As Miami Art Week draws nearer, a brand-new installation is set to land on Lincoln Road this month! Selected from over 100 global submissions, “The Stories We Carry” by Nigerian-born, Arkansas-based artist Oluwatobi Adewumi will be the centerpiece of the district’s Art on Lincoln initiative.
Spanning 60 feet in length, the free public art installation takes the form of sculptural suitcases and suspended travel tags crafted from powder-coated steel, aluminum panels and etched, laser-cut metal. The piece symbolizes the migration, memory and personal journeys that people carry with them across generations and borders.
Drawing from Adewumi’s own experiences as well as conversations with others whose lives have been shaped by movement, the suitcases act as containers of what we choose to take with us and leave behind.
“By choosing to multiply the familiar concept of a suitcase, my hope is that the installation becomes part of the rhythm of the street, inviting people to walk through it, reflect on their own journeys and connect with the experiences of others,” Adewumi said.
The Lincoln Road Business Improvement District launched its 2026 Request for Proposals for temporary public art installations back in February, receiving over 100 submissions — an increase from last year’s 75 submissions.
Adewumi was awarded $75,000 to bring the project to life, and the piece will remain on display through May 2027, so you have plenty of time to see it for yourself!
Joining “The Stories We Carry” on the promenade are other public artworks like “Deco Portals,” a series of Art Deco-inspired archways honoring famous architect Morris Lapidus, and Gillie and Marc’s “A Wild Race Against Time,” featuring 14 interactive sculptures of endangered animals designed to spark conversations around conservation.
You can learn more here.
