Florida Turnpike: Florida Is Nature
In 2015, Cortada created three permanent “Florida is” public art installations in three turnpike plazas, making them cultural destinations in and of themselves. Each focused on a different aspect of the sunshine state’s natural beauty: Endangered Animals (Ft. Drum Plaza), Diatoms (Turkey Lake Plaza), and Wildflowers (West Palm Beach Plaza).
“It is important to have the artwork connect with our local environment, and I believe that [Cortada’s] art does that in a very sophisticated way,” said architect Bernard Zyscovich in reviewing Cortada’s public art proposal for the plazas he designed. “Additionally, I love the idea of generating a series of “take aways” from [Cortada’s art] plazas and hopefully from the other plazas as well. I think that it reinforces the plaza experience as something that adds value to each visitor’s experience.“
Merchandise is branded with “Florida is” information so that it serves as a catalysts for conversations to address our state’s environmental concerns.
You can learn more about the artist by visiting www.cortada.com