During this year’s Art Basel, students in MCC1000: Introduction to Mass Communications and Media Literacy participated in a walk tour of the newly developed Miami Worldcenter, engaging directly with public art to deepen their understanding of visual communication and media literacy. The tour offered students the opportunity to explore how artists use public spaces to convey messages, preserve cultural histories, and reflect social issues through creative expression.
Woody De Othello — Some Time Moves Fast, Some Time Moves Slow (2021–2022)
Woody De Othello’s sculptural installation, created during the pandemic, explores the disorienting experience of time when daily routines were disrupted and moments felt both fleeting and endlessly long. Through expressive, anthropomorphic forms, the work captures the emotional weight of an unprecedented global moment.
Zadok Ben-David — Girl on the Run (2022)
Zadok Ben-David’s Girl on the Run portrays a figure captured mid-stride, blending delicacy with energy to evoke a sense of urgency and motion. The sculpture invites viewers to imagine the narrative behind her movement while highlighting Ben-David’s signature focus on human behavior and emotional storytelling.
Hernan Bas — Snow in Miami (2022)
Hernan Bas’s mural Snow in Miami references the extraordinary morning of January 19, 1977, when Miami witnessed its only recorded snowfall. Drawing from this surreal historical event, Bas uses atmospheric imagery to evoke wonder and nostalgia while honoring a unique moment in the city’s past.
Nina Chanel Abney — R&R (2022)
Nina Chanel Abney’s immersive mural R&R responds to the legacies of gentrification and how redevelopment threatens to erase the histories of vibrant Black communities. Through layered imagery and bold color, Abney challenges viewers to consider whose stories are preserved—and whose are overlooked—as cities transform. “The mural location, a tunnel formed by the dark passageway under the building, inspired me to consider the recognition of sacred spaces with story” adds Abney (Miami Worldcenter, 2022).
Serge Toussaint — Welcome to Miami Worldcenter (2023)
Renowned Miami muralist Serge Toussaint brings his signature style to Welcome to Miami Worldcenter, a vibrant, welcoming artwork that celebrates the city’s multicultural identity. The mural highlights Toussaint’s deep connection to Miami’s neighborhoods and reflects the cultural diversity that continues to shape the city.
A Special Guest: Liliana Moyano Shares Industry Insights
Joining the tour was Liliana Moyano, Founder and President of La Perra Films and a member of the Board of Directors of United International College. At the end of the walk, she spent time having coffee with the students and Dr. Marcela Moyano, professor of the course, offering invaluable insights into her career as a producer, director, and screenwriter. Moyano spoke about the creative process behind bringing stories to the big screen and the importance of staying true to one’s message—an inspiring conversation that connected the themes of the tour to real-world media production.
A Public Art Experience Through the Lens of Media Literacy
For MCC1000 students, the tour demonstrated how public art functions as a powerful form of mass communication—shaping public spaces, conveying cultural narratives, and inviting audiences to interpret meaning through visual cues. Students enjoyed the tour and were able to connect the impact of public art, film, and meaningful conversation during Miami Art Week and Art Basel, ultimately strengthening their understanding of how messages are crafted and shared across different creative mediums.
For further information on the programs United International College offers, please contact the Admissions Department at uicadmissions@uinternational.edu