Posts: 6

1. Unveiling at Governor's Mansion; Exhibits at Capitol Rotunda and Governor's Office

   05.Oct.07, 23:29 EDT
   
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   Florida Department of State
   Kurt S. Browning
   Secretary of State

   For Immediate Release
   September 25, 2007

   Contact:
   Sandy Shaughnessy
   (850)245-6480
   sshaughnessy@dos.state.fl.us

   
   

   Artwork by Cuban-American Artist XAVIER CORTADA Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

   
   

   TALLAHASSEE, FL – In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15), Secretary of State Kurt S. Browning announces an exhibition of paintings in the Governor's Gallery, an installation of flags in the Capitol Rotunda and a display of two murals at the Governor's Mansion by Miami artist Xavier Cortada. Organized by the Division of Cultural Affairs, these exhibitions are part of a statewide celebration initiated by Governor Charlie Crist to commemorate the tapestry of culture that is Hispanic history, the arts, and prosperity in Florida.

   
   

   "The Department of State is delighted to partner with the Governor's office to promote the special celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month," said Secretary of State Kurt Browning. "Xavier Cortada is a wonderfully talented artist and a state treasure. We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to exhibit his work in our Capitol and at the Governor's Mansion - The People's House."

   For this celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Cortada shares with the people of Florida his Endangered World art installation in the Capitol's Rotunda. This installation at the South Pole and now in Tallahassee expresses our interconnectedness to each other and our natural world, a theme that resonates with Hispanic Heritage and culture. Interestingly, five centuries ago, Spanish explorers planted flags on the coasts of this continent to create geopolitical boundaries, usher change and build communities in the New World. This year, in response to global climate changes, this Hispanic artist planted flags in a continent whose melting ice could displace millions from our coastlines and destroy fragile ecosystems globally.

   
   

   During a National Science Foundation (NSF) Antarctic Artists Program residency, Xavier Cortada created the Endangered World art installation to warn of the imminent threat to Earth's biodiversity. The installation's 24 flags were premiered at the Governor's Florida Summit on Climate Change. This exhibit at the State Capitol is only the second time they are being shown since they arrived from Antarctica.

   
   

   In painting each flag, the Miami artist diluted his acrylic paint with melted Antarctic sea ice and wrote the scientific names of an endangered species in each of the 24 time zones. Cortada also painted the longitude of the habitat in which each animal struggles for survival.

   
   

   He then planted the 24 flags in a circle around the South Pole, aligning each flag with its respective longitude. The 24 animals Cortada selected for the flags are endangered because their habitats are environmentally threatened. Unless we act to address issues of global climate change and ecosystem destruction, many of these banners will soon bear the name of extinct species.

   
   

   On display in the Governor's Gallery are Cortada's Ice Paintings. While in Antarctica, Miami artist Xavier Cortada met many scientists who informed him about their work. They provided him with samples obtained through their scientific research. These included sea ice from Antarctica's Ross Sea, ice from the Western Antarctic Ice Sheet and sediment from the Dry Valleys - one of the few places in the continent not covered by ice.

   
   

   During his stay in Antarctica's McMurdo Station, Cortada used these samples to create works on paper. The artist titled the art pieces by randomly selecting the names of geographic features from a map of the continent that inspired their creation.

   
   

   On display at the Governor's Mansion are two large scale paintings entitled, Conquistadores and Raíces. In both paintings Cortada uses the metaphor of the mangroves to help tell the story of Florida's Hispanic Heritage.
   

   
   

   

   
   

   Conquistadores:
   Conquistadores, heavy with armor, land amid mangroves on a Florida shoreline. The difficulty of their journey is depicted by the stormy skies and the whitecaps of these uncharted waters. The crocodile in the foreground represents the hardships the first explorers suffered after they made land fall, including ambush and fights with the Florida's indigenous people. During the beginning of the 16h century, none are successful in establishing a settlement. Nonetheless, they plant their flag and claim the land for Spain and in doing so begin to set their roots in Florida. They are the first of many Hispanics who through time will contribute to the state's tapestry of cultures.

   
   

    

   
   

   

   
   

   
   

   Raíces shows a different picture of 16th century Florida. Half a century after Ponce de Leon first landed on its shores, Spanish families are beginning to settle in Florida. Although hardship is widespread, the outlook for settlement is hopeful. Catholic missions (represented by the pelican at the bottom right of the painting) are being established in Florida, creating a nexus between Spaniards and indigenous people. At the center of the painting, a family gazes at their newborn child. The family is integrated into a mangrove forest, its roots embracing and protecting them, much like community members do for one another in their new settlement. In the foreground, new mangrove seedlings sprout. Like the seedlings, Floridians of Hispanic and Latin American origin have begun to set their roots here as they will for centuries to come.
   

    

   An accomplished world renowned artist, well-known for his collaborative public artwork, Xavier Cortada has previously worked with groups across the world to produce numerous large-scale collaborative art projects-- including eco-art installations on Miami Beach and the South Pole (sponsored by a National Science Foundation Antarctic Artists and Writers Program residency). In 2008, he'll bring his art installations to the North Pole. The Miami artist has been commissioned to create art for the White House, the Florida Supreme Court, Miami City Hall, Miami-Dade County Hall, the Miami Art Museum, the Museum of Florida History and the South Pole Station. Cortada's work is also in the permanent collection of The World Bank. Cortada holds three degrees from the University of Miami - a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Public Administration and Juris Doctor.

   For further information, contact Sandy Shaughnessy at (850)245-6480 visit: www.florida-arts.org.

   Or visit the artist's website at: www.cortada.com

   
   
   

    

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2. Miami Science Museum Eco-art Installations: Native Flags and The Reclamation Project

   05.Oct.07, 23:26 EDT
   
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   Miami Science Museum and Mayor Manny Diaz Talk Green at the National Conversation on Climate Action Event
   
   The Miami Science Museum, Mayor Manny Diaz and artist Xavier Cortada will offer the South Florida community a chance to learn - through fun and interactive activities - about the environment, our world, what affects it and what to do to make a difference by hosting one of many National Conversation on Climate Action events occurring nationwide.
   
   

   WHO:  The Miami Science Museum
   
   WHAT:    The Miami Science Museum, Mayor Manny Diaz, local artist Xavier Cortada and the local South Florida community are joining forces with the Association of Science -Technology Centers (ASTC), Yale's School of Environment and Forestry, Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) and other cities across the nation in an effort to raise awareness on the issue of global warming.
   
   For this special initiative, local artist Xavier Cortada – renowned for his participation in several large-scale eco-art installations –will showcase his Reclamation Project and introduce his new eco-art work, Native Flags<script type="text/javascript"></script>. City of Miami Mayor, Manny Diaz, will choose one of Cortada's Native Flags and will be part of a tree-planting ceremony in the Museum's Energy Park as a symbol of Miami's commitment to green values.
   
   Additionally, the museum has planned a day packed with educational, fun-filled activities for both young and old. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about climate change and write their solutions on suns and clouds that will stay behind in our main lobby for all to see! They will be able to learn how to sort through their trash and turn it into treasure by creating a piece of art that will be judged by other visitors. They will come up close and personal to some of the animals that share our world, and learn why they are fighting for survival just like us. They will also be able to see and learn about planting trees and all that goes into their upkeep.
   
   WHEN:    , ,
   Thursday, October 4th, 2007
   10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
   
   Mayor Manny Diaz Tree Planting Ceremony
   12:00 noon
   
   For a breakout schedule of activities, please visit www.miamisci.org/www/climate<wbr />-action.php
   
   WHERE:    
   Miami Science Museum
   3280 South Miami Avenue
   Miami, FL 33129
   

   
   ABOUT THE MIAMI SCIENCE MUSEUM
   The Miami Science Museum continues to bring special traveling exhibits to South Florida such as The Dinosaurs of China, Amazon Voyage and Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition. The Museum aims to make a difference in people's lives by inspiring them to appreciate the impact that science and technology can have on every facet of our world. The Museum is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.  For more information about the Museum, visit <script type="text/javascript"></script>www.miamisci.org or call 305.646.4200.
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   --
   Xavier Cortada
   www.reclamationproject.net
   www.nativeflags.net
   
   
   Xavier Cortada has worked with groups across the world to produce numerous large-scale collaborative art projects-- including eco-art installations on Miami Beach and the South Pole (sponsored by a National Science Foundation Antarctic Artists and Writers Program residency).  In 2008, he'll bring his art installations to the North Pole.  The Miami artist has been commissioned to create art for the White House, the Florida Supreme Court, Miami City Hall, Miami-Dade County Hall, the Miami Art Museum, the Museum of Florida History and the South Pole Station.  Cortada's work is also in the permanent collection of The World Bank. For more information, please visit www.cortada.com
   
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3. Miami Lectures

   12.Apr.07, 22:32 EDT
   
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   Miami Lectures April 11 at 12:30 pm Aesthetics and Values 2007 Artist’s Talk at Building DM 100 on the Florida International University -- University Park Campus. April 25th at 7 pm Culture in the City Guest Lecturer 3138 Commodore Plaza Coconut Grove

4. Weather Report: Art & Climate Change at BMOCA

   12.Apr.07, 22:31 EDT
   
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   Weather Report: Art & Climate Change a group exhibit curated by Lucy Lippard at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art Boulder, Colorado September 14 - December 21, 2007 SEPTEMBER 14 - DECEMBER 21, 2007 -- "Weather Report: Art and Climate Change" is an exhibition curated by internationally renowned critic, art historian, and writer Lucy R. Lippard. It is presented in collaboration with EcoArts. This exhibit partners the art and scientific communities to create a visual dialogue surrounding climate change. Historically, visual arts play a central role in attracting, inspiring, educating and motivating audiences. "Weather Report: Art and Climate Change" will exhibit artwork, in the museum and our partnering venues, and in outdoor site specific locations throughout Boulder, that will activate personal and public change. Our collaborating partner EcoArts is a new effort bringing together scientists, environmentalists, and performing and visual artists - along with producers, presenters, scholars, spiritual leaders, policy makers, educators, businesses, and people from all walks of life - to use the arts to inspire new awareness of, discussion about, and action on environmental issues, with new possibilities for envisioning a sustainable future. Its programming principles are artistic excellence, scientific accuracy, environmental effectiveness, ethical practice, and whenever possible, presenting activities that strive to follow "the middle way" of being either non-partisan or bi-partisan to reach the widest audience possible. Exhibiting partners: ATLAS (Alliance for Technology, Learning and Society) Center at the University of Colorado, Boulder; Boulder Public Library; National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR); City of Boulder; University of Colorado, Fiske Planetarium; University of Colorado, Norlin Library Galleries. Some of the participating artists include: Kim Abeles, Lillian Ball, Subhankar Banerjee, Iain Baxter, Bobbe Besold, CLUI (Center for Land Use Interpretation; Matthew Coolidge), Brian Collier, Xavier Cortada, Gayle Crites, Agnes Denes, Rebecca DiDomenico, Futurefarmers - Amy Franceschini + Michael Swaine, Bill Gilbert, Isabella Gonzales, Newton and Helen Harrison, Judit Hersko, Lynne Hull, Basia Irland, Patricia Johanson, Chris Jordan, Marguerite Kahrl, Janet Koenig and Greg Sholette, Eve Andre Laramee, Learning Site, Ellen Levy, Jane McMahan, Mary Miss, Joan Myers, Beverly Naidus, Chrissie Orr, Andrea Polli, Marjetica Potrc, Aviva Rahmani, Buster Simpson, Kristine Smock, Joel Sternfeld, Mierle Laderman Ukeles, Ruth Wallen, Melanie Walker and George Peters, Sherry Wiggins, and the Yes Men. This exhibit is funded in part by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, The Boulder Arts Commission, the Scientific and Cultural District Fund, EcoArts, and the Compton Foundation.

5. Antarctica

   12.Apr.07, 22:30 EDT
   
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   "Antarctica" A solo exhibit by Xavier Cortada at Kunsthaus Miami Contemporary Art Space 3312 North Miami Avenue Wynwood Art District Miami, FL 33127 Tel. 305 438 1333 Exhibit runs March 10th thru May 5, 2007

6. Envisioning Change: United Nations- sponsored exhibits in Oslo and Brussels

   12.Apr.07, 22:30 EDT
   
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   Xavier Cortada's Longitudinal Installation will be on display at Envisioning Change a group exhibit curated by Randy Rosenberg at the Nobel Peace Center Oslo, Norway June 5 - August 20, 2007 http://www.nobelpeacecenter.org BOZAR Centre for the Fine Arts Brussels, Belgium September - December, 2007 http://www.bozar.be
   
   
   
   Xavier Cortada Featured in U.N.-Sponsored Art Exhibition on Climate Change at Oslo's Nobel Peace Center
   
   Art In Action: Nature, Creativity and our Collective Future
   
   International Book Release -- World Renowned Artists Arrive for Signing at the Exhibit Opening in Oslo
   
   Environmental Celebrities and Norway's Royal Family Expected to Attend Opening Events
   
   
   5 June 2007 – Oslo, Norway: Local artist Xavier Cortada is being featured in a major United Nations art exhibition focusing on climate change and the planet's melting polar ice caps.
   
   
   The exhibition, part of the United Nations Environment Programme's World Environment Day celebration, is being produced by the San Francisco-based Natural World Museum ( www.artintoaction.org <http://www.artintoaction.org> ). Titled Envisioning Change: Melting Ice – A Hot Topic, the exhibition launches at Oslo's Nobel Peace Center on UN World Environment Day, 5 June.
   
   
   Xavier Cortada was selected for the exhibition by curator Randy Jayne Rosenberg, who has invited leading contemporary international artists to participate in the show.  Cortada's "Longitudinal Installation" and "The Markers" are among the 40 artworks included in the exhibition using art as a catalyst for inspiration and education around the theme of climate change.  Cortada's installations were created at the South Pole during January 2007 as part of an artist-in-residency sponsored by the National Science Foundation Antarctic Artists and Writers Program.
   
   
   The Longitudinal Installation
   Cortada placed 24 shoes in a circle around the South Pole, each serving as a proxy for a person affected by global climate change in the world above. He placed the shoes inches apart along the respective longitudes where these individuals live, conceptually diminishing the distance between them.  To read their statements across 24 time zones, please visit  <script type="text/javascript"></script>http://www.cortada.com/antarcti<wbr />ca/longitudinal/
   
   
   The Markers
   Cortada planted 51different colored flags on the moving ice sheet that covers the South Pole, each 10 meters apart and marking where the South Pole stood during each of the past 50 years (when humans first inhabited the South Pole).  Each flag also displayed the coordinates of the location on the world above where an important event that took place during that year.  Please visit http://www.cortada.com/antarcti<wbr />ca/markers/ to read the list of historic events that have moved the world forward during the past five decades.
   
   
   "This is an important exhibition for the Nobel Peace Center" stated Bente Erichsen, Director of the Nobel Peace Center. "It clearly shows how the climate changes we are all surrounded by have direct impact on world security, and therefore on peace. The wide variety of artistic expressions on display shows how the earth's climate affects all of us."
   
   
   With regional support from the Norwegian Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Culture, the exhibit will be on display in Oslo through the end of August and then continue on to Brussels' BOZAR Centre for Fine Arts from October – December 2007 and on to Monaco and Chicago   in 2008. More than 40 international artists from 25 countries are featured in the exhibit which explores such questions as "What is climate change?" "What are the political implications?" "How does sustainable development create a pathway to peace?" and "Why should we care?"  Coinciding with the launch of the exhibit, NWM and UNEP will release their premier book -- Art in Action: Nature, Creativity and our Collective Future – published by Palace Press International, featuring 80 international artists and their portrayals of the fusion of art with the natural world. The global exhibit tour and the book are sponsored by Autodesk, a world leader in 2D and 3D design software. <script type="text/javascript"></script>
   
   
   Artists play a critical role in generating dialogue and evoking emotion around particular environmental issues and solutions. Undoubtedly, the fusion of art and the environment is a powerful tool for positive social change.
   
   
   "In the environmental realm, science and art are inextricably linked," said Mia Hanak, Founding Executive Director of the Natural World Museum and an increasingly visible environmental arts activist on the world stage.  "While science determines how we measure the health of our planet, art allows us to visualize our relationship to the natural world."
   
   
   In addition to 40 works of art from artists around the world, the exhibit features two artistic photographs (one from the Arctic and one from Spitsbergen) contributed by HRH Queen Sonja of Norway, an avid environmentalist and an experienced curator.
   
   
   "The effects of climate change are taking place on a global level, from the Andes to the Arctic, from Africa to Asia to the Americas," said Envisioning Change Curator, Randy Jayne Rosenberg.  "While the impacts are vast and growing, we've asked artists from around the world to focus the thawing and melting of the ice caps and permafrost, and the implications for humans and other species."
   
   
   The launch celebration on 5 June at the Nobel Peace Center will include a noontime parade with 1,000 children; a book release and artist signing of Art in Action – Nature, Creativity, and Our Collective Future; and an evening exhibit reception featuring honorary guests Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2004 and Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway. During the reception, the Green Leaf Award will be handed out by UNEP to five artists, one in each of following categories including painting, sculpture, photography, multi-media, and conceptual installation. The event will culminate with an outdoor concert featuring cultural and musical performances. All Art for the Environment activities employ sustainable business practices, including recycled materials and carbon offsets through tree planting programs.  <script type="text/javascript"></script>
   
   
   About the Natural World Museum: NWM is a mobile and global cultural institution that presents art through innovative programs to inspire and engage the public in environmental awareness and action. As a "museum without walls" NWM's site-specific exhibitions are hosted at cultural institutions around the world.
   
   
   About the United Nations Environment Programme:   UNEP is the world's leading environmental agency, providing leadership and encouraging partnerships for conservation efforts by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations to improve quality of life without compromising that of future generations.
   
   
   About World Environment Day: WED is an international celebration hosted by a different country each year on June 5, WED is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.
   
   
   About Art for the Environment:   In 2005, NWM and UNEP joined forces to create the Art for the Environment initiative.  This initiative is designed to utilize the universal language of art as a catalyst to unite people in action and thought and to empower individuals, communities, and leaders to focus on environmental values across social, economic, and political realms.
   
   
   Artists participating in exhibit: Alfio Bonano – Denmark, Ana Prvacki – Singapore, Andrea Polli – US, Angela Lergo – Spain, Anne Senstad – Norway, David Buckland - UK, Siobhan Davies - UK, Gary Hume – UK, Cecilia Paredes – Peru, Chris Jordan – US, Dalibar Martinis – Croatia, David and Hi-Jin Hodge - US & Korea, David Nash – Wales, David Trubridge - New Zealand, Era and Don Farnsworth – US, Fred Ivar Ultsi Klemetsen – Norway, Free Range Studio – US, Gilles, Mingasson – France, Helen and Newton Harrison – US, Ichi Ikeda – Japan, The Icelandic Love Corporation – Iceland, Jacob McKean – US, Jonas Liveröd – Sweden, Justin Young – US, Kahn Selesnick – England, Laura Horelli – Finland, Lucy & Jorge Orta - England & Argentina, Mona Hatoum – Lebanon,  HM Queen Sonya of Norway, Robert Bateman – Canada, Sant Khalsa – US, Sebastian Copeland- France, Shana and Robert Parke-Harrison – US, Strijdom van der Merwe -  South Africa, Subhankar Banerjee – India, Sveln Flygari Johnasen – Norway, Sven Pahlsson Norway, Theo Wujcik – US, Xavier Cortada – US, Yoshiaki Kaihatsu - Japan<script type="text/javascript"></script>