Op-Ed | Art makes visible Miami’s present — and future — with climate change

Miami Herald Opinion | Art makes visible Miami’s present — and future — with climate change by Justin Stoler and Juana Valdés

The average adult human is about 60% water. One might say we literally embody water. In many ways, water also embodies us, our memories, our history and our oceanic origins.

One of us, Juana, is a multi-disciplinary artist whose creations tell stories of Afro-Cuban migration through themes of race, class, gender and transnationalism. The other, Justin, is a global health researcher whose work amplifies the voice of those enduring the world’s most egregious health disparities.

“Thirst” is a new project by Juana Valdés, created in collaboration with Commissioner, a community-grounded art program that helps locals collect art by contemporary artists in their cities. “Thirst” juxtaposes the thirst for freedom, which drove many immigrants across dangerous waters to Miami, with Americans’ thirst for profits that has created high-priced luxury brands of bottled water.

Read the full article on miamiherald.com by clicking here.