THe Flight to Freedom
The Flight to freedom Project
By 2010, the owners of Zubi Advertising, along with other partners, were developing a new eight-story building at the corner of Catalonia and Ponce de Leon Boulevard. This project became the first to participate in the new City of Coral Gables “One Percent for Public Art Program.” The developers decided to utilize the program’s funds to fulfill two requirements simultaneously: first, the Public Art Program’s mandate, and second, the City of Coral Gables building code’s requirement to conceal the parking garage from public view. As soon as I was selected for the project, I began collaborating with the developer, general contractor, architecture team, engineering team, building owners, and the Art in Public Places team to coordinate the artwork’s design, construction, and placement.
The design process spanned nearly six months, during which numerous design options were presented to the owners and architecture team until a universally accepted concept was found. It took my team several months to fabricate the four distinct pieces, which were planned and coordinated for installation concurrently with the building’s completion.
“The Flight to Freedom” is an installation measuring 112 feet long by 40 feet high, composed of four 20-foot by 40-foot stainless steel pieces. Each piece weighs nearly one ton and collectively represents birds breaking free from captivity, soaring freely into the open sky. The artwork was inspired by the promise of freedom and prosperity that America offers to those escaping difficult lives in their countries of origin. The background for the birds consists of a wall of aluminum slats, strategically placed to allow air circulation throughout the building. This wall serves both as the backdrop for the sculptures and as a screen for the parking garage. The original design included a comprehensive lighting scheme, but budget limitations prevented its implementation.
The sculptures were designed in coordination with the architects and structural engineers and were installed without any major issues. The entire process was supervised by the developer and his team, resulting in a highly professional and timely execution of the work.
The Flight to Freedom was inugurated on Dicmber 14, 2012.
Other options for the Zubi Building, presented to the owners and the city, before the Flight to Freedom was selected for the site.
Passages
The Passages Project
Passages is a series of five large-scale steel sculptures created in 2010. Ranging from 12 to 15 feet tall and approximately 10 feet long. At the time I wanted to have a presence in the Art Basel week in Miami, and they were exhibited in various galleries throughout the city.
The series symbolizes crossing an imaginary threshold – a pivotal moment where our lives shift toward a new, meaningful direction. Each sculpture represents a turning point in life, such as embarking on a college education, getting married, or embracing one’s faith. This transformative action, which shapes our future, is physically embodied as a gateway within each piece of the Passages series.
Designing and building the sculptures was a very gratifying experience, that gave me the opportunity to learn a lot about metal transformation and the nature of steel. It took me and the team a few months to have them ready for exhibition, and a couple of years just designing them. The five sculptures are: Passage to Faith, Passage to Education, Passage to Dignity, Passage to Hope, and Passage to Wisdom, each currently located at different sites across Miami.
The Miami Zoo Whale
The Miami Zoo Whale Project
The current state of our environment and the health of the Earth has always been a significant part of my conscience, both as an artist and as a human being. I am deeply concerned with the damage human activities inflict upon the planet and the far-reaching consequences of our actions. While countless individuals work tirelessly every day to mitigate this damage and restore the Earth’s well-being—employing technology, education, innovative ideas, and even physical labor—the pace of destruction often outstrips that of healing, and solutions can seem dishearteningly distant.
Driven by a desire to join those dedicated to protecting our planet, I sought to leverage my art as a tool. This led to the creation of a sculpture-gallery in the form of a whale, designed as an immersive space where families and individuals could engage with critical environmental issues. The goal was to spark dialogue, encourage deeper understanding, and ultimately inspire participation in global conservation efforts.
Named “The Miami Zoo Whale,” this aluminum sculpture stands 20 feet high, measures 22 feet long, and is 4 feet wide. Its interior creates a unique gallery space, which was originally equipped with eight 50-inch TV screens. These screens were intended to display impactful images and videos depicting the Earth’s current state—such as the senseless hunting of whales in certain regions or the devastating underwater damage caused by discarded fishing nets.
Additionally, the Whale features what was, at the time, a state-of-the-art solar energy system installed on its roof. However, after the sculpture’s installation at Zoo Miami, the TV screens were unfortunately removed, and the lighting system has never been utilized, a consequence of the Zoo’s administrative safety and procedural policies.
After several months of design and a couple more for construction, The Miami Zoo Whale was proudly inaugurated at Zoo Miami on June 12, 2017.
Building Peace (Peace on Earth)
Progress
Building Peace (Peace on Earth)
World peace is perpetually at risk due to the continuous actions of individuals, companies, and governments that threaten to shatter its delicate balance and harmony. I was born and raised in Colombia, a nation scarred by constant armed conflict since its inception. Violence, fueled by armed groups and criminal organizations with their own armies, rages against the government and among themselves. This persistent threat leaves behind rivers of blood, mostly from innocent civilians trapped in the heartless confrontations. The fallout from these conflicts devastates any chance of development, leaving families and communities destroyed and without hope.
On a much larger scale, conflicts between cultural groups and nations perpetually jeopardize global peace. Hate and the radicalization of opinions escalate tensions, fueling the sinister intentions of those who embrace violence to resolve their issues. At this critical juncture, the balance and harmony that underpin world peace are incredibly fragile, teetering on the brink of catastrophic outcomes far exceeding what we’ve witnessed. It would only take one action, like a nuclear accident or attack, to irrevocably alter our reality and plunge us into a new, very dark, and hopeless existence. We must awaken and unite to save our world.
I wholeheartedly join the efforts for unity and understanding for world peace. I believe in the inherent goodness of humanity and the profound power of unity. To inspire collective action, I’ve created a monumental abstract sculpture, designed to encourage people to work together in building a better world for ourselves, our children, and future generations, rather than working against each other and destroying all hope for a happy life on our planet.
The sculpture, crafted from aluminum, features a tubular structure that serves as a connecting agent, bringing together diverse elements: the natural environment, the man-made environment, and human beings of different cultures, faiths, origins, and appearances. All merge within this space to work harmoniously towards a single goal: to evolve in peace, to maintain balance, and to uphold the hope of humanity. The sculpture stands 20 feet tall, is 10 feet long, and 5 feet wide. Each of the 18 human icon representations measures 4 feet in length.
Building Peace (Peace on Earth) is located at Morning Star, Renewal Center in Miami, FL
The Wynwood Dancers
The Wynwood Dancers Project: A Study in Form and Material
By 2014, I began experimenting with construction beams as a sculptural medium. I was drawn to the concept of these robust elements serving as both foundational support and expressive forms within monumental art. However, the practical challenges of their excessive weight and transportation soon became evident. To better understand these limitations, I decided to create a series of smaller pieces, each approximately 10 feet high by 5 feet wide.
My initial works in this series were a pair of highly abstract, human-like figures. I envisioned them dancing together, and this dynamic duo became “The Wynwood Dancers.” The name pays homage to their debut exhibition at a Wynwood gallery in 2015. Following these initial pieces, I tackled a larger iteration of the concept before setting the idea aside, awaiting the logistical conditions necessary to manage such demanding materials.
“The Wynwood Dancers” were exhibited alongside fifteen of my paintings at the MIAart Gallery in Wynwood, Florida, during the summer of 2015.
The Linear Sculptures
The Linear Sculptures Project
I’ve always been inspired by the powerful, spontaneous line in art—the magic of a line moving endlessly, forming surprising new spaces and forms. We can continue it indefinitely, introduce more lines, or add contrasting elements to enhance its unexpected renderings. Many artists have explored the spontaneous, almost automatic execution of lines in free movement across paper or canvas, producing an astonishing variety of results found in museums, galleries, private collections, and studios worldwide.
As an artist fascinated by the simplicity and limitless power of the line, I’ve incorporated spontaneous line renderings into my paintings for years. My next step was to extend this concept to my sculptures.
Translating the concept of the line into metal sculpture proved challenging. However, my results speak for themselves. I’ve created several pieces, all in aluminum, where I successfully translated the line from concept to finished product. I’ll continue to explore new approaches to the line in sculpture, but for now, I’m satisfied with these initial outcomes.
I exhibited Linear Sculpture #1 at the Wynwood Biennale in Wynwood, Florida, in 2020. Linear Sculpture #2 is now part of a private collection.
The Kidnapped Homeland
The Kidnapped Homeland Project
During the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Colombia, my country of origin, endured its most severe era of crime. Leftist guerrillas, drug cartels, and organized crime escalated dramatically, plunging the nation into the hands of dangerous criminal groups. They threatened the safety of citizens and democracy itself. Widespread violent crimes, including rampant kidnapping and landmine deployment in rural areas, brought unimaginable pain and brought the country to its knees. Kidnapping became a lucrative, almost limitless source of income for various criminal actors, making it incredibly difficult to combat. Meanwhile, landmines devastated families and terrorized innocent, often humble, rural populations where leftist guerrillas operated. Both kidnapping and landmines tore at the fabric of Colombian society. For over three decades, Colombia bled from the wounds inflicted upon families and entire communities by these horrific enterprises.
Profoundly affected by the insecurity and suffering caused by kidnapping and landmines, I created an exhibition of sculptures. These pieces represent the families and individuals who were victims of these atrocities. The exhibition employed expressionistic and abstract representations, aiming to convey this horrendous reality to the world and offer a sense of understanding to Colombia’s plight. “The Kidnapped Homeland” featured 12 laser-cut steel figurative sculptures, depicting kidnapped individuals and those mutilated by landmines.
“The Kidnapped Homeland” exhibition opened at the Gallery of the Consulate of Colombia in July 2008.
