Art Services & Exhibitions Division
The Library System has a long history of cultural and educational exhibitions, and makes a special call to artists on a rolling basis for temporary exhibitions that correspond to selected annual themes and/or that highlight the library’s permanent art collection and services.
Additionally, the Vasari Project is an archive that documents the development of the visual arts in Miami‑Dade County since 1945.
For more information about the art collection, exhibition programs, call 305‑375‑5599 or e‑mail art@mdpls.org.
By Emilio Héctor Rodríguez
October 24, 2025 – January 8, 2026
The abstract painting of Emilio Héctor Rodríguez unfolds a universe where color and form become an autonomous language. His work, infused with both mathematical and spiritual sensitivity, offers a vision that transcends the figurative to venture into realms of contemplation and mystery. Each canvas weaves transparencies, rhythms, and chromatic tensions that invite the viewer into an experience that is more introspective than descriptive.
World War II at 80
Thursday, December 18
5:00 – 7:30 p.m.
During the Second World War, the center of the art world shifted to the United States as artists fled Nazi-occupied territory and art was stolen and hidden throughout the continent. Join us for a conversation with artists Nico Hough and Pangea Kali Virga about figures such as Peggy Guggenheim and the Monuments Men, and the survival of art when faced with censorship and war.
Selected items and works from the Library’s Vasari Project and Permanent Art Collection
August 21 – December 18, 2025
Twenty-five years ago, the Miami-Dade Public Library System created The Vasari Project to document and preserve the vitality of the visual arts in Miami-Dade County dating back to 1945 and beyond. Three visionary women led the initiative: Art Librarian Margarita Cano; Miami Herald art critic, historian, and writer Helen L. Kohen; and Art Librarian and Art Services Manager Barbara N. Young. Together, they collaborated to establish this unique repository in 2000. With funding from the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs and the invaluable support of Library leadership, The Vasari Project was successfully launched.
This is the second survey exhibition of materials donated to The Vasari Project since its founding 25 years ago, following Highlights from The Vasari Project Archive of the Miami-Dade Public Library System in 2012. As a living archive, donations are welcome to help fill historical gaps and to continue the legacy of its founders.
Made possible by the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs.