Xavier Cortada
Visual Artist
1964-
Biography
Xavier Cortada, a prominent figure in the Florida arts scene, has deep roots in the state, having been a resident since his early years. Cortada was born in Albany, New York, in 1964 to parents who were originally from Cuba. Later that year, they moved to Miami, where Cortada has lived ever since, even throughout his college years at the University of Miami.
As a Cuban American artist, Cortada's work spans various disciplines, creating over 150 public artworks, installations, collaborative murals, and socially engaged projects on six continents.
At the heart of Cortada’s artistic practice lies a profound engagement with his audience. He pioneered eco-art in Miami with his "Reclamation Project" in 2006, a participatory mangrove reforestation initiative. In 2018, he founded the "Underwater Homeowners Association" to raise awareness of Miami's vulnerability to rising seas. Recently, he received a Creative Capital Award in 2022 to support his latest socially engaged art project, "The Underwater," which involves over 2,000 students from his alma mater, Miami Senior High School, in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood.
