Artist's Statement 2003: Legacy of the Mangrove

Florida Hispanic Heritage Month 2003

Artist's Statement | Florida Mangrove | The Journey | Press Release | Hispanic Leaders

The Legacy of the Mangrove

Since Ponce de Leon discovered it in 1513, Hispanics have been making significant contributions to this state.

To me, immigrants are like mangrove seeds that wash up and take root on a Florida sandbar and build a stable land mass for other life to take hold.

The mangroves’ walking feet serve as a metaphor for the growth and evolution of the state.

Miami, my home, is the perfect example of a community enhanced by the contribution of Hispanic immigrants.

For Hispanic Heritage Month 2003, I chose to create two murals:
	The first, Florida Mangrove, portrays the first encounter between Ponce de Leon and Florida’s indigenous residents against the backdrop of a beach and mangroves.

The second mural, The Journey, depicts immigrants in a sea of floating mangrove seeds. They're on the journey many others have made since Ponce de Leon named the state La Florida.

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