Miami-Dade Art in Public Places began in 1973 and has commissioned works of public art that transform civic spaces. The program has become a natinally prominent leader in its field as a result of the Mayor and Board of County Commissioners. Public art works are sited around the county at the Miami International Airport, Miami Metrozoo, Miami-Dade Library System, South Miami-dade Cultural Arts Center and, various sites in downtown Miami. Residents and visitors alike can experience a vast array of public art located in cultural institutions, park, transit stations and, County government offices. Some of the art can be seen from the downtown Metromover trains and others can best been seen from a boat on Biscayne Bay.

Although historical and archeological sites might not fall neatly under the heading of public art, the State of Florida did take the step to hold some land in trust that was scheduled to be developed with another highrise right next door to the current, Icon, on Brickell Avenue.

Probably the best known archeological sites is the strange Miami Circle. The Miami Circle is located in the heart of downtown Miami where the Miami River meets Biscayne Bay. Discovered in 1998 when demolishing the Brickell Point Apartment buildings, the site was recognized as an archeological treasure and in a rare moment of vision, the area was purchased by the state and county for US$ 26.7 million. It consists of a perfect circle of 24 holes or basins cut into the limestone bedrock, surrounded by a large number of other ‘minor’ holes. It is the only known evidence of a permanent structure cut into the bedrock in the United States and considerably predates other known permanent settlements on the East Coast. The purpose of the original circular structure of wood poles and thatched roof is unknown, and is believed to be somewhere between 1700 and 2000 years old. The location is on Brickell Point just south of the Brickell Avenue Bridge over the Miami River. Regrettably the property is not open for regular visitation at this time.

The Brickell Bridge was part of a public art project the plans of which are part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art. There are a number of other public art works sited along the mouth of the Miami River, both on the north and south sides of the entrance. Over the next few weeks I will attempt to show a few of these works.

above: Michelle Weinberg (partial view) below: José Bedia

Miami-Dade Art-in-Public Places hs a new web site but it is far from a complete catalog of the art works around the county. The also created a brochure but, it only features some of the highlights: Arscht Center, Miami International Airport, Port of Miami, and the Miami-Dade Main Public Library. What happened to the art that was part of the old Miami Arena? There are probably other questions as well.

Art in Public Places 111 NW 1st Street, Suite 610 Miami, Florida 33128 Phone: (305) 375-5362 Fax: (305) 372-7659 Email: [email protected] www.miamidade.gov/publicart/ Michael Spring, Director, Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs