City-of-Miami-Beach-Introduces-New-Department
City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov
OFFICE OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS, Tel: 305.673.7575 PRESS RELEASE
Tonya Daniels, E-mail: tonyadaniels@miamibeachfl.gov
Melissa Berthier, E-mail: melissaberthier@miamibeachfl.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 10, 2019
City of Miami Beach Introduces New Department
– Creatively Engaging the Public in the Climate Change Conversation –
Miami Beach, FL – The existential threat of climate change and sea level rise affects the City of
Miami Beach and its residents in challenging ways.
Misael Soto, the city’s first Art in Public Life Artist in Residence, in partnership with Oolite Arts,
created the Department of Reflection exhibit to explore the questions and challenges that come
from combatting climate change — bringing speculative, conceptual and artistic connection to
these real-world challenges. On Saturday, September 14, the symbolic department opens its
main office to the public from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Rotunda in Collins Park located at 2100
Collins Avenue.
“Soto’s previous project of Sand: Amphitheater, Theater, Arena, provided a space for residents
and visitors to discuss and reflect on the city’s natural history,” noted City Manager Jimmy L.
Morales. “I’m excited to see how the Department of Reflection will build on the last exhibit by
encouraging new ideas and bringing together different outlooks to our environmental
challenges.”
Understanding that the city’s adaptation strategies is only part of the effort needed to address
rising seas, Soto’s project presents a foil, or reflection, of the municipality while simultaneously
presenting creative moments of exchange between the city and its residents and visitors.
“Through the emblematic department, I’m hoping to continue to push the conversation
surrounding climate change in an effort to provide clarity, and perhaps even some solutions, to
a conversation that more often than not excludes the arts,” noted Misael Soto.
The Department will be open to the public every Saturday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Anyone is
welcome to interact with the artist and gather a sense of Soto’s process as well as sit and enjoy
a selection from its library. Ranging from lectures and discussions to film screenings and
performance art, event programming will be held every other Saturday from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
through October.
Stay up to date on future programming put forth by The Department by visiting the events
calendar at www.MBArtsandCulture.org.
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To request this material in alternate format, sign language interpreter (five-day notice required), information on access for persons with disabilities, and/or any accommodation to review any document or participate in any
city-sponsored proceedings, call 305.604.2489 and select 1 for English or 2 for Spanish, then option 6; TTY users may call via 711 (Florida Relay Service).
About the Artist
Born in Puerto Rico in 1986, Misael Soto received an MFA from the School of Art Institute of Chicago and
graduated Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in Art History from Florida Atlantic University.
Beyond public artworks shown extensively for many years, Soto has exhibited at MCA Chicago, Open
Engagement 2015, the Museum of Contemporary Art in North Miami, Material Art Fair in Mexico City,
David Castillo Gallery in Miami, Museum of Art in Fort Lauderdale, and Young Art Museum I Davie,
Florida, amongst others. Soto was awarded the South Florida Cultural Consortium Award for 2019 and an
Ellie’s Award from Oolite Arts in 2018. For more information, visit www.misaelsoto.com.