Ex-mayor’s daughter’s ‘Bird House’ to grace Bayshore Park

After a curatorial approach process, the City of Miami Beach has selected a local artist to design a centerpiece artwork for Bayshore Park.

The Art in Public Places Committee has chosen Michele Oka Doner’s proposed artwork, Bird House, which draws upon her deep, personal connection to Miami Beach.

Ms. Doner’s proposal was selected after a rigorous selection process that began with 67 applicants and was narrowed to three semi-finalists, chosen for their understanding of what makes Miami Beach unique. Funded with a municipal investment of $300,000, the Bayshore Park project marks the city’s largest public art commission since the installation of FriendsWithYou’s Starchild in Henry Liebman Square in 2022.

Previously used as a golf course, Bayshore Park at 2795 Prairie Ave. is to be transformed into a public park for all of the city’s residents. Projected to open this fall, the park is to offer a central lake with boardwalks, a pavilion, six pickleball and tennis courts, a playground, dog park, jogging trails and pathways, a fitness cluster, and a butterfly garden.

In July 2024, the city solicited proposals from professional artists for a site-specific artwork that would offer visitors a striking artistic experience while also creating a unique visual identity for the park and surrounding environment. Ms. Doner’s Bird House is inspired by the artist’s childhood and the natural elements that characterize the park and city.

A Miami Beach native, Ms. Doner grew up across the street from the park and always marveled at the wildlife that made their homes among its foliage. Bird House recalls an abandoned birdhouse that the artist discovered in a Coconut Palm. Her proposed sculpture will stand 20 feet high and 6 feet in diameter.

“With Bird House, I want to create a welcoming beacon that draws curious visitors to the park, serves as a familiar meeting-place for the community, and, over time, embeds itself in the collective memory of Miami Beach,” she said.

Composed of shining mica, construction on Bird House is due to be completed by the winter season.

“Bayshore Park represents a new chapter for Miami Beach and one that blends natural beauty, recreation, and artistic excellence,” said Steven Meiner, Miami Beach’s mayor. “Michele Oka Doner’s Bird House will be a striking addition, celebrating our city’s heritage while reinforcing Miami Beach’s reputation as an art and culture destination.”

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