Mayor appoints Cortada as County’s First Artist-in-Residence

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava names Xavier Cortada Miami-Dade's Inaugural Artist-in-Residence

MIAMI ( August 08, 2022 ) — Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava named Miami-based artist Xavier Cortada as Miami-Dade County’s artist-in-residence. Cortada is a world-renowned artist, incorporating environmental protection, important issues impacting our community, and influences from his native Miami into his art. From his Pinecrest studio, Cortada’s work has appeared in the White House, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the World Bank, the Stephen P. Clark Center, and other venues around the county and the world. Cortada also served as chairman of the Miami-Dade Cultural Affairs Council. 

“Xavier’s work focuses on some of Miami-Dade’s most complex challenges, including climate change, sea level rise, and civic engagement,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “As our artist-in-residence, he will add a new perspective to the work we do in the county and beyond, to create more accessible and widespread arts and culture programming in the region.” 

“Through my art, I aim to grow a cadre of creative problem-solvers, driven by empathy and love of community,” said Xavier Cortada. “As the county’s artist-in-residence, I am excited to work with Mayor Levine Cava and her team in developing creative ways to engage, educate, and empower Miami-Dade residents to address important social and environmental concerns.” 

Cortada’s environmentally focused work challenges viewers to consider their impact on the world’s natural resources, as well as their personal role to play in environmental protection. His work is featured in the permanent collections of the Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), the NSU Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale, the Whatcom Museum, the Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum and the MDC Museum of Art + Design. From 2007-08, Cortada’s art was installed at the North and South Poles to draw attention to environmental destruction around the world.  

Together, Mayor Levine Cava and Xavier Cortada also unveiled the mayor’s official Miami-Dade Library System Poster. The poster, a tradition for Miami-Dade mayors, encourages residents and students to visit their local library and benefit from the resources available at libraries across the county. 

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