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OFFICE OF THE CHAIR
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

CHAIRMAN JOE A. MARTINEZ

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 4, 2005
CONTACT:          Gilbert Cabrera, 305-970-1897 (cell) or
                                Esther Abolila, 305-552-1155

COMMISSION CHAIRMAN JOE A. MARTINEZ TO UNVEIL MURAL AT COUNTY HALL THAT CELEBRATES DIVERSITY OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

Mural designed by popular local artist, coordinated by Community Relations Board

MIAMI – On Thursday, January 6, Miami-Dade County Commission Chairman Joe A. Martinez, fellow County Commissioners, officials from the Miami-Dade Community Relations Board (CRB) and local artist Xavier Cortada will host an unveiling and dedication ceremony for Our Community (is like a Mangrove Forest), a mural designed by Cortada that will be permanently displayed at the Stephen P. Clark Government Center.

The 6.5’ x 17.5’ mural celebrates Miami-Dade County’s diversity and the contributions that each cultural segment has made by setting “roots” that interlink and support one another. The second phase of the mural is a display of written messages from residents of each of the 13 County commission districts. Chairman Martinez, along with Commissioners Sally A. Heyman, Bruno A. Barreiro, Rebeca Sosa and former Commissioner Jimmy L. Morales, contributed to the funding of the project out of their office funds. Cortada has exhibited his work in museums, galleries and cultural venues around the world, and has served as Artistic Director of various efforts sponsored by the Miami-Dade Art in Public Places program, including Master Peace (a school-based art project in Miami-Dade County Public Schools) and PATH (Public Art Transforming Housing).

“This mural is a beautiful depiction of how each of us in Miami-Dade County should reach out and support one another to build a stronger community,” said Chairman Martinez.

WHO: Commission Chairman Joe A. Martinez, participating County Commissioners, officials from the Miami-Dade Community Relations Board (CRB) and artist Xavier Cortada

WHAT: Unveiling and dedication ceremony for Our Community (is like a Mangrove Forest) mural

WHEN: Thursday, January 6, 2005 at approximately Noon (immediately following the County Commission Zoning meeting)

WHERE: Stephen P. Clark Center
111 N.W. First Street, 2^nd Floor Foyer

# # #

Click here to see an image of the
Our Community (is like a Mangrove Forest) mural.

Honorable Chairman Joe A. Martinez
Members of the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners
&
the Miami-Dade
Community Relations Board
present the unveiling of

Our Community
(is like a Mangrove Forest)

a site-specific mural by Miami artist
Xavier Cortada

on
January 6, 2005 at 12:00 noon
in the foyer of the
County Commission Chambers
111 NW 1^st Street, 2nd Floor
Miami, FL 33128

For more information please click here

Cortada used the metaphor of a mangrove forest in another recent local public art project:

Art Basel Miami Beach 2004
Miami Mangrove Forest

Xavier Cortada chose the image of the mangrove tree as the centerpiece of the Miami Mangrove Forest public art project to the transform clammy, dingy and dark places beneath Miami’s highways. Cortada decided to recreate the underpass' natural environment when the first European settlers arrived: a mangrove forest.

Miami is a young City. Instead of painting a full grown forest, Cortada chose to portray the mangrove early in its lifecycle of growth: a sea of floating seedlings readying to set their roots. Mangrove seedlings serve as a metaphor to honor the people who made the journey to Miami and decided to set their roots here. "We’ve all come from different places to make Miami our home," said Cortada, "much like a mangrove seed washes up and takes root on a Florida sandbar and helps builds new land where new life can take hold."

The mangrove roots symbolize the residents who have set roots in their neighborhood and built community. “Having this painted forest's roots spread across these different neighborhoods, depicts our interconnectedness,” stated the artist, “by reaching out to others, we build a stronger community, much like the walking feet of mangrove roots do to build formidable structures and nurture new life.”

Portraying the natural world in urban spaces is also important because it reminds us of what was here before all the concrete was poured. As generations and growth transform Miami, we as a people are grounded by nature, the one constant in this ever changing and wonderful city.

Fair takes art to the street with outdoor exhibits, by Daniel Chang. Published on December 3rd, 2004 in The Miami Herald (Miami, FL).

Art Basel to attract thousands of artists to South Beach, by Ginelle G. Torres. Published December 1, 2004 in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale, FL).

Xavier Cortada has exhibited his works in museums, galleries, and cultural venues around the world and has pioneered the use of the Internet in collaborative art-making. The Miami-based Cuban-American artist, attorney, and activist has worked collaboratively with diverse groups across the United States, Latin America, Europe and Africa to create pro-social community murals and participant-driven art projects.

Cortada has created art for:

The White House
The World Bank
The Florida Capitol
The Florida Supreme Court
Miami-Dade County Juvenile Courthouse
Miami-Dade Art in Public Places
Miami Art Museum
World AIDS Conferences
Nike

Email:
xavier@cortada.com