A prolific artist for over 25 years, Lydia Rubio was born in Havana, Cuba, and has resided and worked in Miami since 1987. In describing the intention of the installation, Ms. Rubio states, “Throughout history, women have been represented as symbols of fantasy and virtue, bearers of the cosmic forces. The sculptural fences and artworks for The Women’s Park are structured as a linear narrative, running West to East of the Flagler Street park boundary. My intention is to use this fence to generate questions about women, their symbols, and provoke thought to both young and old visitors.”

“In 1992 when the park was officially dedicated as the Women’s Park, it was for the purpose of honoring the women of Miami-Dade County. To have such an accomplished artist as Lydia Rubio create the work that will become the signature of the park, is an honor. This installation exemplifies the strength and power of women and recognizes their contributions in making our community a better place to live,” states Jack Kardys, Director of Miami-Dade Park and Recreation Department.

The compositions for the three gates, which serve as the focal points of the 1000 linear foot fence design, are based on various poetic words alluding to women, including ‘Courage,’ ‘Love’ and ‘Wisdom.’ As pedestrians enter the park through the central Gates of Love, they will discover a 12’ x12’ porcelain mosaic medallion embedded in the sidewalk designed by Ms. Rubio and inscribed with a verse by Cuban poet and Cervantes Price winner, Dulce Maria Loinaz, that reads, “What will I do with this spark, that thought it was the sun, with this sigh that thought it was the wind.”  Accompanying these words is the depiction of a wind gust on the right side of the medallion, suggesting the creation of woman, and open hands on the left, suggesting the warmth of love. 

In addition to the public art installation, an exhibition of Ms. Rubio’s design drawings for the gates, fences and medallions can be viewed through April 30, 2009 in the Women’s Park Gallery.

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Fence Dedication, cont’d.

Ms. Rubio has exhibited her work extensively throughout the United States and has received several prestigious awards and fellowships, including the Pollock Krasner Fellowship and the Cintas Foundation Fellowship. Ms. Rubio’s works are the in permanent collections of Santa Barbara Museum of Art, University of Southern California, Wolfsonian-FIU Museum, Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale, Miami Dade Community College, Bryn Mawr College and Lehigh University Art Galleries.

The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Cultural Affairs Council and the Art In Public Places Trust develop cultural excellence, diversity and participation throughout Miami-Dade County by strategically creating, improving and promoting opportunities for artists and cultural organizations, and our residents and visitors who are their audiences.  Through staff, board and programmatic resources, the Department promotes, coordinates and supports Miami-Dade County’s more than 1,100 not-for-profit cultural organizations as well as thousands of resident artists through grants, technical assistance, public information and interactive community planning.  The Department receives funding through the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, the National Endowment for the Arts, the State of Florida through the Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Arts Council, The Children’s Trust, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.  Other support and services are provided by Ticketmaster for the Culture Shock Miami program, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, the South Florida Cultural Consortium and the Tourist Development Council.

Miami-Dade Park and Recreation Department creates outstanding recreational, natural and cultural experiences to enhance you and to enrich our community for this and future generations.