Vasari Project at 25: A Legacy of Art Collections and Collecting in Miami
Miami-Dade Public Library System
101 W Flagler St, Miami, FL 33130
This exhibition celebrates 25 years of The Vasari Project, a living archive that documents Miami-Dade’s visual arts since 1945. Tracing its origins in early library exhibitions, the show highlights donated materials that reflect the city’s evolving artistic landscape and cultural memory. For more information, please contact the branch at 305-375-2665 or [email protected]. All ages.To request services in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) such as materials in accessible format, sign language interpreters, and/or any accommodation to participate in any Miami-Dade Public Library System sponsored program or meeting, please email [email protected] or call Monica Martinez at 305-375-5094 five days in advance to initiate your request. TTY users may also call 711 (Florida Relay Service).
The Miami-Dade Public Library System makes its facilities and meeting rooms available to independent entities, such as community groups or organizations. Hosting such events or programs does not constitute an endorsement or affiliation with the activities of the independent entity or its content. The Library is not responsible for the accuracy or completeness of the information provided by independent entities.
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.
Several exhibitions created by the Library’s Art Services Division underscored the need for a dedicated repository to preserve Miami’s art history. Miami Thriving in Change 1940-1990, organized in 1991, was a series of exhibitions that documented 50 years of arts and culture in the community. The exhibit Cultivated Under the Sun, 30 Years of Library Service, 1971-2001, curated by Cano, Kohen, and Young raised awareness of the Library’s art collection and documentation efforts.
The Vasari Project collection safeguards the ever-changing nature of the city’s museums, a decades-long roster of commercial galleries, and the footprints of artists who continue to leave their marks. Contributions to this significant archive — including exhibition catalogs, photographs, press clippings, oral histories, and other mementos — by public institutions, galleries, artists, art professionals, artist collectives, and private donors continue to document the many facets of Miami’s arts scene.
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.
Together, we ensure that Miami’s artistic heritage is preserved, celebrated, and shared for generations to come.
