FLOR500s a participatory art, nature, and history project created by Miami artist Xavier Cortada to commemorate Florida’s quincentennial in 2013. The project marks the importance of the moment when the history of our state changed forever and gives us a glimpse of what its landscape was like 500 years ago.

Five hundred Floridians are being invited to depict 500 native wildflowers – the same ones that grew in our state when Juan Ponce de Leon landed in 1513 and named it “La Florida”–from “flor,” the Spanish word for flower. The artwork, along with information about each flower, is being posted on the project website (www.FLOR500.com).

Cortada is inviting participants to transform his original drawing of a Florida wildflower on exhibit in the gallery into 100 living gardens. His drawing was cut into 100 tiled pieces; each tile comes with a packet of Florida wildflower seeds.  Participants are asked to take the drawing and seeds home and plant a garden dedicated to a Floridian that is special to them.  In the process not only will they pay tribute to someone special in their lives, but they will also help improve Florida’s biodiversity by growing native plants.

Cortada serves as Artist-in-Residence at Florida International University’s College of Architecture and The Arts.

Along with Cortada’s Tiled Drawings, is an accompanying exhibition curated by Prof. Bethany Taylor showcasing FLOR500 artists from North Central Florida.

for more information see http://www.arts.ufl.edu/galleries/calendar.aspx