Night & Day

wednesday
july 1
While some may think serious art is meant to hang in museums or decorate the walls of chichi galleries, the enlightened people behind Miami-Dade Art in Public Places would have to disagree. In their minds, art should be for everyone, a force to enrich, stimulate, and just make life a bit more bearable. Founded in 1973, Miami-Dade Art in Public Places is a county agency that utilizes 1.5 percent of the construction costs of new county buildings to commission and purchase works in all media by contemporary artists. Artworks are then placed in public sites such as Miami International Airport and at Metromover stations. Over the past 25 years, close to 500 works have been generated through this process. Definitely something to commemorate. For the exhibition Collaboration: Celebrating 25 Years of Art in Public Places, the agency has gathered an array of drawings, proposal maquettes, material samples, and installation photographs that let the public in on the public art process and on the cooperation that takes place between artists, engineers, architects, and the county government. The exhibition runs through September 2 at the Miami-Dade Public Library, 101 W. Flagler St. Admission is free. Call 375-5632. (