Rising Tides is an investigative mixed media installation that examines the impact of climate change on the communities and ecosystem of Miami.
I became interested in unpacking the human costs and policies of climate resilience and adaptation after learning about the “Miami Forever” bond in 2018. The general obligation bond is a 400 million dollar bond expected to mitigate the consequences of climate change in the City of Miami.
In the corkboards, I link national headlines, reports, excerpts, and images to unpack the financialization of climate change starting with the Miami Forever bond and concluding with catastrophe bonds linked to the hurricane index. These financial speculations prioritize the reconfiguration of wealth further protecting investments in the area.
A monolithic stack of boxes is a nod to the capital accumulation in real-estate and art markets of Miami–both intimately related in some cases. A set of curated boxes and shelves contain a library, books, artworks, and access research that supports the investigative process. They contain material that further traces the areas past, present, and future challenges with water, infrastructure, public safety, sea level rise, affordable housing, and parks and cultural facilities.
Rising Tides embraces the anxious simultaneity of living in the age of the capitalocene. Miami serves as a symbol of the prioritization of capital accumulation in self-interest furthering the cultural annihilation and economic disparities.
Flyer by: Sue Montoya
Photography by: Camille Blake