With rising sea levels and warming temperatures threatening South Florida’s ecology, activists and innovators alike are looking for solutions that can both protect and restore what has been lost. In founding Reefline, the cultural entrepreneur Ximena Caminos became a major player and driving force behind climate-focused action in the region. An underwater sculpture park that will eventually span seven miles, Reefline fuses art, science and conservation to restore coral and marine habitats. Numerous artists have been commissioned to create sculptural underwater installations that will provide structure for marine life to attach to and grow on, thereby attracting fish and supporting biodiversity.
A relative newcomer to Miami—Caminos originally moved to the city with her then-husband, Alan Faena, as the hotelier was opening his first US outpost—the Argentine artist and curator has made an impact as both a cultural producer and fundraiser. Her direction of the Faena Art programme as Faena was establishing its brand definitively cemented the hotel as a cultural destination. She launched Reefline in 2022 with a $5m grant from the City of Miami Beach, a testament to city leaders’ faith in her.
Reefline is an 11-phase project that will need around $40m to be fully realised and span Miami Beach’s entire shoreline, but its first installation debuted in the lead-up to Miami Art Week. Leandro Erlich’s Concrete Coral is a submerged reincarnation of the locally famous sandcastle traffic jam the artist created on Miami Beach during Art Week in 2019. A nod to the role cars play in harming the environment, Erlich’s cluster of 22 concrete car sculptures is close enough to shore that swimmers, snorkellers and scuba divers can experience it. Future phases include plans to realise Miami Reef Star, a sculpture by the Miami-based artist Carlos Betancourt and the architect Alberto Latorre, in 2026.
Recently named the chief curator at the Pérez Art Museum Miami, José Carlos Diaz is back in his hometown after nearly a decade away and sees Reefline as one of the most compelling projects in the city right now.
Installation of a sculpture of a car, part of Leandro Erlich’s Concrete Coral, the first Reefline work
Photo: Veronica Ruiz, courtesy of Reefline
The Art Newspaper: What draws you to Reefline?
José Carlos Diaz: It’s groundbreaking. It’s taking art, combining it with science and really making something for the people. There’s no gate-keeping—anyone can experience it, whether you’re a diver, a swimmer or just someone who loves the beach. It’s redefining what public art can be by placing it underwater and using it to create an ecosystem.
How does it differ from other public art projects in Miami?
What’s really special is that it’s homegrown. If you look at who’s behind it—Ximena Caminos, the curator Brandi Reddick, Carlos Betancourt, Alberto Latorre—these are Miami people. They live and breathe this city. The team didn’t bring in outsiders to tell Miami how to do this. They said: “We’re going to do this ourselves, because we know our community and environment.” That sense of ownership and authenticity makes it feel truly of this place.
Erlich’s installation Concrete Coral includes 22 concrete cars and is an underwater reimagining of the Miami artist’s piece consisting of a sandcastle traffic jam on Miami Beach during the city’s 2019 Art Week
Photo: Veronica Ruiz, courtesy of Reefline
Tell me about the first phase, Leandro Erlich’s Concrete Coral. Why is it so compelling?
It’s an incredible piece. They’ve submerged 22 concrete cars just off the coast of South Beach, about 600ft out and 20ft below the surface. What’s amazing is that the concrete is sustainable—it’s environmentally safe—and it’s designed to help nurse corals. Scientists will actually anchor corals to the cars, creating a new habitat for marine life. So it’s not only visually striking, it’s functionally restorative.
Why do you think the Reefline is an important project for Miami specifically?
Miami Beach is on the front lines of sea-level rise and we rarely see projects that unite science and art to address that reality. The Reefline does that beautifully. It’s not just an Art Basel moment—it’s a permanent, living work that grows and changes with time. For locals, it’s a point of pride. For visitors, it’s a glimpse into the future of how cities like ours can think creatively about climate and culture.
What do you think it represents for the future of public art?
It’s paving the way. One day, there might be sculpture parks underwater around the world—and it’ll have started here, in Miami.
- Reefline, at 4th Street, Miami Beach
