LTC 420-2020 Art in Public Places Committee MotionsMIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC#
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
420-2020 LETTER T COMMISSION
Mayor Dan Gelber and Member of the City Co
Jimmy L. Morales, City Managèl
November 20, 2020
Art in Public Places Committee otions
The purpose of this letter to the Mayor and Commission is to provide an update regarding
two (2) motions made during the November 18, 2020 Art in Public Places ("AIPP")
committee meeting:
1. Motion to support a virtual temporary public art project, Earth Speakr, in
collaboration with Studio Olafur Eliasson.
The motion was made by Marcella Novela, seconded by Michael McManus, and approved
unanimously.
Launching during Art Week Miami Beach 2020, Earth Speakr, is a new interactive,
augmented reality, artwork by artist Olafur Eliasson amplifies kids' views on the future
wellbeing of the planet. The artwork invites adults and today's decision-makers, change-
makers, and global leaders to listen up to what kids have to say. Everyone can download
the Earth Speakr app and animate their environment using playful interactive technology.
Kids and young people below the voting age can choose to take part by giving their voice
and speak up for their local surroundings and for the planet. Their creative messages are
shared on www.earthspeakr.art and experienced on the app via Augmented Reality (AR).
To include as many people as possible, Eliassen and his studio developed a
predominantly digital artwork with the support of an extensive team including kids,
researchers, and other specialists. Earth Speakr is made available in the 24 official
languages of the European Union and can be accessed worldwide. In addition, the project
is partnering with a growing network of museums, libraries, and educational institutions,
such as the City of Miami Beach, to share the artwork online and in person when and
where possible in times of social distancing.
Funded by the Federal Foreign Office on the occasion of the German Presidency of the
Council of the European Union 2020 and realized in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut,
this project is being generously provided to the City of Miami Beach by Studio Olafur
Eliassen, as the official United States partner.
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2. Motion to support The Reefline Miami Beach proposal as a concept to promote
cultural and ecological tourism, create a unique art experience and elevate Miami
Beach's status as an international arts and culture destination.
The motion was made by Florencia Jimenez Marco, seconded by Michael McManus, and
approved unanimously.
The Reefline is an Underwater Sculpture Park and Snorkel Trail at a swimmable distance
from the shoreline of Miami Beach; eventually composed of 9 miles of artificial reefs
designed by the best contemporary artists, architects, scientists, and designers. The
Reefline will highlight Miami Beach as creative, forward thinking city that sets a global
standard as both art-minded and ecologically-conscious destination, while serving as a
resilient reef providing critical habitat for endangered organisms, forming a unique marine
sanctuary. The Reefline is an investment in the community's civic infrastructure, public
art, and environmental protection that will pay dividends over the coming decades by
protecting the shoreline, raising active awareness about our ocean, and attracting tourists
worldwide. Given the most recent summer fish kill in North Biscayne Bay, Miami's marine
ecosystem needs as much human support and attention as possible. The Reefline will
provide critical new habitat for reef fish in an area that was previously a sand desert largely
devoid of life, while demonstrating a proactive, progressive approach towards
conservation that highlights the diversity that Miami harbors under the waterline.
After winning the Knight Arts Challenge in 2019, Bluelab Preservation Society has
managed to match fundraising goals with a donation from the Blvatnik Foundation and is
currently in the permitting process for the first phase of deployment off South Beach in
November 2021. A coastal engineering firm, Cummins Cederberg, has been contracted
and has conducted underwater surveys of the area to be permitted. Pre-permit meetings
have been conducted with Miami-Dade County DERM, FDEP, and Army Corps of
Engineers to ensure schematic plans will be well received by these agencies. Once the
area is fully permitted, The Reefline will have the ability to deploy more sculptures and
modules.
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