MIAMI – Miami Art Week is in full swing and this year a provocative installation is making waves at the Faena Hotel on Miami Beach, putting the climate crisis on center stage.
The spinning digital artwork is titled S.2122 and was created by Mike Winkelmann, the artist known as Beeple, who notoriously sold an NFT (non-fungible token) of his work for $69 million at Christie’s auctions back in 2021.
“We’re presenting this work by Beeple that is a city being challenged by sea level rise like we are here, ground zero climate change. And this sculpture is a very optimistic one, actually, because it speaks about human resiliency, and how we will ultimately adapt,” said Ximena Caminos founder of the Blue Initiative.
It is the Blue Initiative that houses The Reefline project, a visionary underwater sculpture park and artificial reef that will be deployed just six hundred feet from the shores of South Beach at 4th Street, expanding north for seven miles. Faena Art is a sustainability partner for the project.
“What I love about The Reefline is that it’s art and tech, and sustainability. So it’s art, tech and science,” Caminos explained. “To me, art will save us. And this is a statement of what we all can do together collectively and creatively.”
Caminos and the team have been developing The Reefline for three years. Now the pieces are finally coming together for phase one to be activated in the coming months.
“We already have permits. We have permits in place from the corps of engineers, from DERM Department of Environmental Resources [Management]. And we’re ready to go into fabrication and we’re hoping that by the beginning of the summer, we’ll have a first deployment,” The Reefline architect on record Alberto Latorre said.
The first work to be installed will be an underwater vision of Leandro Elrich’s “Order of Importance.” The original work featured sand replicas of cars frozen in time and premiered behind the Faena during Art Week in 2019. Only this time, The Reefline Science Director and COO Shelby Thomas told us, the 22 cars will be made of PH-neutral sustainable concrete.
“They’re built to last. They’re designed and engineered to be here in this nearshore environment,” Thomas explained.
Also set to be deployed during phase one will be Petroc Sesti’s “Heart of Okeanos”. The sculpture will be a large-scale model of the heart of a blue whale, the largest mammal on the planet.
“I like to think of it as the heartbeat of the ocean, right? So water pumping in and out instead of blood, it’s water pumping in and out and fish swimming in it in and out. And so it represents the life of the ocean,” Reefline Executive Director Brandi Reddick said.
Snorkelers visiting the Reefline will be guided by 50 star-shaped elements as part of “Reflections in the Sea: Star World,” created by Miami visual artist Carlos Betancourt. 3D printing is currently being tested to scale production and reduce its carbon footprint.
“The starfish... I wanted to use the theme of marine life, a fantasy setting where we can participate, where it can attract people that may not be familiar with what’s happening with the coral reef,” Betancourt told Local 10.
Florida has lost more than 90% of its coral cover since the 1980s. This summer saw the worst coral bleaching event ever documented in the state, as ocean temperatures soared in the grips of the hottest year ever recorded on the planet.
The Reefline intends to engage the public to take action as climate change continues to ravage what little reefs we have left.
“We can’t wait for reefs to die to wonder where our fish are going to go. Coral reefs are like the cities of the ocean,” said Thomas.
In fact, the Reefline is much more than an underwater museum, its structures will mimic natural reefs by creating habitats for marine life to thrive.
“It’s also going to serve as a respite for coral for fish and for marine life, to have a home. So it’s like public housing for fish. And that’s a very exciting thing,” Brandi Reddick explained.
Thomas is optimistic — and on good authority. She’s not only The Reefline science director, but she’s also the CEO of the Ocean Rescue Alliance, a marine conservation non-profit that’s already created six reef sites, including one that was deployed off the coast of Hollywood last year.
“You see it every time as soon as the structures go out, literally, within a few hours, you come out the next day, there’s already fish claiming that as their home. If you build it, they will come,” said Thomas.
The Reefline will also be a space for restoration, working with University of Miami Scientists to outplant the strongest of corals that can resist heat and disease. The Reefline itself is a canvas to show the world that we can meet the moment and help nature bounce back.
“We want people to take ownership and pride and where they live, and protect this, protect what you love, we want you to fall in love with the ocean. And hopefully, this is a pathway to do that,” Thomas reflected.
For artist Carlos Betancourt, this is just the beginning.
“I can’t wait to look into the future when this project is finished. And see what we helped create. The rest is going to be done by nature,” he said.
As time ticks until the first deployment, Caminos is also weighing in on the future impact.
“I think the legacy will be to lead by example and to show how we can come up with creative fun and sexy solutions to big problems that if we are all together and we unite, we can really turn things around,” he said.
The Reefline will be a free snorkel reef that will be accessible to all. There is also a VR component in development that will virtually bring The Reefline to those who can’t make it out on the water.
But that’s all just phase one. If you’d like to submit your design for phase two, or if you’d like to learn more about the project itself, visit The Reefline website.