Hands On Miami is
coordinating a community-based art project designed to bring diverse communities together
by creating a mural. The Haitian American
Foundation and the Little Havana Activities and Nutrition Center both serve an elderly
immigrant population. We will involve their
members in a “Combit”/”Kombit”, preparatory sessions during
which members of the participating agencies will get to know each other through a
discussion of the visual images important to their culture and background. Art/intergenerational students from Miami Coral
Park Senior High School will be involved as translators.
The participants
will also discuss ideas they want reflected in the mural.
They will be asked a series of questions (somewhat like an oral history),
designed to learn more about each individual, focusing on similarities in the two
cultures. They will be encouraged to bring a
small personal object, which exemplifies that person’s expression of his/her culture.
The
artist/facilitator, Xavier Cortada, will then incorporate those points and objects into a
sketch of the proposed mural. All participants will then replicate these images on plywood
panels, painting and collaging the hundreds of personal items. The same process will take place in both
communities following the completion of the murals. Through
this joint effort a dialogue will be encouraged and, hopefully, better understanding will
result.
The visual
elements in this project are panels created by people representing two cultures. Through meetings, the oral history interviews and
artwork, we will bring to life the experiences of people in our community who span two
diverse cultures. The project will capture
the unique experiences of the current generation of Haitian and Hispanic immigrants,
exploring and recording the impact of migration on their lives as well as their recent
experiences in our community.
Miami is a city
composed of diverse immigrant groups, living together.
Much has been written about the differences of these communities. Our project will focus on similarities.
