This is my Miami! Esto es Miami, Se Miami, C’est Miami, Dit is Miami 2021-2022

What Makes Mami, Miami? When invited to curate a large-scale public art mural with History Miami Museum in its South Building Lobby during beautiful Miami spring weather and with summer lurking left of stage, Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator offered a collective team of artists named WALL’N Collective to create the mural.

​This is my Miami! Esto es Miami, Se Miami, C’est Miami, Dit is Miami.

Painted by Asser St Val (Haiti), Rosa Naday Garmendia (Cuba) and Izia Lindsay (Trinidad & Tobago) The WALL’N Collective offered layers of color with images of hope and inspiration for museum guests venturing outside to visit History Miami Museum. Our hope is that this mural reflects community culture and pride, to leave an impression on visitors in some way, shape or form, particularly on their sense and feelings of joy. The mural will make the lobby a welcoming place and will invite guests and members to visit History Miami Museum frequently. Our sentiments are that folks will stop and linger, take selfies, and try to find themselves in the mural. We hope to spark conversations, build connections, and have folks return with friends to see and experience the mural time and time again. Art can be a catalyst for change, it is a common belief that art is a worthy investment for city boosters to improve urban environments. Although art can inspire or rejuvenate areas, we hope this mural will have a lasting impact on visitors and encourage them to smile, and if just only for a moment affect their quality of life.

Michael Benson states, “A successful painting can live in the mind as a personal landmark and cultural beacon. Successful community-based art keeps unfolding in the mind in the ways it allows real voices to be heard and the dignity and dilemmas of real communities to be felt and real dialogues across race and class to develop.” Benson, Culture in Action. Rosie Gordon-Wallace President | Curator Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator, Inc WALL’N Collective.