The Parks Project exhibitions took place over five months and featured one artist and installation per month beginning in January of 2010.  Five South Florida artists - Xavier Cortada, Tim Curtis, Wendy Wischer, Daniel Fila and Francesca LaLanne - worked with Miami-Dade Parks Naturalists to develop site-specific work for installation in five Miami-Dade parks utilizing the natural environment and the issues facing our natural resources, in order to raise public awareness. 

"As our natural resources are dwindling and there is a strong movement toward green initiatives, The Parks Project strives to present quality art in a manner accessible to the local community in non-traditional spaces to raise awareness of the environmental issues that impact us daily," said Jack Kardys, Director of Miami-Dade Parks.

Participating artist, Tim Curtis states, "The most successful public art is collaborative in nature. It establishes a dialogue between the artist, the public and its environment. When public art responds to the social dynamics and local characteristics of its surroundings, and is accessible to the mind and the eye, it has the power to enhance the quality of life within its social context. As the art interacts with its surroundings, it becomes an integral part of the landscape, creating a focal point and a sense of place. Public art has the power to transform our daily lives, enrich our experiences and give dimension to the communal environment."

Due to the success of the installations, four installations are still available for the public to view:  Daniel Fila at AD Barnes Park, Wendy Wischer at Matheson Hammock Park, Tim Curtis at Crandon Park Nature Center, and Francesca LaLanne at Women's Park.

For further information on the Parks Project, please call 305-755-5455.

About Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation:
The third largest county park system in the United States, consisting of 262 parks and more than 12,668 acres of land, Miami-Dade Parks is one of the most unique park and recreation systems in the world.  Made up of more than just playgrounds and athletic fields, it also comprises after-school, sports-development, and summer-camp programs; programs for seniors and people with disabilities; educational nature centers and nature preserves; environmental restoration efforts; arts and culture programs and events; the renowned Miami MetroZoo and the Deering Estate at Cutler; the Crandon Tennis Center, home of the Sony Ericsson Open-the USTA's fifth largest tennis tournament; golf courses; beaches; marinas; campgrounds; pools; and more.