ART EN ROUTE: A guide to public art on Metrorail, Metromover and the South Dade TransitWayNow celebrating 50 years of enriching our community, Miami-Dade Art in Public Places has played an important role in defining the urban landscape of Miami. Along the Metrorail, Metromover and TransitWay systems, passengers can find some of Miami’s most remarkable public artwork. These pieces not only enhance the beauty of our County, but also express the cultural diversity of each area. Local and nationally acclaimed artists have created pieces that contribute to the unique identity of each station, create a sense of pride for area residents, and challenge viewers to think about art and its relationship to the environment.
Among the many treasures aligning the 25-mile dual track Metrorail system, riders will find figures inspired by Greek mythology, a neon sculpture over the Miami River, a mural celebrating the vibrant colors of the tropics, and crystalline representations of marine biology.
Among the vibrant masterpieces found at the 21 Metromover stations are: benches made with recycled hurricane debris, a ceramic tile mural created by local high school students, a giant red “M” and a ceramic mosaic featuring the hand prints of Miami residents.
Among the dynamic works on display along the 20-mile bus rapid transit corridor that is the South Dade TransitWay are a mirror into the soul of our community, a mythical hybrid of a peacock and an alligator and a shimmering LED screen with tidal vibes.
So hop aboard for an enchanting, jovial, sometimes provocative, and always inspiring journey. Take Miami-Dade Transit and enjoy the ride! |
SOUTH DADE RAYS
Erwin Redl, 2025
Acrylic with transparent colored vinyl sidelit with programmable LEDs; SW 104 St, S Allapattah Rd and SW 244 St TransitWay StationsSouth Dade Rays by artist Erwin Redl is a light-based installation that activates three different stations throughout the South Dade Corridor. Using both sunlight and programmable LED lighting, each of the three configurations of color, form and frequency are unique. The light sequences are activated and change with the buses arriving and departing the terminals, and run from 30 minutes before sunset to 30 minutes after sunrise.
Continuing the artist’s research into the phenomenon of visual perception, the work changes as the natural light shifts in a 24-hour cycle, and with the seasons. During the day, the sunlight is filtered through the colorful, transparent vinyl. At dusk, the illumination of the panels slowly intensifies as darkness invigorates the color sequences of the embedded, programmed LEDs. At night, the light installation radiates the illuminated stained glass effect patterns into the station’s adjacent neighborhoods. |
THE PARROTS OF MIAMI
Sergio Vega, 2025
Printed porcelain tile mural; Howard Dr TransitWay StationIn The Parrots of Miami, artist Sergio Vega (b. 1959, Buenos Aires) presents a collage incorporating original photographs and geometric color fields. For Vega, the work highlights the unique context of South Florida, where numerous species of trees and vegetation planted on streets, parks and houses are derived from various regions of the world. The presence of this vegetation has allowed the development of a unique ecosystem: over seventy-five species of parrots have been recorded living free in urban and suburban areas of South Florida, mostly feeding on the seeds and fruits of those foreign trees. In 2025, Miami was home to a minimum of twenty species of breeding wild parrots. This constitutes the largest concentration of parrot species of any city in the world. The Parrots of Miami mural brings attention to the transformation of the South Florida ecosystem by celebrating the exotic species of parrots that grant the region the status of a unique tropical paradise, and aligns with Vega’s research into specific places that express utopian attributes of the Edenic realm. |
MEMORY MIRROR
Emmett Moore, 2024
Laser engraved mirror polished stainless steel; Coral Reef Dr TransitWay StationThis mirror, like others created by the artist, draws inspiration from personal memories and moments shared with others, particularly from the time spent with their childhood friend, Michael Clifford. The artist and Clifford shared a studio before Clifford’s passing, and it was in this space that the artist encountered doodles scratched into a desk, which became a significant influence on this piece. The mirror evokes the concept of what remains when people are gone—be it words, marks, or memories—much like graffiti found on a bathroom mirror. The act of looking into the mirror serves as a confrontation with one’s own identity, life, and memories. The work is infused with autobiographical references to the artist’s upbringing in Miami, including symbols like Coral Castle and Parrot Jungle. Interspersed throughout the composition are doodles inspired by historical images of the area, sourced from the archives of History Miami Museum. These drawings pay homage to Palmetto Bay’s agricultural history, the Florida East Coast Railway, and significant landmarks such as The Deering Estate. |
CURRENTS
Monica López De Victoria, 2025
Digital video and LED screen; Richmond Dr TransitWay StationMiami-based artist Monica López De Victoria created Currents, a site-specific video installation that celebrates how water connects us in Miami-Dade County. The work shows hands drifting across the frame, sending ripples through shimmering waters. These gestures represent both the ripple effect individuals can make in the world and the fluid nature of human relationships, which move like currents. The waters in the work represent the natural environment that surrounds, nourishes, and sustains life here. They also reflect the journeys of Miami-Dade County’s diaspora communities, many of whom crossed oceans to call this place home, such as the artist’s parents, whose families came from Puerto Rico and Sweden before settling in the region.
Through highly stylized, dreamlike visuals created from digitally manipulated footage captured throughout South Florida, Currents evokes the sensory experiences of life in the region. Located along the South Dade Corridor Transitway, this installation inhabits a space where the ebb and flow of commuters echoes natural currents, reinforcing the work’s themes while offering a moment of visual splendor. This artwork is dedicated to Samuel & Jane López De Victoria. |
PEACOLLI
Asser Saint-Val, 2024
Painted glass tile mosaic; Caribbean Blvd TransitWay StationThe mural envisions a future of South Dade’s ecosystem, where a new species, Peacolli— a hybrid of a peacock and an alligator—evolves at the intersection of Caribbean Boulevard and South Dixie in Miami. This creature symbolizes the impact of human decisions across centuries, blending the surreal and familiar. The artwork, a 7’6” x 15’ (181.5” X 92”) full-colored glass mosaic, imagines Peacolli as a response to the sterilization of peacocks and alligators, once deemed invasive. It invites viewers to reflect on the delicate balance between nature and society, set in the year 3023. |
PATCHWORKS
Juana Valdes, 2024
Porcelain tile mural; Campbell Dr TransitWay StationJuana Valdés’s tile mural brings together original and archival footage in a vibrant collage capturing Homestead’s local history, daily life, and cultural heritage. Valdés’s work reflects the rich diversity of nationalities, ethnicities, and cultures that make up the fabric of Homestead.To create the collage, the artist combined original photographs with historical aerial images of Homestead commissioned by the WPA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, portraying the city’s evolution from the 1930s to the 1980s. Collaborating with the University of Florida Digital Collections (UFDC) George A. Smathers Libraries, Valdés reprinted the archival negatives from the WPA aerial surveys as blue cyanotypes. By transforming the black and white aerial photographs into a polychromatic patchwork, the artist memorializes the evolving landscape, inviting viewers to reflect on its past, present, and future. |
THE MIAMI LINE
Rockne Krebs, 1984-88 / 2016
LED lights (retrofitted from neon); on the Metrorail tracks over the Miami River between Brickell and Government Center StationsThe Miami Line is a light-based, site-specific installation spanning the Miami River by Rockne Krebs, who is internationally recognized for his pioneering work with laser light, a new technology when he began to explore its potential for art in the 1960’s. Since its creation, The Miami Line has become a signature element of the downtown Miami skyline and has been featured in countless photographs. “The Miami Line was conceived as a means to generate visual drama and create an identifying element which is unique to Miami by simply enhancing what is already present,” stated Krebs. When Krebs created the first phase of the Miami Line in 1984, it was 300 feet long. Due to its great popularity, the piece was expanded in 1988 to a total of 1,540 feet. Retrofitted in the winter of 2016 in conjunction with the artist’s estate, The Miami Line has been converted from neon to LED lights in the original color scheme that the artist designed. |
DUALITY
Hank Willis Thomas, 2022
Cast bronze; The Underline Miami River - under the Metrorail guideway at the south shore of the Miami RiverContinuing Hank Willis Thomas’ exploration of themes related to identity, history, and popular culture, Duality represents a call to "loving action" to inspire mutual understanding and positive solutions. Using simple, universal gestures and the power of the human figure, Duality aligns with the artist’s celebrated permanent artworks including Unity, at the Brooklyn Bridge in New York and Raise Up, at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, AL. |
WATER / TABLES
Cara Despain, 2021
Cast concrete, terrazzo, waterjet cut aluminum with brushed brass finish; The Underline Brickell Backyard - Brickell Metrorail StationWater/Tables is a pair of artist-designed ping pong tables. These play objects have the same dimensions as standard ping pong tables and invite direct engagement with visitors. As part of The Underline, the artwork activates public space as a site of movement, interactivity, and creativity. Encouraged by the proximity of the two tables, visitors are invited to bring their own ping pong balls and paddles and engage in friendly tournaments and casual socializing. Continuing Despain’s body of work addressing climate change, Water/Tables utilize their position in downtown Miami to serve as a playful reminder of the city’s geography. The work highlights the actual water table—the level of ground water beneath the surface that rises through Miami’s oolitic limestone as the sea level rises. Etched on the side of each table is the approximate measurement of the depth to the water table and elevation above sea level at the site. In a literal, more humorous sense, the tables transform into fountains activated by heavy rainfall—collecting water in the storm drains in the center of the tables and pushing it out through the ball returns on either side. Sea-colored glass terrazzo surfaces quote the Miami architectural vernacular and make direct connection to nearby Biscayne Bay, referencing the delicate ecosystems we live and play in. |
LEANING ARCHES
Athena Tacha, 1984 / 2020
Painted COR-TEN steel; The Underline Hammock Playground - south of Brickell Metrorail StationLeaning Arches was created using sheets of steel which were cut, pulled and stretched with force to form a series of parallel arches connecting alternatively at the top and bottom. The steel pieces are painted a deep purple on one side and persimmon orange on the other to further enhance the forces of rhythm and tension by which they were formed. Artist Athena Tacha, b. 1936, Larissa, Greece, has over her lifetime made major contributions to the field of environmental, site-specific sculpture. Stemming from her work in the early 1970s and often featuring personal narratives and fascination with complex geometries, Tacha has been commissioned for over fifty permanent public artworks, the majority executed throughout the U.S. This artwork was originally commissioned by Miami-Dade Art in Public Places Program at the Douglas Road Metrorail Station, and relocated to become part of The Underline in 2020. |
SIXTEEN SMOKES
George Greenamyer, 1984
Steel; Dadeland South Metrorail StationCreated in the form of an improbable transport vehicle with oversized wheels, this twenty-ton sculpture creates a visual metaphor for Metrorail and the process of moving people from the suburbs to urban areas. Inspired by the American Industrial Age, Greenamyer uses vehicles with multiple houses to refer to the mobility of contemporary society. The only thing keeping 16 Smokes from moving are the weldments securing the wheels to the tracks. George Greenamyer has achieved great success in winning public art commissions with his appealing, accessible, and colorful approach to representation. According to the artist, much of his work is concerned with celebrating the following ideas: "fun, narrative readability, Yankee engineering, strength, cast-iron piggy bank paint jobs, military hardware, morality plays, Shaker efficiency, the delicious color of black, romanticism, and steel and welding as material and process." George Greenamyer, born 1939, Cleveland, OH, works in Marshfield, MA. |
UNTITLED
David Anasagasti, 2025
Spray paint; Dadeland North Metrorail StationLegendary Miami street artist David Anasagasti is best known for his soaring urban murals depicting expansive fields of drowsy eyes, reflecting his unique vision of life, labor and unrequited love of the streets of Miami.
Anasagasti's raw yet instantly recognizable street murals evaporate the divide between high and low art, often jumbles disparate themes from mass media, popular culture and marginalized pockets of society. He often draws inspiration from the urban environment and systems of society which dehumanize its inhabitants.
Anasagasti's deceptively simple, yet complex renderings both portray the veneer of our everyday surroundings and the dull, job-related conflicts often encountered in a dysfunctional workplace.
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MIAMI DOMINOES
Bo Droga, 2019
Spray painted concrete pylons; University Metrorail StationStemming from Australian artist Bo Droga’s interest in urban landscapes, the Miami Dominoes piece is part of his Concrete Landscapes series for urban spaces. Using the “trompe l’oeil” method to transform the concrete pylons supporting the Metrorail system into playful and thought-provoking pieces of art, the Miami Dominoes highlight Droga’s thirst for studying the relationship between order and chaos across urban developments.
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TETRAHELIX AND SON
Freda Tschumy, 1983
Painted COR-TEN Steel; University Metrorail StationInspired by the twisted double helix structure of a DNA molecule and solid triangular figures or tetrahedrons, Miami artist Freda Tschumy created this whimsical sculpture of welded Cor-Ten steel. Created in two parts, a ribbon of twisted steel comes off the end of each piece appearing to join underneath the sidewalk. Tschumy was intrigued by Buckminster Fuller’s theories on the triangle as the basis of the universe. Portions of the artwork are painted bright green, the rest of the piece is unfinished Cor-ten steel, which under the correct circumstances will develop a dark brown patina over time. The artwork is located outside the Metrorail station along the walkway from the parking lot to the station entrance on Ponce De Leon Blvd. |
DELIGHTS AND TERRORS OF THE SEA
After Alexander Stirling Calder, 1983
Cast stone and concrete; Vizcaya Metrorail StationThe fountain at the Vizcaya Metrorail Station incorporates figures originally commissioned in 1915 for Villa Vizcaya and cast from the mythical mermaids and mermen located on the Great Stone Barge created by sculptor Alexander Stirling Calder. Using special molds, each replica was formed with a sand-based aggregate and then resculpted by artist Mark Jeffries to sharpen timeworn features. |
CEREMONY OF THE TROPICS
Carlos Alfonzo, 1983
Glazed ceramic tiles; Santa Clara Metrorail StationThis vibrant hand-crafted ceramic mural, measuring 35 by 15 feet, celebrates and explores the interaction of man and nature. The monumental composition, made of over 900 tiles, depicts a domestic offering of fruit at the dining table. Sited in Miami's wholesale fruit district, Ceremony of the Tropics incorporates symbols from the area and from Alfonzo's personal iconography. In the artist's words, "This mural celebrates the relationship of nature and man and how this interaction manifests itself, including the moment in which the fruit is trapped by the hand and given as offering at the table in intimate domestic ritual. It is a 'ceremony of the tropics' and its symbols, in vibrant colors, in full public view." |
TRACKS
Gene Kangas, 1983
COR-TEN steel and stainless steel; Allapattah Metrorail StationSteel channels form a series of parallel lines that undulate, intersect, and create wave-like patterns in Kangas' large scale public artwork, Tracks. Two life-size silhouette figures are placed at one end of the sculpture and a group of herring gulls perch above the figures on a twisting linear pipe. A series of stainless steel bird tracks or footprints suggest unseen movements, perhaps by another visitor or at another time.At the time of creation, Gene was an art professor at Cleveland State University. He consulted with CSU’s engineering department to ensure that the basic design structure could withstand years of weathering and hurricane-force winds. CSU art students were involved in the entire creative process. A few actually traveled to Miami to help install the sculpture. |
BLUE STATION STONES
Beverly Buchanan, 1986
Dyed and molded concrete; Earlington Heights Metrorail StationBlue Station Stones is an installation of cobalt blue concrete forms at the entrance to the Earlington Heights Metrorail station. Buchanan was inspired by African ancestral tribal forms and intended the installation to function as a site marker, identifying the station and providing a meditative meeting area. The installation is located in a small oak grove along the walkway to the entrance of the station. The artist had intended for the sculpture to be interacted with and used and seating and table arrangements. The work is made of 18 cast concrete cobalt blue "stones" with natural earth pigment mixed throughout. There are 10 of the larger elements and eight of the smaller ones. The "stone" elements are arranged in groupings around the central planting of oak trees. The elements are generally grouped in pairs with one large square element and one smaller rectangular element together to form seating and table arrangements. |
SARGASSUM
Michele Oka Doner, 2012
Integrated art glass; Miami International Airport Metrorail StationThe main thoroughfare of the Miami Intermodal Center features artist Michele Oka Doner’s stunning etched glass vestibule ceiling. The work pays homage to Sargassum, the free-floating oceanic forms that migrate throughout the more temperate and tropical oceans of the world. These thick, drifting masses act as a mobile habitat for a distinctive group of marine animals and plants, many of which are not found elsewhere. In describing the concept of the work, Oka Doner stated, "The sea itself is a voracious life form, an enclosed universe of masses of leaves and creatures that hide among the multitudes of plant life. Expressing the profundity and fecund nature of this phenomenon that constantly appears at our feet, on our shores and mirrors the compelling motion of the drift is the goal of Sargassum." |
OPTICAL ILLUSIONS
Jean-Claude Rigaud, 1984 / 2025
Painted COR-TEN steel; Brownsville Metrorail StationJean Claude Rigaud created Optical Illusion for the Brownsville Metrorail Station. Using a red spiral and three white circular forms, Rigaud produced an optical and spatial illusion that evolves with the viewer’s changing perspective. The open areas become an integral part of the composition. When viewed from either end, the three white circular forms create the illusion of one large disc within a red sphere. "Working abstractly, my sculptures are basically geometric and inspired by architectonic forms that are drawings in space. Like many contemporary artists, I am as concerned with space as I am with form. The open areas become an integral part of the composition, to be given equal importance with the enclosing line. This has been one of the most important departures from classical sculpture taken by artists in this century. I use to full advantage the freedom that constructed sculpture has given me, enabling me to move away from carved or cast solid form and to work freely into space through the use of welded metals and their tensile strengths. It is constructive rather than a reductive system." – Jean Claude Rigaud |
ON OUR WAY
Betye Saar, 1986
Baked enamel on copper plates; Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Metrorail StationWorking with local residents and Metrorail users, artist Betye Saar created a vibrant art installation celebrating the energy and vitality of the surrounding community. She traced the outline of local residents and Metrorail patrons, creating enameled silhouettes embellished with lively shapes and lines. Through this community-based art process, Saar was able to instill a unique sense of community and individualism to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza Station. |
UNTITLED
Purvis Young, 1986
Mural enamel-painted on treated surface; Northside Metrorail StationThis mural, painted in Young’s swift gestural style, celebrates the contributions of construction workers, bricklayers, steel workers, carpenters, and others in building Miami’s rapid transit system. "The street is real life …You come out here and feel the workings of the world…That's all you need to become an artist." Born in 1943 in the Liberty City section of Miami, Young has spent his entire life within the street subculture of Overtown, Miami's black community. While incarcerated for armed robbery, from the age of eighteen to twenty-one, Young was encouraged to draw by a prison attendant. Young began to draw actively in the late 1960s. He was inspired to express his ethnic and community pride by the mural movement then emerging in urban neighborhoods of Chicago and Detroit. Creating public and private works, he finds both his subject matter and materials in the streets of Overtown. |
EAST / WEST
Robert Huff, 2003
Ceramic tile; Palmetto Metrorail StationInspired by the orientation of the Palmetto Metrorail Station, Miami artist Robert Huff conceived East/West to harmonize with the busy lifestyle of passengers on their daily commute. The hand glazed ceramic tiles provide a visual system linked to the change of light and color throughout the day. Upon entering the platform, the variations of color on the support system reflect the warm colors of a rising sun. As passengers return to the station, they are greeted by colors reminiscent of the setting sun that progress from the hot colors of the late afternoon to the cool blues of evening. |
REACHING FOR MIAMI SKIES
Connie Lloveras, 1994
Hand-painted ceramic tiles; Brickell Metromover StationViewers encounter Miami-based artist Connie Lloveras’ Reaching for Miami's Skies while gazing above at the recessed square sections of the concrete canopy above the Brickell Metromover Station, creating the effect of a giant patchwork quilt. Blue tiles in the middle of each quadrant reference the sky above and create a spatial illusion for the viewer. To create the work, the artist worked with the immediate community, took imprints of the hands of individuals living and working in the area, and created a lively work celebrating Miami's diversity. |
VENTANA SOLAR
Carlos Alves, 1994
Ceramic tile with protruding elements; Tenth Street Promenade Metromover StationA Miami ceramist who uses found objects and broken tiles, Alves originally created two separate and unique installations at Eighth Street Metromover station. The relocated “Portón de Sentimientos” (gate of emotions) symbolized the gateway to Calle Ocho. Using recycled ceramics and items embedded in clay that were collected from Calle Ocho merchants, Ventana Solar (solar window) represents a Cuban colonial window to the area. |
LA PALMA
Carlos Alves, 1994
Ceramic; Brickell City Centre (Eighth Street) Metromover StationOn the south side of the station, a ceramic royal palm tree rises from ground level to the top of the station. As in Jose Marti’s poetry, the royal palm represents freedom. |
RED M
Roberto Behar & Rosario Marquardt, 1996 / 2021
Concrete, stucco and paint; Riverside Metromover StationIn the form of a modern triumphal arch, Red M serves as an entrance gateway to the Riverwalk Metromover station as well as an iconographic sculpture honoring, symbolizing, and celebrating Miami. The monumental M, commissioned for Miami’s centennial celebration, is located on the riverfront site where Julia Tuttle, early Miami founder, once lived. The work also features a large-scale clock and a homage to "natural archeology" in the form of an integrated art deco terracotta relief depicting tropical flora. This artwork was originally commissioned in 1996, and was fully restored in 2021. In conjunction with the restoration, the artists were able to achieve a feature of the work which was originally intended but not realized: the two-tone shape of an alligator integrated into the concrete flooring for the entire 40 feet long footprint of the station entrance. The alligator celebrates the extraordinary fauna of the region, and reminds visitors of the proximity to the Miami River. |
NEW CALYPSO
Houston Conwill, Estella Conwill Majozo and Joseph DePace, 1994
Incised bluestone; Miami Worldcenter Metromover StationA painter, Houston has created several public commissions related to site and community. Collaborating with his sister, Estella, a poet and architect Joseph DePace creates site-responsive installations.
As a peace memorial tribute to the city’s multicultural community, the floor, formed from bluestone slabs, becomes a circular cosmological map. The artists worked with the Black Archives History and Research Foundation to identify historical figures, local literary symbolism, poetic texts, and song fragments which are sandblasted into the stone, celebrating Miami as a place of spiritual renaissance. |
MOVING OVER
Buster Simpson, 1994
Polished terrazzo and hurricane Andrew debris benches; Adrienne Arsht Center and Eleventh Street Metromover StationsSimpson created sculptural seating for three stations on the Omni loop of the Metromover. His platform benches reference the curb and street below. The street curb has traditionally served, in the face of no alternative, as public seating. By elevating the curb and reinterpreting its customary materials and texture in polished terrazzo, it is placed in a new context: one to be sat upon and studied. The artist incorporated debris from Hurricane Andrew such as roof tiles, plumbing fixtures, and miscellaneous building materials into the terrazzo. The forms and lines reference the roots of the native mangrove, holding fast through the Hurricane, and symbolize the rebirth and growth of Miami’s culture.Buster Simpson is one of the nation’s foremost environmental artists. For over 30 years, he has engaging citizens in aesthetics, politics and the environment. Humor and rich metaphors distinguish his work, with many of his deceptively simple sculptures offering solutions to real problems. Beginning in Seattle in the 1970’s, Simpson helped establish the practice of public art as a profession, and still today, he "prefers working in public domains. The complexity of any site is its asset, to build upon, to distill, to reveal its layers of meaning. Process becomes part and parcel. Site conditions, social and political realities, history, existing phenomena and ecology are the armature. The challenge is to navigate along the edge between provocateur and pedestrian, art as gift and poetic utility." |
VISION OF PEACE
Noreen Morelli and DASH (Design and Architecture Senior High) Students, 1995
Ceramic tile; School Board Metromover StationNoreen Morelli and DASH students created a ceramic mural that abstractly depicts the tropical landscape and architecture of Miami. The central shape, the sun, also represents a peace symbol, while ladder-like images symbolize the students’ efforts of striving toward the future. The intent of the images is to invoke a positive outlook for the community. |
