday, Dec. 2 to Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025
Ice Palace Studios, 1400 North Miami Avenue, Miami
Independent and artist run galleries from around the world, showcasing new and emerging voices in contemporary art — often experimental, affordable, and edgy. Public hours Dec. 2–6, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. INFO:newartdealers.org
Pinta Miami – Thursday, Dec. 4 to Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025
The Hangar, 3385 Pan American Drive, Coconut Grove
Only fair during Art Week focused exclusively on Latin American and Iberian contemporary art, offering a boutique style, curated gallery fair with a Latin American focus. Public hours: Thursday, Dec. 4, 3 to 8 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, Dec. 5–6, noon to 8 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 7, noon to 6 p.m. INFO:pinta.art/miami/home
Point Comfort Art Fair + Show – Thursday, Dec. 4 to Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025
Historic Ward Rooming House, Overtown, Miami
Boutique style fair and exhibition presenting art, history and culture, with a focus on Black heritage, community revitalization, and accessible contemporary art. INFO:hamptonartlovers.com
Scope Miami Beach – Tuesday, Dec. 2 to Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025
801 Ocean Drive (between 8th and 10th Streets), Miami Beach
High energy contemporary fair on the sand — immersive installations, new media, emerging galleries, bold presentation; ideal for a younger, vibrant crowd looking for edgy, experimental work. VIP/press previews Dec. 2 (invite only); public days Dec. 3–7, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. INFO:scope-art.com
Spectrum Miami – Thursday, Dec. 4 to Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025
Mana Wynwood, 2217 NW 5th Avenue, Miami
Contemporary art fair offering a broad mix of galleries and works — often more affordable and experimental than the biggest fairs, making it a good option for first-time collectors or casual visitors. Public hours: Thursday, Dec. 4 to Saturday, Dec. 6, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 7, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. INFO:redwoodartgroup.com/spectrum-miami
UNTITLED Art, Miami Beach – Tuesday, Dec. 2 to Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025
Ocean Drive and 12th Street, Miami Beach
Beachfront contemporary art fair with a curated mix of emerging and established galleries offering painting, sculpture, photography and mixed media in a tent on the sand. VIP & Press Preview Tuesday, Dec. 2; public hours Wednesday, Dec. 3 to Sunday, Dec. 7. INFO:untitledartfairs.com
Ahmed Paertey, “Lumumba,” (2020), oil on canvas at AfriKin Art Fair. (Photo courtesy of Afrikin.org)
AfriKin Art Fair – Sunday, Dec. 1 to Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025
Maison AfriKin / Scott Galvin Community Center, 1600 NE 126th Street, North Miami
Fair highlighting art from African and African-diaspora artists — a cultural centric, community-driven event that broadens the geographic and cultural reach of Art Week. Public hours daily throughout the week. INFO: afrikin.org
ICA Miami – Tuesday, Dec. 2 to Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025 61 NE 41st Street, Miami ICA Miami opens several overlapping exhibitions and events in conjunction with Art Week — ideal for contemporary‑art lovers seeking museum‑scale shows: On view: “Joyce Pensato” (survey of 65 works), “Richard Hunt: Pressure,”“Andreas Schulze: Special,”“Masaomi Yasunaga,”,and a major stairwell commission “Igshaan Adams: Lulu, Zanele, Zandile, Savannah.” VIP Opening Reception for members and pass‑holders: Tuesday, Dec. 2, 6–9 PM. Museum hours during Art Week: Wednesday–Sunday, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM. INFO: icamiami.org
Kindred Animal Spirit Festival – Wednesday, Dec. 3 to Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025
Overtown — NW 9th Street Pedestrian Mall, Miami
Cultural festival blending open air art, music, community gatherings, and public space installations — giving space to grassroots creatives and local community energy. INFO:muce305.org
LOUD Week (via AOBM) – Wednesday, Dec. 3 to Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025
Miami Gardens (various venues)
Urban culture festival — art, fashion, design, community events, and cultural activations across neighborhoods, spotlighting Afro diasporic contributions to Miami’s creative landscape. Public event hours vary; check official schedule. INFO: loud-week-miami-gardens-all-event-access
Mana Fashion Art Basel Edition Pop-Up – Wednesday, Dec. 3 to Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025
Mana Wynwood, 318 NW 23rd Street, Miami
Immersive fashion-meets-art pop-up featuring global and Miami-based designers, contemporary art installations, wellness sessions, interactive experiences, curated brand showcases, and cultural programming. INFO:manacommon.com
BitBasel Miami Art Week – Tuesday, Dec. 3 to Saturday, Dec. 7, 2025
Sagamore South Beach
Merges art, technology, and culture through exhibitions, panels, and evening events including curated discussions, immersive installations, and music activations. INFO:www.bitbasel.miami/
photoMIAMI – Tuesday, Dec. 2 to Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025
The Miami Art Week Gallery, 2300 N. Miami Ave., Wynwood, Miami
A photography focused show showcasing works from international and local photographers, providing a more specialized, medium specific experience within the larger art week ecosystem. Open concurrently with Arte NXT. INFO:
Satellite Art Show – Thursday, Dec. 4 to Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025
1520 Collins Ave., Miami Beach (near hotel fair cluster)
Independent gallery and artist run show featuring installations, contemporary works, and alternative media — often with a relaxed, less commercial vibe than major fairs. Public hours: Dec. 5–6, 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Dec. 7, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Preview/press day Thurs., Dec. 4. INFO:www.satellite-show.com
MOCA North Miami – Tuesday, Dec. 2 to Saturday, Dec. 7, 2025 770 NE 125 Street, North Miami Featured exhibitions: “Hiba Schahbaz: The Garden”, “Diana Eusebio: Field of Dreams”, and the plaza installation “Magnus Sodamin: Gateway (between the sun and moon)” as part of MOCA’s Art on the Plaza series. Special event: MOCA’s Miami Art Week Reception — Tuesday, Dec. 2, 8:30–10:30 p.m. (free for members, North Miami residents, and VIP passholders). Public artist‑ and curator‑led tours: Saturday, Dec. 6 at 11 a.m. Extended museum hours throughout the week (check site for daily times). INFO:mocanomi.org
The Museum of Graffiti will feature a working studio inside the building during Art Week, where visitors can watch JonOne create in real time. Photo is JonOne in action at the Museum of Graffiti in Shanghai, China, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Museum of Graffiti)
Museum of Graffiti – Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2025- Friday, Dec.5, 2025
276 NW 26th St., Wynwood, Miami Museum of Graffiti, ranked as one of best museums in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, is celebrating its 6th anniversary during Miami Art Week with a brand new semi-permanent exhibition that traces the birth and evolution of the graffiti movement from its earliest days on the streets and subways of New York City to its current position as a globally recognized legitimate art form. Museum of Graffiti opens all exhibitions along with its outdoor interactive patio that will boast an incredible line up of top parties, brand activations, and musical talent. “ORIGINS” features original paintings from the 1973 Razor Gallery exhibition in New York, showcasing graffiti pioneers PHASE2, FLINT 707, SNAKE 1, and COCO144 — works that have not been publicly seen for over 50 years. Running alongside it is JonOne’s “El Tiguere,” a solo show highlighting John Andrew Perello’s journey from painting subway trains in Harlem to international acclaim. Visitors can watch JonOne paint in a working studio space. These paired shows trace graffiti’s path from street art to the gallery and provide rare historical documentation of its early evolution. INFO:www.museumofgraffiti.com
Tribeca Festival at Art Basel Miami Beach – Friday, Dec. 5 to Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025
Miami Beach Bandshell, 1001 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
Tribeca Festival returns for its fourth edition during Art Basel Miami Beach, featuring two nights of live performances and conversations highlighting emerging artists reshaping contemporary culture. Friday, Dec. 5, features Latin Grammy-nominated Monsieur Periné with opener Cucu, while Saturday, Dec. 6, spotlights instrumental duo Hermanos Gutiérrez, with Jitwam and DJ Willy Soul. Guests can also experience the Google Gemini Photobooth, an interactive AI-powered photo experience. INFO:tribecafilm.com/miami
24th Iconic Sagamore Brunch – Saturday, Dec. 6, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
1671 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Features The Orb of Harmony by KEF!, NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, live South Florida Symphony Orchestra performances, interactive art, live mural painting, signature mixology, and curated culinary offerings. INFO:sagamoresouthbeach.com/experiences/
74th Arts Miami Layover – Tuesday, Dec. 2, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
El Espacio 23, 2270 NW 23rd Street, Miami
Guided exhibition walkthrough followed by a panel discussion on the past, present, and future of Latin American art — an intimate moment within Art Week for collectors, curators, artists, and inquisitive attendees. INFO:https://elespacio23.org/
Art of Black Miami – Sunday, Nov. 30 to Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025
Maison AfriKin, Scott Galvin Community Center, 1600 NE 126th Street, North Miami
City-wide cultural initiative spotlighting Black and Afro diasporic art, featuring exhibitions, performances, film screenings, installations, and community centered events throughout the week. Public fair & pop-up hours: daily Nov. 30–Dec. 7. INFO:https://afrikin.org/index2.html
Art of Transformation (Opa Locka / AOBM affiliate) – Wednesday, Dec. 3 to Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025
Various venues across Ten North Group Campus & Opa Locka Arts District (including Historic City Hall and The Garden of Humanity)
Multimedia showcase exploring African American identity, history, resilience and community through exhibitions, performances, sculpture, photography and public installations under the 2025 theme “At the Edge of Entanglement.”
Specific events:
• Dec. 3, 5–6 p.m.: Unveiling of commissioned work “African Diaspora: Memory in Motion”
• Dec. 3, 6–9 p.m.: Opening night celebration
• Dec. 3, 9 p.m.–12 a.m.: Evening lounge experience and live jazz performance
Elixir Lounge by ORO Miami VIP Opening Night – Thursday, Dec. 5, 2025
818 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach
Exclusive launch event with music by Guy Gerber.
Admission: VIP invitation only INFO:oro-miami.com/elixir-lounge
Flow Brickell – WRAP Sustainable Art Activation – Wednesday, Dec. 3, 1 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Flow Brickell, 275 SW 6th Street, Miami
Launch of a sustainability-themed art activation by the Waste Reduction Art Project, including live art creation, reflection sessions, author showcase, wine tasting, panel discussion, and gallery reception — spotlighting eco-conscious contemporary art. INFO:wrapnow.org/
Harmont & Blaine Brickell — First U.S. Flagship Private Preview – Sunday, Nov. 30 to Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025 | By appointment
701 S Miami Avenue #272C, Miami
Meet-and-greet with H&B artist Jay C. Lohmann, view art installation, and limited dachshund sculptures made from recycled/upcycled materials. INFO:www.harmontblaine.com/home/
Tara Long in LA ESQUINITA at Locust Projects. (Photo by Logan Fazio)
Locust Projects – ‘LA ESQUINITA’ by Tara Long – Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025 to Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026 | During Art Week public hours: Wednesday–Saturday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
297 NE 67th Street, Miami
Long-running nonprofit alternative art space. “LA ESQUINITA” is a gallery takeover by Tara Long featuring 500+ mini sculptures, blending art, performance, and conceptual experience. Art Week special: Saturday, Dec. 6, 7–10 p.m. meet-the-artist party and performance. INFO: locustprojects.org
Baker—Hall, “Menagerie” – Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025 to Friday, Jan. 3, 2026
1294 NW 29th St., Miami
Lizzie Gill’s first solo exhibition with Baker—Hall, exploring domestic life, inheritance, and the intimate theater of interior spaces. Inspired by Tennessee Williams’s The Glass Menagerie, the paintings turn still life into staged tableaux where objects, animals, and mythic vessels act as proxies for memory, identity, and emotional inheritance. The works feature Gill’s signature material translation, using marble dust emulsion and image transfer to create layered bas-relief surfaces that evoke care, lineage, and psychological landscapes. INFO:bakerhall.art
Lizzie Gil, Menagerie at Baker-Hall, “Crimson Poodle (Steeplechase),” 2025, acrylic, image transfer & marble dust emulsion on panel, 24 x 30 in. (Courtesy of the Baker-Hall)
Mana Fashion Art Basel Edition VIP Opening Night – Wednesday, Dec. 3, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Mana Wynwood, 318 NW 23rd Street, Miami
Invitation-only celebration of fashion, art, music, and cultural performance, including a live performance by Radmila Lolly, immersive installations, DJ sets, artisanal bites, cocktails, and curated brand experiences. INFO:fashion.manacommon.com
Mana Fashion Public Pop-Up Experience – Thursday, Dec. 4 to Saturday, Dec. 6, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Mana Wynwood, 318 NW 23rd Street, Miami
Three days of immersive shopping, discovery, and community-building. Curated marketplace with global designers, luxury fashion houses, sustainable brands, wellness sessions, interactive readings, and fireside chats. INFO: fashion.manacommon.com/experience-fashion-glamour-mana-fashion-pop-up-bazaar-vip-night/
Mindy Solomon Gallery – Wednesday, Dec. 3 to Sunday, Dec. 7
111 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami
Contemporary gallery presenting a thoughtfully curated selection of works by emerging and mid-career artists across painting, sculpture, and mixed media. INFO:mindysolomongallery.com
Oolite Arts — ‘One Is Two and Two Are Many More’ Exhibition & Open Studios – Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2025 to Saturday, Jan. 18, 2026 | Daily gallery hours 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
924 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach
Features a broad range of contemporary works by local and visiting artists. During Art Week: Saturday, Dec. 6, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. public brunch + open studios — an opportunity to meet artists, see works in progress, and explore the gallery’s scope beyond fair-related programming. INFO:oolitearts.org
The Betsy South Beach – Artist talk and Book Signing, Deborah Willis – Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, 3–4 p.m.
The Gallery at The Betsy Hotel, 1443 Collins Ave., Miami Beach
Artist talk and book signing with Dr. Deborah Willis for the 25th anniversary of her landmark publication, featuring a conversation with Denise Stephanie Hewitt, Roy Wallace, Cornelius Tulloch, and Joan Morgan. INFO: thebetsyhotel.com
The Leesfield Family Garden: ‘Estrella de Luz’ Sculpture Unveiling – Tuesday, Dec. 2, 1–1:45 p.m.
The Underline, 2358 SW 27th Street, Miami
Public unveiling of “Estrella de Luz,” a new sky-blue bronze sculpture by Pablo Atchugarry. Ceremony includes artist remarks, dedication statements, and ribbon-cutting — celebrating art, community, and public space. INFO:www.theunderline.org/
Bakehouse Art Complex – Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025 561 NW 32nd St., Wynwood Free open-studio event with resident artists, tours, and exhibitions. On view: “Bakehouse at Forty: Past, Present, Future,” celebrating Bakehouse’s 40-year legacy. INFO:bacfl.org
The Bass Museum of Art – Sunday, Nov. 30 to Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025 2100 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach Extended hours during Art Week with guided tours, artist talks, and special programming under “The Bass Dialogues.” Exhibitions include “Jack Pierson: The Miami Years,” “Lawrence Lek: NOX Pavilion,” “Sarah Crowner in Dialogue with Etel Adnan,” “Isaac Julien: Vagabondia,” “The Kaleidoscopic: Writing Histories Through the Collection,” and “assume vivid astro focus: XI.” Free “Community Day” on Dec. 7. INFO:thebass.org
The Wolfsonian–FIU – Monday, Dec. 1 to Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025 1001 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach Free admission for Art Basel/Design Miami VIP cardholders. Exhibitions on view include “Modern Design Across Borders,” “La Superba: Genoa and The Wolfsoniana,” “World’s Fairs: Visions of Tomorrow,” and “Harry Clarke and the Geneva Window.” Special VIP event: “UTOPIA: A Wolfsonian Art Basel Miami Beach VIP Party” on Friday, Dec. 5. INFO:wolfsonian.org
“Bodyscapes Miami Art Week” – Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025 to Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026 Jayaram Law Studio, 3800 NE 1st Ave., Suite 500, Miami A group exhibition curated by a European gallery that’s being re‑imagined for Miami: “Bodyscapes” features works by 11–14 women artists exploring the body, identity, memory, and digital/experiential portraiture. INFO:load‑gallery.com
ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music and more. Don’t miss a story at www.artburstmiami.com.
Miami art critic Elisa Turner's book, "Miami's Art Boom" is a reflection on decades of the city’s art scene. It recently was was selected as a Gold medal winner in the 2025 Florida Book Awards.
Artists Transform 12 Miami Beach Hotels For ‘No Vacancy’
Written By Douglas Markowitz November 23, 2025 at 9:52 PM
James Sprang’s “Take Me Home” is part of the sixth edition of “No Vacancy,” an art exhibition across 12 hotels throughout Miami Beach.
Miami Beach may be famous as the home of Art Basel, but thanks to an initiative from the city government, visitors don’t even have to leave their hotels to experience great works of art.
Started in 2019, “No Vacancy” is an annual art exhibition taking over around a dozen hotels and resorts across Miami Beach. Artists are selected after a rigorous open call and application process to transform a certain space with their artworks. Most of the commissioned artists are locals or have roots in Miami; this year’s crop includes Amanda Linares, Lee Pivnik, Pepe Mar, and Edison Peñafel.
Amanda Linares’ artwork “Tierra Humida” hangs in the Miami Beach EDITION as part of “”No Vacancy.” Photo by Monica McGivern Photography for Art in Public Places, City of Miami Beach)
The program was started as a way to bring together two important industries for the city, hospitality and culture. Participating properties range from gleaming resorts like the Casa Faena and the Miami Beach EDITION to smaller, more characterful hotels such as The Betsy Hotel on Ocean Drive. All of the artworks are placed in areas accessible to the public, so non-guests can view the work. In fact, the city is encouraging South Florida-based area art lovers to come out by expanding the program to four weeks from its original run of two.
“A fun thing about ‘No Vacancy’ is you can make a day of it with friends and rent a Citi Bike, and go around to the different stops, almost like a scavenger hunt,” says Lisette Garcia Arrogante, director of tourism and culture for the City of Miami Beach. “And it’s a very inexpensive way to really have a fun day of viewing art and getting to know local artists and the hotel properties that we have on Miami Beach.”
According to Garcia Arrogante, the program is popular among artists as well. The open call for this year’s edition meanwhile yielded over 200 submissions from artists.
“It just speaks to the notoriety of the program and showcases Miami Beach and the artists in a very positive way during a time that I think not a lot of local artists get a platform, during Art Week.” she says. “It’s a program we’re really proud of.”
Nathalie Alfonso used colored vinyl strips to activate the windows in a way that didn’t disrupt the picturesque view of Biscayne Bay at the International Inn on the Bay for Miami Beach’s “No Vacancy.” (Photo by RodrigoGaya.com/Gayaman Visual Studio LLC)
Part of the appeal of “No Vacancy” is seeing how each artist utilizes the spaces they’re given, occasionally even integrating the architecture of the hotels. Nathalie Alfonso, for instance, was assigned the International Inn on the Bay, a vintage motel on the water just off the North Bay Causeway on Normandy Isle. The two-story lobby space features large windows facing the water — clearly visible from the causeway when driving towards the beach. It was a perfect fit for the artist, who typically works on site-specific projects.
“My work is only possible when given a space,” says Alfonso. “I think about the work in my studio, but the work actually happens when I’m given a location. So in this case, my location was the windows.”
Alfonso, who usually works in drawing with materials such as charcoal and graphite, attempted to find a way of activating the windows that didn’t disrupt the picturesque view of Biscayne Bay. She settled on using colored vinyl strips to decorate the windows, similar to stained glass. The colors filtering through the space change as a result of the shifting sunlight throughout the day.
“BayScape “by Nathalie Alfonso, “No Vacancy,” at International Inn on the Bay, Miami Beach. (Photos by RodrigoGaya.com/Gayaman Visual Studio LLC)
“Even though the material itself is attached to the window, to me the artwork is more about those moments of light being reflected on the ground,” she says. “Throughout the day you get to see how the sun is directly hitting those windows, but then at night, when the sun sets, you still get that beautiful horizon line with those oranges and pinks that happen in Miami.”
James Sprang, meanwhile, took a different approach. His work “Take Me Home” at the Sherry Frontenac Hotel in North Beach consists of a single 9 ft. by 13 ft. photograph taken at Toronto’s Carnival celebrations, featuring two women “preparing to hit stage and hit road,” in the words of the artist. The image is suspended from the ceiling in the hotel lobby.
The work is part of a larger ongoing project documenting Carnival celebrations across the Caribbean diaspora. Sprang, born in Miami but now living between Brooklyn and Philadelphia, wanted to converse with ideas of diaspora and community, especially considering his relationship to the city and his Trinidadian heritage. He has memories of watching steel drum bands and learning about Trinidad from his father and about the rest of the Caribbean from the wider community in Miami.
James Sprang’s monumental photo “Take Me Home” is suspended from the ceiling in the lobby at the Sherry Frontenac Hotel. (Photo by Monica McGivern Photography for Art in Public Places, City of Miami Beach)
“I started thinking about ways in which I could represent and be in conversation with the diaspora, not only in Miami, but the larger diaspora,” says Sprang. “And going through the images I had on hand, there was something about this one particular photograph that, for me, really celebrates care and really celebrates the black interior alongside the spectacle that is Carnival.”
The choice to display the work as a black and white photo is also intentional.
“Carnival is so much about color,” he says. “Black and white photography is a beautiful and simple abstraction, it’s a removal of color. We’re forced to think about texture and form and light and expression. And it’s interesting to kind of tune into those aspects of the image and see the vibrance of the people depicted.”
WHAT: “No Vacancy”
WHEN: Hours vary by location. Through Saturday, Dec. 20.
WHO & WHERE: Andrea Myers, “A Soft Pixelation,” Avalon Hotel Miami, 700 Ocean Drive; LIZNBOW, “Portal to Niña,” The Betsy Hotel, 1440 Ocean Drive; Denise Treizman, “Wish You Were Here,” Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club, 3925 Collins Ave.; Edison Peñafiel, “Florida Florarium,” The Catalina Hotel & Beach Club, 1732 Collins Ave.; Pepe Mar, “Tropical stomping ground,” Casa Faena, 3500 Collins Ave.; Nathalie Alfonso, “BayScape,” International Inn on the Bay, 2301 Normandy Drive; Patty Suau, “Unexpected Encounters,” Kimpton Surfcomber Hotel, 1717 Collins Ave.; Amanda Linares, “Tierra Húmeda,” The Miami Beach EDITION, 2901 Collins Ave.; Evelyn Sosa, “No Place is Far Away,” Nautilus Sonesta Miami Beach, 1825 Collins Ave.; Fabiola Larios, “Heartware,” Riviera Suites Miami Beach, 318 20th St.; Lee Pivnik, “Wellspring,” The Shelborne by Proper, 1801 Collins Ave.; James Sprang, “Take Me Home,” Sherry Frontenac Hotel, 6565 Collins Ave.
ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music and more. Don’t miss a story at www.artburstmiami.com.
Miami art critic Elisa Turner's book, "Miami's Art Boom" is a reflection on decades of the city’s art scene. It recently was was selected as a Gold medal winner in the 2025 Florida Book Awards.
El Espacio 23 Exhibition Reimagines Territory and Belonging
Written By Miguel Sirgado November 14, 2025 at 4:53 PM
A World Far Away, Nearby and Invisible” transforms El Espacio 23 into a living map of shifting territories, gathering nearly 150 works that echo across continents yet remain rooted in Miami’s own porous ground. Shown is Jennifer Basile’s “Loop Road” (2023), included in the exhibition. (Photo courtesy of El Espacio 23)
In a city where borders feel permeable and reinvention is a local instinct, El Espacio 23 returns with a timely question: What is territory now? Is it land? History? A wound? A spiritual force? A place we inherit, or a place we imagine? That inquiry anchors “A World Far Away, Nearby and Invisible: Territory Narratives in the Jorge M. Pérez Collection,” the sixth exhibition at the contemporary art space founded by Miami developer, art collector and philanthropist Jorge M. Pérez.
The show opened on Thursday, Nov. 13 and is on view through Saturday, Aug. 26. It gathers nearly 150 works by more than 100 artists from the Americas, Europe, Africa and beyond, yet its pulse is distinctly Miami.
The exhibition is curated by Claudia Segura Campins, head of collection at Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA), in collaboration with Patricia Hanna, director at El Espacio 23 and Jorge M. Pérez Collection, and Anelys Alvarez, curator of the collections and programs, El Espacio 23 and Jorge M. Pérez Collection. When the project began, the proposed theme was “landscape,” a starting point Segura quickly challenged.
Miami voices remain central to the exhibition’s narrative. This year’s lineup includes José Bedia, Didier William, Teresita Fernández, and Nina Surel. Pictured is José Bedia’s “Salto transcendental de un agujero negro a una estrella” (c. 1990). (Photo courtesy of El Espacio 23)
“Landscape is a concept built from a distanced gaze,” she says. “Historically, it belongs to the colonizer describing and fragmenting a place. I wasn’t interested in a static image of land. I wanted the living, porous, shifting idea of territory.”
That shift widened the exhibition’s scope. “Territory let us move past the visible surface,” explains Segura. “It allowed for memory, politics, ancestral knowledge, violence, ecology, spirituality. ‘Landscape’ was a frame. ‘Territory’ was an opening.”
Hanna says they wanted to tell a broader story. “Territory wasn’t just soil, it was community, energy, the invisible forces underneath.”
The exhibition unfolds in four conceptual “chapters,” not as fixed categories but as lenses: “The Pulse,” “Whispers from the Land,” “Shelter Among the Scars,” and “Landscapes in the Making.” In “The Pulse,” the earth is not a backdrop but protagonist: water, fire, minerals and biological life asserting their own agency. “What forces are shaping us that we don’t control?” asks Segura. “Miami understands that question better than most cities. This place is literally built on mangrove and uncertainty.”
Guest curator Claudia Segura Campins, who oversees the collection at MACBA in Barcelona, brings an expansive, research-driven approach to the exhibition. (Photo courtesy of Claudia Segura Campins)
“Whispers from the Land” carries the spiritual and ancestral dimension of territory, including the moment that gave the exhibition its title. Segura recalls the turning point: “We struggled for weeks to name the show. Then we realized the title was already inside the collection.” She refers to a work by artist Tania Candiani depicting the Mazatec healer and poet María Sabina. “Sabina spoke of a world far away, invisible but very near, a world you access by listening to the land. The title had already been given to us by the work. The exhibition just had to receive it.”
If territory can whisper, it can also scar. The third chapter addresses extraction, displacement, forced migration and environmental devastation, without flattening them into a single message. “Territory remembers the violence written on it,” says Segura. “But it also remembers resistance, regeneration, joy. That duality matters.”
Throughout the show, artists appear in unexpected constellations: women abstractionists from different decades, Indigenous cartographies alongside digital landscapes, Caribbean eco-futurisms in dialogue with post-Soviet geographies. “The most fascinating thing was realizing how many artists in the Pérez Collection were already speaking to each other across time,” notes Segura. “You place a Venezuelan artist next to a South African one, and suddenly they are asking the same question in different languages.”
The exhibition takes its title from a work inside the collection—Tania Candiani’s portrait of Mazatec healer María Sabina, whose chants spoke of “a world far away, invisible but near,” says curator Claudia Segura Campins. Above, Tania Candiani’s “María Sabina” (2024). (Photo courtesy of El Espacio 23)
That interconnection reflects the collection itself. “Every exhibition here is a moment of reflection,” says Álvarez. “The collection is always expanding, so the threads shift, but they are always global, always in conversation.”
That global reach was underscored just weeks ago, when the Tate in London announced a landmark gift from Jorge M. and Darlene Pérez: 36 works by artists from Africa and the African diaspora, including El Anatsui, Yinka Shonibare, Joy Labinjo and Bruce Onobrakpeya, along with a major endowment creating the new position of Jorge M. Pérez Senior Curator, International Art, Africa and Diaspora, held by Osei Bonsu. Coming after the Pérez donation of a monumental Joan Mitchell triptych, the gift signals what Segura calls “a collector expanding the borders of institutional memory.”
That sense of widening territory also applies to Miami, a city where climate, migration and myth crash into each other daily. “Miami is a threshold city,” says Segura. “A place made of crossings: languages, waters, storms, arrivals. Even geologically, the land is unstable. That instability became a curatorial key.”
El Espacio 23 has long treated that instability as an invitation rather than an obstacle. Though privately funded, its mission is public: free admission, multilingual tours, residencies, and an open-door policy designed to dissolve the distance between collection and community. “There are no borders inside El Espacio,” says Hanna. “No matter your story, we want at least one work to look back at you.”
Miami voices remain central to the exhibition’s narrative. This year’s lineup includes José Bedia, Didier William, Teresita Fernández and Nina Surel.
Also included is printmaker Jennifer Basile, whose large-scale relief works translate the Everglades into vivid, painterly topographies. “I want you to feel that grandiosity the way the Hudson River School painters did,” says Basile. “That sense of beauty and vastness but tied to the ecology we are losing in real time.” A New Yorker who has spent three decades in South Florida, Basile calls her work “a form of preservation and a warning.”
Miami-based printmaker Jennifer Basile (pictured) is among the local artists featured in the exhibition, known for her large-scale relief works that translate the Everglades into sculptural, almost painterly landscapes. “I want you to feel that grandiosity the way the Hudson River School painters did,” she says. (Photo by Carolina Porras Monroy, courtesy of the artist)
Basile’s connection to the land is not a metaphor. “I hike it, I swamp-walk it, I study it with scientists and tribal leaders,” she says. “You can’t advocate for a place you don’t breathe.” Her print in the show depicts Loop Road in the Everglades, a site she fears may soon disappear under development. “If someone sees the work and asks, ‘Where is this? Can we go?’, that is the beginning of protection.”
For Segura, that kind of lived relationship to territory is the core of the exhibition. “Territory is not a map,” she says. “It is something inhabited, negotiated, dreamed, damaged, defended. It is not neutral. It is neither still.” If territory were a living voice, she adds, “it would ask us to listen, to place the invisible at the same level as the visible, and to accept that we are never separate from the ground we stand on.”
In that sense, “A World Far Away, Nearby and Invisible” is less a definition than a rehearsal, an open question staged in artworks rather than answered by them. “Territory is the memory we inherit and the future we imagine,” says Hanna. “It is not just a place. It is a force.” WHAT: “A World Far Away, Nearby, and Invisible from The Jorge M. Pérez Collection.”
WHEN: Through Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. Gallery hours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday to Saturday
ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music and more. Don’t miss a story at www.artburstmiami.com.
Miami art critic Elisa Turner's book, "Miami's Art Boom" is a reflection on decades of the city’s art scene. It recently was was selected as a Gold medal winner in the 2025 Florida Book Awards.
Who Is That Face In The Water in North Beach’s Ocean Terrace Park?
Written By Douglas Markowitz November 13, 2025 at 11:57 PM
French artist Prune Nourry’s “Reflection” is an ancient-looking sculpture of a head that sits on its side in the middle of a pond, as if left behind by a vanished civilization. The artwork is the centerpiece of the new Ocean Terrace Park in North Beach. (Photo by Thomas Loof, courtesy of M18 Public Relations)
At a newly completed park in Miami Beach, a new piece of public art is turning heads – literally.
Officially unveiled during a ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 30, “Reflection” is a giant stone sculpture in the shape of a woman’s head. Conceived and designed by French artist Prune Nourry, the artwork is the centerpiece of the Ocean Terrace Park in North Beach.
The new five-acre Ocean Terrace Park in North Beach has a new piece of art that’s 25 feet long and 8 feet high. (Photo by Thomas Loof, courtesy of M18 Public Relations)
Located along Ocean Terrace between 73rd and 75th streets, just north of the Miami Beach Bandshell, the new green space takes up what was once a street with parking on either side. It’s part of a larger development that will see a once-dilapidated strip of beachside hotels updated with a hotel, a 75-unit condo tower, and newly-built retail and restaurants.
Inspired by the likes of Angkor Wat in Cambodia and the colossal Olmec heads of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, “Reflection” is meant to resemble an ancient ruin given over to nature. The head sits on its side in the middle of a pond, as if left behind by a vanished civilization, with a tree growing out of the upper side.
According to the artist, the gridded brickwork that forms the statue references Carl Jung’s concept of collective unconsciousness, the idea that all human beings share an instinctual understanding of certain symbols and ideas. And as the title implies, its reflection in the water creates an optical illusion that allows the full face to be seen.
Prune Nourry’s “Reflection” was unveiled in October in the recently completed Ocean Terrace Park on Miami Beach. (Photo by Thomas Loof, courtesy of M18 Public Relations)
But who is that face in the water?
The statue actually uses the likeness of a real person: Nellie Locust, a Cherokee woman who was stationed in Miami during World War II as part of the SPARs, the Coast Guard Women’s Reserve. The process that culminated in her likeness being used for “Reflection” began when Nourry learned about the Biscayne Bay House of Refuge, a Coast Guard station that stood on a site adjacent to Ocean Terrace until it was destroyed in the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926.
Learning about the station is what convinced Nourry to weave in reference to the SPARs, women recruited into the Coast Guard in order to compensate for the lack of male servicemen available during World War II. She contacted a historian, Donna Vojvodich, who specialized in the SPARs, and while searching through photos of the SPARs she had provided, she found one with an enticing signature: “Sincerely, Nellie.”
Prune Nourry designed “Reflection,” a giant stone sculpture in the shape of a woman’s head that now has a home in North Beach. (Photo by Franklin Burger)
“When I picked her portrait, I didn’t yet know her story, but I was drawn to her by the message and her face on that black and white picture,” says Nourry.
Originally from Vinita, Oklahoma, Locust was one of several indigenous women in the Sooner Squadron and earned the rank of Yeoman First Class in the Coast Guard. She joined the Coast Guard in 1943, training in Palm Beach, and served at stations in Fort Pierce and Miami. She died in 1947 at the age of 26 from an illness.
After selecting the photo, Nourry contacted Locust’s family to secure permission to use her likeness. The sculpture was assembled on site using locally fabricated 3D printed concrete blocks before Nourry provided the finishing touches to make it appear more weathered.
Though the piece is Nourry’s first public art commission in North America, the artist’s work has been exhibited extensively across the world. Her installation “Terracotta Daughters,” which featured female versions of the famous terracotta warriors of Xi’an, was toured around the world and eventually interred in China. And next year the artist will mount a show at the Petit Palais in Paris.
Raymond Jungles, the landscape architect in charge of the park, says Prune Nourry’s “Reflection” fit in well with the scale of the park. (Photo courtesy of M18 Public Relations)
The artist earned the Ocean Terrace commission after Raymond Jungles, the landscape architect in charge of the park, saw her work at the home of another client, the nightlife impresario and restaurateur David Grutman. Jungles says he was enticed by the opportunity to enhance a neighborhood he already knew quite well.
“I used to be a lifeguard when I was 19, right there,” he says. “It was always a special place to me.”
According to the architect, it was another of Nourry’s pieces, “Anima” from 2015, that inspired the idea to reflect the sculpture’s face in the pond.
“It’s on this huge beach with this huge ocean and horizon line just beyond it, so we wanted something that had some real impactful scale,” he says. “I figured if we reflected the piece, we could get twice as much for the price of one.”
The artist created the statue in the likeness of a real person: Nellie Locust, a Cherokee woman who was stationed in Miami during World War II as part of the SPARs, the Coast Guard Women’s Reserve. (Photo by Thomas Loof, courtesy of M18 Public Relations)
For Nourry, whose work frequently incorporates references to unseen women throughout history, the piece’s resonance goes deeper. The opportunity to honor Locust, the SPARs, and their role in the fabric of Miami’s history is significant.
“As a woman artist, or maybe just an artist, I feel very touched by the point of view we can have on history and how, in the end, it’s written by human beings. And some people will be highlighted, some won’t, but history is made by so many people whose names are forgotten.”
WHAT: “Reflection” at Ocean Terrace Park
WHEN: Open daily from sunrise to 10 p.m.
WHERE: 73rd Street and Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music, and more. Don’t miss a story at www.artburstmiami.com.
Miami art critic Elisa Turner's book, "Miami's Art Boom" is a reflection on decades of the city’s art scene. It recently was was selected as a Gold medal winner in the 2025 Florida Book Awards.
Dennis Scholl Explores Collective Memory and Space in ‘A Day of Four Sunsets’
Written By Michelle F. Solomon November 4, 2025 at 11:24 AM
With his latest exhibition, “A Day of Four Sunsets,” at the Hollywood Art and Culture Center, Dennis Scholl continues his ongoing inquiry into collective memory through assemblages, this time with an eye toward space exploration. (Photo by Marco Bellochio)
Dennis Scholl’s art work from his first U.S. solo show in Miami, in March of 2025, tapped into a multitude of memories from different eras – some of what was included were three dodecagon newspaper triptychs of President John F. Kennedy’s 1963 assassination, ephemera from the 1972 Munich Olympics with the original Olympic torch as its centerpiece, and a collection of Charles Dickens’ paperbacks from 1895.
With his latest exhibition, “A Day of Four Sunsets,” at the Hollywood Art and Culture Center, Scholl continues his ongoing inquiry into collective memory through assemblages, this time with an eye toward space exploration.
Untitled (Kapton Foil), 2024, acquired objects. A small sculptural work arranged with a dodecagonal framework incorporating Kapton foil used on many missions to protect the capsule from overheating. (Photo by Marco Bellochio)
“These are not everyday objects, but they’re actual, real material from NASA that he’s using to tell the story of the space race,” says Jodi Sypher, curator at Hollywood Art and Culture Center.
Over the past decade, the avid collector, whose passion started with a bottle cap collection when he was five years old, gathered NASA-related memorabilia—photographs, patches, declassified documents, vintage press clippings, and diagrams.
Untitled (Russian Rations), 2024, acquired objects. n assemblage on a plinth featuring Russian space food used on the International Space Station. (Photo Marco Bellachio)
“When I started thinking about the show, I began to ask myself, ‘What memories are out there? What memories can I look to?’ Because that’s such a big part of my practice,” says the Miami Beach-based artist.
There should also be a throughline, he decided, one with subtle shades of optimism. The idea soon began to take shape.
“What’s the seminal moment of the space program? Of course, man landing on the moon. But there was also that moment when John Glenn blasted off to become the first person to orbit the Earth. He did three revolutions, starting at sunset. In four hours and 55 minutes, he saw the sun set four times. When he came back, that was all he could talk about. He didn’t care that he was the first guy to circle the Earth—he just kept saying, ‘You can’t believe what that’s like.’”
It became the inspiration for the name of the show. As curator, Sypher says she worked with Scholl on the themes: “Liftoff and ascent, orbit and observation, and re-entry and reflection. It is laid out to tell a story. Within each, there are those themes.”
With Scholl’s background as a documentary filmmaker—he’s made 87 films and won more than 20 regional Emmy Awards—Sypher says the exhibition unfolds much like a documentary. “Each artwork acts as a single frame, incorporating both light and sound.” In her essay about the exhibition, she writes: “Like a skilled cinematographer, he draws the viewer in for a closer look, revealing the stories hidden within.”
Untitled (Tang): An original 1960s bottle of Tang powdered orange drink, surrounded by twelve scoops of current day Tang orange powder. (Photo by Marco Bellochio)
Scholl again turns to the dodecagon, which Sypher notes not only frames the objects but “suggests the passage of time.”
Using the geometric shape as a structural element, Scholl intentionally draws on the associations with time, order, and continuity.
“It’s an orbital type of idea. Something that goes around and around. It’s mostly about time, right? Hours on a clock, months in a year, the signs of the Zodiac,” says the artist.
Sypher concludes it is a “powerful technique and method for conceptual art making.”
Scholl uses the symmetry of 12 differently in “Untitled (Tang).” A six-foot by six-foot platform was built where stacks of the orange powdered drink are placed on a dark blue background and organized in a circle around a bottle of Tang.
“When I was a kid, I drank more Tang than anything else because that’s what the astronauts did,” says the artist. The drink mix, made by General Foods, was used during the Gemini space mission in the mid-1960s. As is part of his art-making, he went on the hunt for an original bottle even after discovering that the drink is still made. In order for the piece to be authentic, it had to incorporate the original bottle and design from the 1960s.
“His three-dimensional works are very exciting,” says Sypher.
Jodi Sypher, curator at Hollywood Art and Culture Center, with Dennis Scholl discussing “A Day of Four Sunsets” running through Sunday, Jan. 4. (Photo by Marco Bellochio)
The exhibition includes hanging sculptures fashioned from space gloves, alongside works incorporating View-Masters—cultural relics that invite viewers to peer into miniature images of the universe.
He was also able to acquire Russian space food – “actual Russian rations used in space” and a “decent size of Kapton,” a foil used on spacecraft for radiation shielding. “These are the original pieces of foil that were actually on the capsule of Apollo 15 as it came back to Earth and kept it from burning up.” The small, sculptural work using the foil is arranged within a dodecagonal framework.
“Years of collecting and evaluating objects have made Scholl’s eye incredibly discerning,” said Larry Ossei-Mensah, who curated last March’s Piero Atchugarry Gallery in Miami.
But not everything in the show is bright and shiny. He includes “Untitled (Tragedy),” New York Daily News’ front pages of the 1986 Challenger disaster, which also appeared in his Miami show.
Six identical Daily News newspapers, displaying the contrails of the exploded Challenge spacecraft, where seven astronauts were lost. This was included in Dennis Scholl’s first U.S. solo exhibition, too, in Miami. (Photo courtesy of Dennis Scholl)
“It was another thing I wanted to consider – that globally and as a country, we want to chase and master this technology but, on the way, there are real costs and there are real difficulties,” says Scholl. “I wanted to show the difference between man’s technology, the technological achievement, and the price you pay for obtaining that achievement.”
Sypher adds that Scholl’s work fits seamlessly within the educational mission of the Hollywood Art and Culture Center. “We’re excited about both the science and space exploration aspects, as well as the mathematical component of the dodecagon framing. But more than that, his work is just a great fit for the center overall.”
Hanging View-Masters, cultural relics, invite viewers to peer into miniature images of the universe. (Photo by Marco Bellochio)
The exhibition coincides with the Hollywood Arts Hub, which officially opened on Nov. 2, a recent expansion of the Hollywood Art and Culture Center, which will provide more space for the center’s arts and community activities. Construction of the Arts Hub was funded by the City of Hollywood through funding from a 2019 General Obligation Bond that was approved by city voters in a special election.
In addition to Scholl’s exhibition, two other artists have works on display, including Miami Beach–based Felice Grodin’s “Where Do I Go From Here?,” which features intricate ink drawings on translucent Mylar that blend architectural structure and surreal imagination. Miami-based artist Brian Reedy is presenting “Gothic Pop Prints,” custom linoleum block prints with a Lizzie Borden theme inspired by Thinking Cap Theatre’s “Lizzie the Musical,” which was presented at the center.
WHAT: Dennis Scholl: “A Day of Four Sunsets.”
WHERE: Hollywood Art and Culture Center, 1650 Harrison St., Hollywood
WHEN: Through Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. Gallery hours: Tuesday by appointment, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday; noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
COST: $10 general admission, $5 seniors ages 65 or older, students with valid school ID, and children ages 13 to 17; free admission for members, children 12 and younger, teachers and active military personnel with valid ID.
ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music and more. Don’t miss a story at www.artburstmiami.com.
Miami art critic Elisa Turner's book, "Miami's Art Boom" is a reflection on decades of the city’s art scene. It recently was was selected as a Gold medal winner in the 2025 Florida Book Awards.
Doral International Art Fair Goes Beyond Visual This Year
Written By Megan Fitzgerald November 1, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Venezuelan artist Sydia Reyes’ sculptures will be exhibited at the Doral International Art Fair held at the Doral Cultural Arts Center starting Thursday, Nov. 6 through Sunday, Nov. 9. (Photo courtesy of Sydia Reyes)
The Doral International Art Fair was created in 2023 as a way to bring contemporary art beyond Miami’s galleries and into downtown Doral. This year, sound activation and virtual reality, along with contemporary art, highlight the Doral International Art Fair.
The art fair is free to attend at the Doral Cultural Arts Center beginning Thursday, Nov. 6 through Sunday, Nov. 9.
“We don’t want to compete with Miami Art Week [which is held Dec. 2 through 7 this year] —we want to complement it,” said curator Adriana Meneses. “This is a place where families, collectors, and new audiences can all experience high-quality art together.”
Visitors explore gallery booths during the 2024 Doral International Art Fair at the Doral Cultural Arts Center. (Photo courtesy of Doral International Art Fair)
The art fair is directed by Jesús Alberto Fuenmayor and curated by Meneses, along with Félix Suazo, an art critic and professor at Universidad Nacional Experimental de las Artes and art critic, and Luis Gómez Rincón, a visual artist and architect, who have led the event since its inception, in partnership with the city of Doral.
“It’s not just visual—there’s sound, performance, even smell in some spaces,” said Meneses. “We wanted it to be a living experience, not a static one.”
Meneses said that one of the most exciting additions to this year’s fair is “Solaris Galaxy Park and Museum,” an immersive installation that combines art, storytelling, and virtual reality. Up to 20 visitors at a time can use the virtual reality headsets to explore an imaginary solar-powered city on the moon. Astronaut costumes will be available for children to dress the part as they step into the virtual city. A companion comic book, created by artist and project founder Andreina Fuentes Angarita, will also debut at the fair.
Fuentes Angarita, a Venezuelan artist living in Miami and creator of “Solaris Galaxy Park & Museum,” said that the exhibit is to make art a family experience.
“It is a wonderful family adventure that you can’t miss,” she said. “And the storytelling has a beautiful message for all communities about listening to nature, about listening to each other, and about how to protect the earth because it could disappear.”
“Solaris Galaxy Park & Museum” is an immersive art and technology project by Andreína Fuentes Angarita that will be featured at the 2025 Doral International Art Fair. (Photo courtesy of Doral International Art Fair)
Children can play, families can explore together and learn about energy, ecology, and the planet’s future.
The installation uses video projections, interactive sound, and virtual landscapes.
“It’s like visiting the moon without leaving Doral,” said Fuentes Angarita.
The fair also includes discussion panels, concerts, book presentations, and live painting by Venezuelan caricaturist RAYMA, along with sound art activations by the Primal Ensemble and Muu Blanco, performance art by Ilian Arvelo, and guided tours.
“We have performances, sound art, installations, sculptures, and paintings,” said Meneses. “There’s always something happening inside and outside, so people can enjoy the fair in different ways. The idea is that art isn’t distant — it’s part of the community experience.”
Local and international galleries will present work at the fair, including Miami International Fine Arts, a Miami-based gallery and arts institution, as well as galleries from Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela and Russia.
Among the exhibiting artists are Venezuelan American sculptor Sydia Reyes, whose pieces explore transformation and identity, and the late Colombian abstract sculptor Edgar Negret, known for geometric sculptures made from industrial materials that depict natural forms such as the sun and flowers.
Curators Félix Suazo, left, and Adriana Meneses speak during a panel at the 2024 Doral International Art Fair. (Photo courtesy of Doral International Art Fair)
“Exhibiting at DIAF means reaffirming my commitment to art and to the power of art as a universal language,” said Reyes. “This fair has an integrative spirit; it brings together artists from different generations and backgrounds in a shared space of encounter, which I find truly valuable.”
Reyes said that free admission to the fair is a way to make art more accessible.
“Art gives us the opportunity to see the world from another angle, and that’s something everyone should experience,” she said.
Meneses said the goal is for every visitor to take something away from the art fair — whether it’s a new artwork or connecting with the arts community.
“People can come, see, and if they want, they can buy something and take a piece of art home,” she said. “But even if they don’t, they leave with the experience.”
WHAT: Doral International Art Fair
WHEN: Noon to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6 through Sunday, Nov. 9
WHERE: Doral Cultural Arts Center, 8363 NW 53rd St., Doral
ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music, and more. Don’t miss a story at www.artburstmiami.com.
Miami art critic Elisa Turner's book, "Miami's Art Boom" is a reflection on decades of the city’s art scene. It recently was was selected as a Gold medal winner in the 2025 Florida Book Awards.
The Woman Behind The Freedom Tower’s ‘Voices of Miami’ Photographs
Written By Michelle F. Solomon October 31, 2025 at 7:46 PM
“Voices of Miami” is a permanent exhibition inside the newly restored and reopened Freedom Tower at Miami Dade College on Biscayne Boulevard. (Photo courtesy of Miami Dade College)
Clara Toro began her quest to create a photographic archive of immigrants and the Miami neighborhoods like Allapattah, Wynwood, and Little Haiti before they disappeared due to gentrification.
It was those stories in pictures that got her noticed and commissioned, in a sense, as the photographic historian for “Voices of Miami,” a permanent exhibition in the recently reopened, restored Freedom Tower at Miami Dade College
The photos are a companion to the community-driven oral history project, led by the Museum of Art and Design (MOAD), the museum of Miami Dade College, in partnership with the MDC Archives.
Clara Toro photographing her subjects for the “Voices of Miami” permanent exhibition at the Freedom Tower. (Photo courtesy of Miami Dade College)
The Freedom Tower Oral History Archive captured the voices that helped to tell the story of the historic landmark, which originally served as the headquarters for the Miami News daily newspaper and later as a processing center for more than 650,000 Cuban exiles.
Toro’s subjects are from all walks of life and they were selected from those who participated in the oral history project. There are 350 black and white photographs in the “Voices of Miami” exhibition.
She wanted to have her subjects be the focus, so she grabbed with what she said is her “favorite Leica camera” paired with a 90 mm lens, and got to work.
The photos are all black and white. “I wanted the photographs to be timeless and I felt with color it would add a sense of the time when they were made and didn’t want that.” But there was another thought Toro said she had when deciding how to portray the people. The idea of an identity card or passport photo came to mind.
“I think that is something that is very important about the immigrant (experience) – it is the passport photo or the photo that is taken for any sort of identity card. I wanted to make a commentary about those photos – the ones with the white background that do not specialize. They just identify us as immigrants, right?”
She said when she first began the project she had a vision that each portrait would be somewhat serious. “I would tell people not to smile because I wanted something more sober. And then I realized that I was not honoring their beautiful spirit. After the first 10 portraits, I realized it was very important for people to smile. Many of them had asked me if they could.”
Miami Dade College commissioned Clara Toro to take all of the photos for “Voices of Miami” permanent exhibition inside the newly restored and reopened Freedom Tower on Biscayne Boulevard. The subjects were selected from the community Oral History Project. (Photo courtesy of Miami Dade College)
She also wanted her photos to be kept simple. “I didn’t want people to arrive dressed up,” said Toro. “I think the photos are honest. I wanted for people to look at them and be curious and wonder about the subjects, what was going through their minds, what were their dreams or their fears. In some of them, you see a little bit of fear. In some of them, you see joy. You see pride. Different emotions from different people. And I hope I was able to convey that.”
The focus would be on her subjects, plain backgrounds, and not on anything else. She would tell the people she was going to photograph that it would just be them in the picture. But one time she had to make an exception.
One woman brought something that she merely wanted to share with Toro.
“This one lady came in with a tiny, tiny little dress that her mother had made. She said she wanted to show it to me. And the fabric, the fabric was really beautiful. It looked, of course, old and yellow and worn. But it was hers. And she told me that she had worn that dress when she arrived to the States. And that her mother had saved it.”
Toro shared that she doesn’t like to photograph people with any sort of objects. But in this case, she said, she had to.
There is only one photo where someone is holding an object in “Voices of Miami,” a dress made by a mother that the small girl wore when she came to the States. (Photo courtesy of Miami Dade College)
“It was so very touching — the way she held it and the story behind it, how her mother had made it, and her mother no longer being alive. So I broke the rule and it might be the only photograph(in ‘Voices of Miami’) that has an object. But sometimes you just gotta roll,” she said.
Toro didn’t start her career as a photographer. She said that came later in life.
Born in Medellin, Colombia, she studied industrial design there. “Then the 1980s happened. I left Colombia.” She said she remembers it being “all Pablo Escobar and bombs and people dead on the street. It was very violent. So, my parents told me I should go because it was so dangerous.”
She applied and got a scholarship to the University of Montreal and there received a master’s degree in industrial design and marketing. She married while in Montrela and moved to New York and then came to Miami.
“I decided I wanted to raise my kids, so I became an art teacher in an elementary school for 15 years.” At a Montessori school in Key Biscayne ,she taught art, then second and third grade.
When she turned 50 and her kids had grown, she decided to go back to “her passion,” which was photography. “Being a photographer when I was in Colombia was not going to be an accepted profession for my parents So, I thought to myself, ‘I am 50 now, I paid my dues.’”
Photographer Clara Toro has been documenting Miami neighborhoods that she believes will eventually disappear due to gentrification. (Photo courtesy of Clara Toro)
She took some photography courses and then went on to to get a master’s degree from PhotoEspaña.
“At my age, I knew it would be difficult to get a job as a documentary photographer,” she said, adding that there was a stint as a freelance photographer for the Wall Street journal.”
Now 60, she has spent time on a personal body of work and continues her longtime project of preserving in photography the people and places of Miami’s neighborhoods. She has been a resident artist at the Bakehouse Art Complex since 2018.
Toro feels like there’s more to continue, though, in the “Voices of Miami” project.
Clara Toro wanted her photos to focus only on the subjects and all of the photos are in black and white. (Photo courtesy of Miami Dade College)
“We have over 300, but I am hoping that we continue,” said Toro, since the oral history project continues to grow. “There hasn’t been a single day when I say I’m done. I guess by nature, I’m a storyteller, and I learned a lot and I enjoyed all of the stories about the people I photographed.”
WHAT: Freedom Tower at Miami Dade College
WHERE: 600 Biscayne Blvd., Miami
COST: $18 general admission, $17, children ages 7 to 18; $14, students and seniors over 62 years old with ID. Miami Dade College students and employees free.
ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music and more. Don’t miss a story at www.artburstmiami.com.
Miami art critic Elisa Turner's book, "Miami's Art Boom" is a reflection on decades of the city’s art scene. It recently was was selected as a Gold medal winner in the 2025 Florida Book Awards.
Heritage Trail Celebrates City of Opa-locka and Its Architectural Gems
Written By Carmen F de Terenzio October 27, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Phase II of the Opa-locka Heritage Trail will be unveiled on Saturday, Nov. 1, during a free, public event at the Opa-locka Museum of Art & History. (Photo by Alex Van Mecl)
It’s not every day that a city reintroduces itself, not through fanfare, but through attention. In Opa-locka, a place whose fantastical origin story has long overshadowed its tangible historic sites, 15 stops across its historic core is transforming the way the city is seen and felt.
The Heritage Trail reframes a place once imagined in minarets and myth, now made newly legible through restoration, storytelling, and design. Walking the trail reveals not only the whimsy of its architecture, but something more urgent: the sense that preserving beauty can spark belonging, and that beauty, in Opa-locka, might just be a beginning.
The trail was spearheaded by Alex Van Mecl, senior project manager at Ten North Group and founder of the Opa-locka Preservation Association, a grassroots effort he began after moving into a historic home in the city. “The original idea behind the association was to connect historic homeowners,” he says, “but it grew into something larger—a desire to bring a heritage program into the downtown district.”
The Heritage Trail, introduced to the public in April 2024, is the city’s first permanent historical display. Now its Phase II marks the debut of a companion piece: a printed and digital map that expands access to the trail’s sites. (Photo by Alex Van Mecl)
That vision crystallized after Van Mecl and his husband purchased a 1920s Moorish-style house on Jann Avenue. “I was swept away with imagination the moment I started researching the house,” he recalls. Through University of Miami archives, he found the original architectural drawings and learned about the families who had lived there. That curiosity led to an Instagram page, then a website, and ultimately, a movement. Within months of moving in, the house itself became part of the story—hosting more than 16 film and television productions, from music videos to a Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam edition cover shoot.
The Heritage Trail, introduced to the public in April 2024, is the city’s first permanent historical display. Now, Phase II of the Heritage Trail, is making its debut: a companion piece, which includes a printed and digital map that expands access to the trail’s sites. Supported in part by a grant from the Florida Division of Historical Resources and developed with Ten North and the City of Opa-locka, the trail now spans 15 sites, each with redesigned markers and a digital guide in English and Spanish. The trail is open to the public year-round, allowing visitors to explore the city’s architectural and cultural history at their own pace. The map will be officially unveiled on Saturday, Nov. 1, during a public event at the Opa-locka Museum of Art & History, where visitors can meet the map’s designer, receive a printed copy, and participate in downtown activities.
Opa-locka’s historic City Hall is indicative of the Arabian Nights-inspired architecture. (Photo by Alex Van Meci)
“It’s about permanence,” says Van Mecl. “And helping people understand a sense of place that creates emotional connection.” Ahead of Opa-locka’s centennial in 2026, the project invites new narratives to take shape, grounded in memory, and open to transformation.
When graphic artist Ana Maria Rodriguez was first introduced to Opa-locka, she was captivated not just by its architecture, but by the story behind it. A longtime Miami resident and two-time Emmy-winning co-producer for Univision’s Spanish-language news programming, Rodriguez approached the map with both design and documentary instincts. “What inspired me most was the magical origin of the city,” she says, “born from the imagination of a dreamer who refused to believe in limitations.” That dreamer was aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss, who in 1926 founded Opa-locka as a Moorish fantasy, drawing on “One Thousand and One Nights,” a collection of Arabic folktales, for its names, domes, and decorative flourishes.
Rodriguez translated that mythical history into the visual language of the guide. The city is depicted as a constellation of magic carpets floating through a starry sky, with tile patterns from the original train station worked into the layout.
The trail was spearheaded by Alex Van Mecl, senior project nanager at Ten North Group and founder of the Opa-locka Preservation Association. At right is graphic artist Ana Maria Rodriguez, who created a printed and digital map that expands access to the trail’s sites. (Photo by Juan Carlos Castillo)
“We wanted the map to be playful and artistic, not just functional,” she explains. “But it was also important to include architectural details that encourage discovery.” She solved the challenge of representing multiple neighborhoods on a single map by using isometric perspective—a technical choice that allowed the guide to feel both expansive and intimate. The result is a guide that invites visitors to explore, not just a city, but a story, stitched together by memory, myth, and texture.
The history behind that fantasy is equally compelling. Opa-locka’s origin story is inseparable from the frenzied development of South Florida in the 1920s. “To sell your subdivision, you needed a unique, attractive style,” explains Paul S. George, Ph.D., resident historian at HistoryMiami Museum. “Mediterranean and its variations dominated, but Opa-locka stood out with its Arabian Nights theme,” he says.
George Merrick leaned into Spanish Mediterranean for Coral Gables, while Miami Shores favored Italianate flourishes. Glenn Curtiss chose something entirely different: minarets and tilework, blending fantasy with futurism in a city unlike any other.
For historian Paul S. George, the Heritage Trail and new museum offer more than context—they serve as entry points into Opa-locka’s layered legacy. (Photo courtesy of HistoryMiami Museum)
For George, the Heritage Trail and new museum offer more than context—they serve as entry points into Opa-locka’s layered legacy. “They help explain the uniqueness of Opa-locka’s style, and the remarkable ambition of its founder,” he says. That ambition lives on in the preserved facades and reimagined spaces, offering a portal into both the city’s past and its aspirations for the future.
Projects like the Heritage Trail do more than restore facades; they restore continuity. In a city as rapidly changing as Miami, the act of slowing down to preserve, narrate, and walk through the past becomes a form of belonging. For Opa-locka, whose Moorish Revival architecture is unlike anything else in the region, that belonging is also a kind of reawakening. “These landmarks make people believe the city cares about itself,” says Van Mecl.
When graphic artist Ana Maria Rodriguez was first introduced to Opa-locka, she was captivated not just by its architecture, but by the story behind it. (Photo by Juan Carlos Castillo)
“It creates a ripple effect—people feel pride, and that pride translates into business, safety, and beauty.” As Rodriguez observes, understanding history becomes “an act of connection, an invitation to feel at home in the ever-evolving place we call our own.” Here, preservation is not nostalgia. It is strategy, imagination, and love made visible.
WHAT: New Heritage Guide and Map Experience (printed and digital), with meet-the-artist event featuring map designer Ana Maria Rodriguez
WHERE: Opa-locka Museum of Art & History, 490 Ali Baba Avenue, Opa-locka
ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music and more. Don’t miss a story at www.artburstmiami.com.
Miami art critic Elisa Turner's book, "Miami's Art Boom" is a reflection on decades of the city’s art scene. It recently was was selected as a Gold medal winner in the 2025 Florida Book Awards.
MOAD Art Exhibition Another Reason To Visit Newly Reopened Freedom Tower
Written By Douglas Markowitz October 24, 2025 at 11:34 AM
The Museum of Art and Design at Miami-Dade College, which has made its home in the Freedom Tower since 2012, returns with a new art exhibition, “We Carry Our Homes With Us,” tying into the building’s legacy as a gateway for migration. (Photo by Oriol Tarridas, courtesy of MOAD)
After a two year, $25 million restoration, Freedom Tower has reopened in downtown Miami just in time for its centennial – and so has its resident art museum. The Museum of Art and Design at Miami-Dade College, which has made its home in the historic landmark since 2012, returns with a new art exhibition tying into the building’s legacy as a gateway for migration.
“We Carry Our Homes With Us” takes its name and concept from the eponymous memoir by Cuban-American author Marisela Vega, who herself came through Freedom Tower with her family upon arriving in the United States, later settling in Minnesota.
Vega’s experience is shared with countless Cuban Americans. According to Maria Carla Chicuen, executive director of cultural affairs for Miami-Dade College, many returning visitors to the tower after its renovation had been processed at the tower through the Cuban Refugee Center in the 1960s and ‘70s.
Several of the works in the show come from artists such as José Bedia, Felix González-Torres, and Ana Mendieta, who were born in Cuba and later immigrated. (Photo by Oriol Tarridas, courtesy of MOAD)
“We have been so excited to see the overwhelming positive response from the community,” she says. “It has been very emotional to see so many people coming in. We’ve had families. We’ve had people who participated in the oral history interviews that we’ve recorded for the past two years and have informed the exhibits. We’ve had everything from tears to people meeting for the first time on a tour and leaving as friends, taking photos together.”
That lived experience also extends to the exhibition itself. Several of the works in the show come from José Bedia, Felix González-Torres, and Ana Mendieta were born in Cuba and later immigrated. But the cast of artists also features non-immigrants such as Rashid Johnson and locals including Tomm El-Saieh, Joel Gaitan, and Yanira Collado.
That diversity is intentional according to Amy Galpin, executive director and head curator of MOAD..
“I wanted to make sure that the exhibition gave a nod to the incredibly powerful history of this space,” she says. “At the same time, I wanted to include a broad cross-section of artists in the exhibition, both artists who live here in Miami and artists who live in other places, and to have a conversation about memory, place, material culture – a lot of the works in the exhibition are tied to material culture in some way.”
“We Carry Our Homes With Us” takes its name from the memoir by Cuban-American author Marisela Vega, who immigrated to the U.S. through Freedom Tower. (Photo by Oriol Tarridas, courtesy of MOAD)
Artworks utilizing physical objects are a key factor in the show, with Galpin wanting to explore the ways in which specific objects are given meaning. Some of these do not relate specifically to migration: One of González-Torres’ famous candy works, consisting of a pile of hard candies that visitors are allowed to take from, features in the show, for instance. González-Torres’ began his “candy works” oeuvre after the death of his partner and the gradual depletion of the candy pile was a metaphor for the deterioration of the body from AIDS. Though often seen as an allegory for the AIDS crisis, in the context of the MOAD show the piece can take on a different interpretation.
Other works such as a Rashid Johnson painting made from wood marked with scorched patterns and tar speak to the ways in which migration can be an involuntary process. The materiality of the work references ships on the Transatlantic slave trade that brought kidnapped Africans to the Americas.
The show also introduces the museum’s redesigned interiors, which were refreshed along with the wider renovation of the building. Floors three and four have been opened as exhibition space for the first time, and new accessibility and wayfinding improvements have been made, including new elevators and staircases.
Declared a National Historic Landmark in 2008, it has gone through several incarnations since it was completed in 1925. Originally the headquarters of the Miami News newspaper, who moved out in 1957, the building earned its current name as headquarters for the Cuban Assistance Program from 1962 to 1974.
Artworks utilizing physical objects are a key factor in the show, with curator Amy Galpin wanting to explore the ways in which specific objects are given meaning. (Photo by Oriol Tarridas, courtesy of MOAD)
The building changed hands and mostly sat derelict until 1997 when it was purchased by controversial businessman and political figure Jorge Mas Canosa, whose death two months later left his son, now-billionaire and Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas Santos, to develop it into a center for Cuban heritage. During this period the building hosted a memorial for legendary salsa singer Celia Cruz, who lay in state there after her death in 2003.
Miami-Dade College took control in 2005, fully restoring the building and converting it into its current form as a home for the college’s cultural programs. Now, after another restoration, the tower is once again ready to become a beacon of both freedom and artistry.
WHAT: “We Carry Our Homes With Us”
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Through Jan. 11, 2026.
WHERE: Museum of Art and Design at Miami-Dade College, Freedom Tower, 600 Biscayne Blvd., Miami
COST: $18 for general admission; $14 for seniors; $12 for students with ID and children ages 7-18; free for MDC students and employees with ID, children 6 and under, active U.S. military and veterans, and disabled visitors and caregivers.
ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music, and more. Don’t miss a story at www.artburstmiami.com.
Miami art critic Elisa Turner's book, "Miami's Art Boom" is a reflection on decades of the city’s art scene. It recently was was selected as a Gold medal winner in the 2025 Florida Book Awards.
Art and Technology Bring Leonardo Da Vinci To Life at Frost Science Museum
Written By Douglas Markowitz October 10, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Masterpieces such as Leonardo Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper’ are explored in The Frost Science Museum’s “Leonardo – 500 Years of Genius” on view through Sunday, April 5. (Photo courtesy of Grande Experiences)
Few individuals have been able to blend artistry and science together as well as Leonardo Da Vinci. An artist as well as an architect, inventor, and philosopher, the Italian typified the idea of the “Renaissance Man,” helping to usher in an era of renewed interest in technology, discovery, and creativity at the close of the Middle Ages. Not only did Da Vinci produce some of the most famous and influential artworks of all time – the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, the Vitruvian Man – he also devised flying machines, made comprehensive studies of human anatomy, and documented countless scientific observations.
“Leonardo – 500 Years of Genius,” the Frost Science Museum’ latest Da Vinci exhibition which opened on Saturday, Oct. 4, follows its last Da Vinci exhibition in 2018 with an updated, immersive presentation.
“I think what’s so unique about ‘500 Years of Genius’ is that it tells the story of Leonardo Da Vinci very beautifully,” says Analisa Duran, senior director of science education at Frost Science. The show is produced by Grande Experiences, an Australia-based company that has specialized in immersive experiences since 2011.
The “Mona Lisa Revealed” section of the exhibition uses imagery captured by special multi-spectral camera equipment. (Photo courtesy of Grande Experiences)
“It talks about his work in engineering, anatomy, as an artist, as a scientist, and it tells that story in an immersive way. And that’s very different from what we had before.”
Rob Kirk, head of touring experiences at Grande, says it’s the focus on storytelling that creates an emotional journey for the visitor.
“We very much take a curatorial approach.”
The exhibition is produced with assistance from the Museo Leonardo Da Vinci, a private institution headquartered in Rome at the Casa Poppolo. After analyzing the roughly 6,000 extant pages of Da Vinci’s notebooks in which he drew his many inventions, the Museo employed artisans to create physical replicas of many of Da Vinci’s conceptual machines, including flying machines and armored vehicles. These models, some of which are interactive, form about 50 percent of the exhibition, according to Kirk.
Technology also ups the ante on the exhibition experience.
Full-scale replicas of many of Da Vinci’s concept designs for machines are on display, such as this armored vehicle. (Photo courtesy of Frost Science Museum)
Much in the way Da Vinci lived at a time of significant scientific progress and disruption, the producers of “Leonardo” are using new innovations to deepen their explorations of the master’s work. Along with the Museo Da Vinci, Grande established an exclusive partnership with Pascal Cotte, a French scientist who made a multi-decade study of the “Mona Lisa” after the Louvre Museum invited him to make scans of the painting in 2004.
Using a special multi-spectral camera to analyze the artwork, Cotte’s imagery reveals unprecedented hidden details beneath the painting’s surface, such as a previously unknown sketch the artist drew prior to finishing the painting.
The images form the backbone of “Mona Lisa Revealed,” a section of the show dedicated to the famous painting. Projected onto walls, they display the hidden layers and details uncovered by Cotte on a large scale. It may be a better way to experience the Mona Lisa than actually visiting the Louvre, where one must fight with crowds just to glimpse the small, dark painting behind bulletproof glass.
Many displays at the Da Vinci exhibition are interactive. (Photo courtesy of Grand Experiences)
Other experiences in the show, which is broken into 16 sections that each explore one of Da Vinci’s many disciplines, include a large-scale projection of The Last Supper; a Vitruvian Man display where one can compare their own form to the famous anatomical sketch; and blow-ups of the polymath’s famously detailed sketchbooks.
The show arrives at a time in which the market for immersive exhibitions has exploded, with everything from sophisticated digital art displays from legitimate organizations like teamLab to more pedestrian shows that focus on projection-mapping.
Kirk admits that the genre has been somewhat diluted by the boom.
“It’s the reason why we’ve been kind of very careful about selecting who and where we work with in the presentation of our experiences, because there isn’t (anything) stopping anyone from renting a space downtown and turning it into what they perceive to be an immersive experience.”
Miami’s Frost Science Museum’s “Leonardo – 500 Years of Genius” is on display through Sunday, April 5, 2026. (Photo courtesy of Frost Science Museum)
The full-scale physicality and digital innovation of “500 Years of Genius” presents a mix of art and science. More than most other artists, Da Vinci’s work is perfectly compatible with the Frost Museum of Science.
WHAT: “Leonardo: 500 Years of Genius”
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Through Sunday, April 5, 2026.
WHERE: Philip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, 1101 Biscayne Blvd., Miami
COST: $34.95 and $29.95, ; $26.95 and $24.95, ages four to 11, admission free for children 3 and younger. Free admission for museum members.
ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music, and more. Don’t miss a story at www.artburstmiami.com.
Miami art critic Elisa Turner's book, "Miami's Art Boom" is a reflection on decades of the city’s art scene. It recently was was selected as a Gold medal winner in the 2025 Florida Book Awards.
Written By Jonel Juste September 1, 2025 at 5:44 PM
A trilingual poem made from recycled materials is part of “Poetry on the Plaza,” on display through Sunday, Sept. 21 at MOCA North Miami. (Photo by Daniel Bock)
Poetry is typically found in books, its words inked onto the page to stir emotions such as love and passion. However, in the case of “Poetry on the Plaza,” it sometimes appears on public walls, crafted from recycled materials to raise awareness about environmental issues.
Since July, MOCA Plaza in North Miami has been the host of the public walls adorned with trilingual poems made from recycled plastic. The installation remains on view at Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) North Miami through Sunday, Sept. 21.
The installation, Poetry on the Plaza, was created by artist and designer Nathan Justice Moyer, founder of the nonprofit Free Plastic. With support from O, Miami and MOCA North Miami, the initiative invited community members to collect discarded plastic, repurpose it into letters, and form poems in English, Haitian Creole, and Spanish.
“As an artist, I explore the wasted potential of discarded materials, transforming waste into both creation and solution,” says Moyer.
Nathan Justice Moyer is the creator of the Poetry on the Plaza installation and founder of the nonprofit Free Plastic. (Photo by Daniel Bock)
Moyer explains that the project is part of the broader Plastic Poetry program, launched in 2020, which merges cleanups, poetry workshops, and public art. The program has produced more than 30 installations across South Florida, each one written by members of the community where it is displayed.
“At each location, our mission is to educate the local community about the environmental impacts of plastic, to activate the community with a cleanup, to engage participants in a poetry-generative workshop, and to celebrate their work by selecting a poem written by a community member,” he says.
For the MOCA installation, three North Miami residents contributed poems: Angela Delgado, Jennifer Kramer, and Rebeca Lugo Carrillo.
One of the poems reads, “I feel like I could stretch out my arms and hug this city” in English; “Mwen santi mwen ka louvri bra mwen e anbrase vil sa a” in Haitian Creole; and “Siento que podría extender mis brazos y abrazar esta ciudad” in Spanish.
“The quick answer here is simply, inclusion,” says Moyer of the trilingual approach. “Through the presentation of the three poems in three of North Miami’s commonly spoken languages, I hope to demonstrate the idea that there is no linguistic hierarchy, that no language is superior to another.”
Kimari Jackson, curatorial assistant at MOCA, says the choice to display poetry on the museum’s exterior aligns with its mission to connect with the community.
“As an art museum, we tend to focus on the visual arts and I think it is important for MOCA to display poetry as it shows there are many forms of art, not just the visual,” says Jackson. “It allows MOCA to highlight these different forms, especially those that incorporate MOCA’s community.”
For the O, Miami, Poetry Festival the collaboration was a natural extension of its mission to bring poetry into public life.
One of the poems from the Poetry on the Plaza installation, written in English, Haitian Creole, and Spanish, is titled “Feel, Siento, Santi.” It is a ZipOde, a poetic form created by O, Miami that structures each line according to the digits of a U.S. ZIP code. (Photo by Daniel Bock)
“O, Miami has collaborated with Nate and Free Plastic to produce Plastic Poetry since 2020,” says Caroline Cabrera, artistic director of O, Miami. “Plastic Poetry is deeply rooted in place, both through the sustainability efforts of upcycling plastic waste and the poetic action of publishing resident work in public spaces.”
She added that seeing community poems elevated in a museum setting was particularly meaningful. “It’s exhilarating to see resident work elevated in this way,” says Cabrera. “Poetry can live anywhere. Over the years we’ve put poetry on buses, benches, parking tickets, fruit stickers, fence wraps—the list goes on. What feels most special about Poetry on the Plaza is seeing poetry adopted by a major art institution and validated as a fine art alongside the works displayed inside the museum.”
Workshops encouraged participants to write in the languages most natural to them, often leading to hybrid forms that reflected Miami’s cultural mix. “The results are often surprising and delightful—Spanglish, Creolish, Frenchlish poems that play with hybrid languages the way so many Miamians do in their day-to-day lives,” says Cabrera.
By turning plastic into poetry, the project not only gives voice to community expression but also confronts the urgent issue of waste. Nearly 50 pounds of discarded plastic were repurposed for the MOCA installation.
“Art allows us a space to question, to explore,” says Moyer. “Through a community art project like this, art is a catalyst. We engage viewers to reconsider their preconceptions about plastic and its environmental impact. We demonstrate that this material should not be blindly discarded after just one use.”
According to Caroline Cabrera, artistic director of O, Miami, “Plastic Poetry is deeply rooted in place, both through the sustainability of upcycling plastic waste and the poetic action of publishing resident work in public spaces.” (Photo by Chantal Lawrie)
Cabrera echoes that perspective, noting that sustainability and poetry are deeply connected in the project. “Our approach to poetry is inherently tied to place and to a sense of responsibility for the stewardship of this place,” she says.
For MOCA, the project was also an opportunity to deepen ties with its community through workshops and cleanups, including one at North Miami Senior High. “Plastic Poetry and Free Plastic is all about community engagement, and the community is what makes the installation,” according to Jackson.
Since its inception, the Plastic Poetry program has expanded across South Florida, from Homestead to Boca Raton, and continues to grow. MOCA’s Poetry on the Plaza is its latest installation, with others planned for Everglades National Park and Westchester.
“Each year we add a few more installations throughout South Florida, and we aim to reach new communities with each one,” says Moyer.
Poetry on the Plaza will remain on view at MOCA North Miami through September 21, 2025.
WHAT: Poetry on the Plaza
WHEN: Through Sunday, Sept. 21.
WHERE: Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), 770 NE 125 St., North Miami
ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music, and more. Don’t miss a story at www.artburstmiami.com.
Miami art critic Elisa Turner's book, "Miami's Art Boom" is a reflection on decades of the city’s art scene. It recently was was selected as a Gold medal winner in the 2025 Florida Book Awards.
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