fbpx

Famous Afro-Brazilian Artist Commissioned for Mural in Miami Design District

Criola, one of the most prominent and socially-charged muralists, was chosen to craft the Miami Design District’s (MDD) latest public artwork. Drawing from her Afro-Brazilian heritage, Criola explores the protagonism of Black women and their influence on the world. Her most well-known work outside of Brazil, Interdimensional Portal, is now on display in the Miami Design District, scaling 39 x 137 feet. The mural in Jungle Plaza features a display woven with neon pops of color and bold prints to electrify the visual landscape of the neighborhood, which was commissioned by MDD’s new Director of Cultural Programming, Karen Grimson.

“For me, the possibility of having a mural in Miami is symbolic,” Criola says. “I feel I am crossing imaginary borders constructed by colonialist logic that exerts real dominations and division.”

Criola has significant mural paintings in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Paris, and now in the Miami Design District. The artist’s display in Jungle Plaza will be her second public work in the U.S., following “Black Girl Magic” in Las Vegas last year. Her mural, Interdimensional Portal, portrays Afro-Brazilian ancestors in ritualistic performance, accessing ancient forest wisdom for medicinal purposes and transcending thresholds of knowledge.

“There is an undeniably strong history of representation of Black female figures in Brazilian art, from Candido Portinari and Tarsila do Amaral, to Dalton Paula and Rosana Paulino,” Grimson says. “Criola’s work builds on this legacy but also pushes the boundaries on the possibilities for Black women’s self-determination, thereby confronting systemic racism and state repression. I think that allocating this massive wall in the public space to the work of an Afro-Latina artist who is representing pre-colonial rituals is a political gesture that will not go unnoticed and will resonate loudly across the heterogeneous communities that make up Miami, which is in itself a ‘Creole City.’”

You May Also Like

Diversity Honors at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Unveils Honorees

Groundbreaking and internationally acclaimed recording icon Belinda Carlisle will be among the recipients.

Hallandale Beach Event Series Seeks New Restaurants and Additions

The lineup is part of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, which has raised over $37 million for the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at FIU.

Hallandale Beach Presents Celebrity Chef Dinner and Food & Groove Events

The outings are part of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival.

Other Posts

Coral Gables Loews Hotel Hosts Annual Mayor’s Ball in Support of League Against Cancer and Coral Gables Foundation

The 2nd Annual Mayor’s Ball was recently held at the Coral Gables Loews Hotel to raise funds for the League Against Cancer and The Coral Gables Community Foundation. The event was

Friends of Jack & Jill Center Hosts Annual Winter Carnival

The fun-filled community event aims to raise much-needed funds for children and families in need.

Battier Take Charge Foundation Hosts Annual Fundraiser

The event will feature wine tasting, finner and karaoke to raise funds for college scholarships.

Gulfstream Park Hosts 2024 Pegasus World Cup Racing Championship

The 2024 Pegasus World Cup will make its highly anticipated return to Gulfstream Park on Jan. 27. Organized by 1/ST, the event is known for attracting world-class Thoroughbred racehorses, A-list celebrity attendees,

Drew Limsky

Drew Limsky

Editor-in-Chief

BIOGRAPHY

Drew Limsky joined Lifestyle Media Group in August 2020 as Editor-in-Chief of South Florida Business & Wealth. His first issue of SFBW, October 2020, heralded a reimagined structure, with new content categories and a slew of fresh visual themes. “As sort of a cross between Forbes and Robb Report, with a dash of GQ and Vogue,” Limsky says, “SFBW reflects South Florida’s increasingly sophisticated and dynamic business and cultural landscape.”

Limsky, an avid traveler, swimmer and film buff who holds a law degree and Ph.D. from New York University, likes to say, “I’m a doctor, but I can’t operate—except on your brand.” He wrote his dissertation on the nonfiction work of Joan Didion. Prior to that, Limsky received his B.A. in English, summa cum laude, from Emory University and earned his M.A. in literature at American University in connection with a Masters Scholar Award fellowship.

Limsky came to SFBW at the apex of a storied career in journalism and publishing that includes six previous lead editorial roles, including for some of the world’s best-known brands. He served as global editor-in-chief of Lexus magazine, founding editor-in-chief of custom lifestyle magazines for Cadillac and Holland America Line, and was the founding editor-in-chief of Modern Luxury Interiors South Florida. He also was the executive editor for B2B magazines for Acura and Honda Financial Services, and he served as travel editor for Conde Nast. Magazines under Limsky’s editorship have garnered more than 75 industry awards.

He has also written for many of the country’s top newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Boston Globe, USA Today, Worth, Robb Report, Afar, Time Out New York, National Geographic Traveler, Men’s Journal, Ritz-Carlton, Elite Traveler, Florida Design, Metropolis and Architectural Digest Mexico. His other clients have included Four Seasons, Acqualina Resort & Residences, Yahoo!, American Airlines, Wynn, Douglas Elliman and Corcoran. As an adjunct assistant professor, Limsky has taught journalism, film and creative writing at the City University of New York, Pace University, American University and other colleges.