Xavier Cortada
Encyclopedia
Xavier Cortada is a Cuban-American painter residing in Miami, Florida
. His work has been exhibited in museums, galleries and cultural venues across the Americas, Europe, and Africa.
Cortada has created art installations in the Earth's poles to generate awareness about global climate change: In 2007, the artist used the moving ice sheet beneath the South Pole as an instrument to mark time; the art piece will be completed in 150,000 years. In 2008, he planted a green flag at North Pole to reclaim it for nature and in so doing launch a global reforestation eco-art effort.
Cortada has also developed participatory art projects to engage communities in local action at points in between. In Florida, he has worked with scientists, arborists and environmental managers to develop eco-art projects that engage community residents in bioremediation: coastal reforestation initiatives in Miami (Miami Science Museum, 2007), an urban reforestation campaign in St. Petersburg (Florida Botanical Gardens, 2009), and coral reef preservation efforts in Hawaii (Bishop Museum, 2010).
Cortada has also worked with groups internationally to produce numerous art projects and installations, including environmental works in Holland (2009), Quebec (2009) and Latvia (2008), peace murals in Cyprus (2000) and Northern Ireland (2000), child welfare murals in Bolivia (1997) and Panama (1999), and the official International AIDS Conference murals in Geneva (1998) and South Africa (2000).
The Miami artist has also been commissioned to create art for the White House
(2002), the World Bank
(2003), the Florida Supreme Court
, and the Museum of Florida History
(2003), the Miami Art Museum
(2001),the Miami Children’s Museum (2004], the Miami Science Museum
(2007) and the Frost Art Museum
(2008). In Miami, Cortada’s work hangs in City Hall (2005), Miami-Dade County Hall (2004), inside the Drug Court and on the facade of the Juvenile Courthouse (1999).
Cortada holds three degrees from the University of Miami
—a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Public Administration and Juris Doctor. The artist's work and writings are preserved in the Xavier Cortada Collection of the University of Miami Libraries Cuban Heritage Collection. He has been honored in the Congressional Record
and with "Xavier Cortada Day" proclamations by the City of Miami, Miami Beach, and Miami-Dade County. Corporations such as General Mills, Nike, Heineken and Hershey's have commissioned Cortada’s art. Publishers like McDougal and Random House have featured it in school textbooks and publications. His work has also been featured in National Geographic TV and the Discovery Channel.
Cortada has received awards for his volunteer work, including the "Millennium International Volunteer Award" from the United States Department of State
/USA Today
(for his work in Spain, Portugal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Mauritius, Kenya Tanzania, Colombia, Bolivia, Honduras and Guatemala) and the Florida International Volunteer Corps 1999 "Outstanding Achievement Award" (for his work in Costa Rica and Panama).
In February 2000, Cortada was invited by the Holy See to participate in the Vatican’s "Jubilee Day for Artists" and met Pope John Paul II. In 2004, Mr. Cortada, a former altar boy
, announced that he would no longer attend Mass until the Catholic Church changed its position on homosexuality, since he felt he could no longer attend a church that discriminated against him.
Cortada has worked with groups across the world to produce numerous large-scale murals and community art projects. In 2006, he received the "National Champion for Children Award" from the Child Welfare League of America
.
In 2007, as a recipient of the National Science Foundation
Antarctic Artists and Writers Program, he created site-specific installations at the South Pole.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. His work has been exhibited in museums, galleries and cultural venues across the Americas, Europe, and Africa.
Cortada has created art installations in the Earth's poles to generate awareness about global climate change: In 2007, the artist used the moving ice sheet beneath the South Pole as an instrument to mark time; the art piece will be completed in 150,000 years. In 2008, he planted a green flag at North Pole to reclaim it for nature and in so doing launch a global reforestation eco-art effort.
Cortada has also developed participatory art projects to engage communities in local action at points in between. In Florida, he has worked with scientists, arborists and environmental managers to develop eco-art projects that engage community residents in bioremediation: coastal reforestation initiatives in Miami (Miami Science Museum, 2007), an urban reforestation campaign in St. Petersburg (Florida Botanical Gardens, 2009), and coral reef preservation efforts in Hawaii (Bishop Museum, 2010).
Cortada has also worked with groups internationally to produce numerous art projects and installations, including environmental works in Holland (2009), Quebec (2009) and Latvia (2008), peace murals in Cyprus (2000) and Northern Ireland (2000), child welfare murals in Bolivia (1997) and Panama (1999), and the official International AIDS Conference murals in Geneva (1998) and South Africa (2000).
The Miami artist has also been commissioned to create art for the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
(2002), the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
(2003), the Florida Supreme Court
Florida Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of Florida is the highest court in the U.S. state of Florida. The Supreme Court consists of seven judges: the Chief Justice and six Justices who are appointed by the Governor to 6-year terms and remain in office if retained in a general election near the end of each...
, and the Museum of Florida History
Museum of Florida History
The Museum of Florida History is located at the R.A. Gray Building, 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, Florida. It houses exhibits and artifacts with interpretive information designed to educate on Florida history and culture....
(2003), the Miami Art Museum
Miami Art Museum
The Miami Art Museum is an art museum located in Downtown Miami, Florida, in the United States. It was founded in 1984 as the Center for the Fine Arts, and in 1996 became the Miami Art Museum...
(2001),the Miami Children’s Museum (2004], the Miami Science Museum
Miami Science Museum
The Miami Science Museum is an attraction located in the city of Miami, Florida USA. The museum itself also contains the Space-Transit Planetarium, Weintraub Observatory and a wildlife center. The museum is currently working to transplant the museum from its current location to Park West at...
(2007) and the Frost Art Museum
Frost Art Museum
The Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum or simply known as the Frost Art Museum is a Florida International University museum located on-campus in Modesto A. Maidique in Miami, Florida....
(2008). In Miami, Cortada’s work hangs in City Hall (2005), Miami-Dade County Hall (2004), inside the Drug Court and on the facade of the Juvenile Courthouse (1999).
Cortada holds three degrees from the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
—a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Public Administration and Juris Doctor. The artist's work and writings are preserved in the Xavier Cortada Collection of the University of Miami Libraries Cuban Heritage Collection. He has been honored in the Congressional Record
Congressional Record
The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published by the United States Government Printing Office, and is issued daily when the United States Congress is in session. Indexes are issued approximately every two weeks...
and with "Xavier Cortada Day" proclamations by the City of Miami, Miami Beach, and Miami-Dade County. Corporations such as General Mills, Nike, Heineken and Hershey's have commissioned Cortada’s art. Publishers like McDougal and Random House have featured it in school textbooks and publications. His work has also been featured in National Geographic TV and the Discovery Channel.
Cortada has received awards for his volunteer work, including the "Millennium International Volunteer Award" from the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
/USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
(for his work in Spain, Portugal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Mauritius, Kenya Tanzania, Colombia, Bolivia, Honduras and Guatemala) and the Florida International Volunteer Corps 1999 "Outstanding Achievement Award" (for his work in Costa Rica and Panama).
In February 2000, Cortada was invited by the Holy See to participate in the Vatican’s "Jubilee Day for Artists" and met Pope John Paul II. In 2004, Mr. Cortada, a former altar boy
Altar server
An altar server is a lay assistant to a member of the clergy during a Christian religious service. An altar server attends to supporting tasks at the altar such as fetching and carrying, ringing the altar bell and so on....
, announced that he would no longer attend Mass until the Catholic Church changed its position on homosexuality, since he felt he could no longer attend a church that discriminated against him.
Cortada has worked with groups across the world to produce numerous large-scale murals and community art projects. In 2006, he received the "National Champion for Children Award" from the Child Welfare League of America
Child Welfare League of America
The Child Welfare League of America or CWLA is the oldest child welfare organization in the United States. The organization's primary objective is to "Make Children a National Priority...
.
In 2007, as a recipient of the National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
Antarctic Artists and Writers Program, he created site-specific installations at the South Pole.