Seagrass

Permanent Public Art Commission, Shenandoah Park. City of Miami Art in Public Places

Seagrass is inspired by the extraordinary ecology of underwater seagrasses growing in the shallow waters of Miami’s Biscayne Bay. The supersized sculptural forms are based on the endemic Johnson’s Seagrass (Halophila johnsonii), the smallest of Biscayne Bay’s seagrass species. Measuring at a height of only 2 inches in the wild, Johnson’s Seagrass helps purify the water and is a food source for many animals including manatees, urchins, and sea turtles. The sculptures are pigmented and polished terrazzo stone monoliths made from recycled glass, marine shells, and crushed limestone. Each sculpture is unique in its curvy form, color, and composition of glass and rocks. The curved face of each sculpture catches the sunlight at varying angles depending on the time of day and creates curving shadow lines on the surface. Sited within the planting bed at the entry to Shenandoah Park’s Aquatics facility, Seagrass reminds us of the wondrous aquatic ecology that makes Miami special. Seagrass is a public artwork commissioned by the City of Miami through the Art in Public Places initiative.

Team:

Falon Mihalic, Artist

Alexander Larsen, Lead Fabricator

Fulcrum, Fabrication and Installation: Jonathan Rico, Patrick Renner, Eleazar Guadalupe Ruiz

Rbhu, Structural Engineering: Selinda Martinez, Eleanor Reynolds, Chris O’Hara

Sitework support: Bella Fiore LLC, Landscape Contractor & RDC, Foundations

Images: Moris Moreno Photography