Brazilian-born Miami artist parallels the flow of ocean life and air travel

Art imitates life underwater with Heliotropic Seekers: Currents of Passage, the new eye-catching, multi-colored exhibition inside Miami International Airport’s Gate D29 Gallery by Brazilian-born, Miami-based environmental artist and educator Beatriz Chachamovits. On view through January 10, 2027, the installation of 30 suspended acrylic and translucent silhouettes of ocean life and fauna is inspired by the migratory patterns of marine life and the ocean currents that guide them, mirroring the constant flow of travelers and flight connections that define airport life.

Along with showcasing the natural beauty of coral reefs found along Miami-Dade County’s shores, this striking new art installation offers our visitors a calming, reflective space within MIA. Heliotropic Seekers invites viewers to reflect on our own journeys, encouraging a deeper awareness of our shared relationship with nature and the broader currents that shape all living things.

Miami-Dade County Mayor, Daniella Levine Cava

The interplay of shifting daylight and reflection animates the installation throughout the day, softly illuminating the layered silhouettes, enhancing their sense of gentle drift, and evoking the movement of ocean life. The reef is presented not as a static place, but as an ecosystem in perpetual motion, passage, and change. This rhythmic choreography parallels the global travel journey and the resilience of coral ecosystems, both of which adapt and regenerate within their environments.

The exhibition’s title, Heliotropic Seekers, references heliotropism – the movement of plants toward sunlight – and suggests a broader connection between natural phenomena and human experience. “Seekers” evokes a sense of quest and journey, reflecting both travelers searching for new horizons and organisms striving toward light and sustenance. The installation emphasizes interconnectedness, growth, and the rhythmic patterns of life, paralleling the journeys of individuals and natural habitats.

Inspired by the biodiversity of South Florida’s coastal ecosystems, Heliotropic Seekers invites travelers to pause, experience a sense of wonder, and reconnect with the beauty of our ocean. I believe wonder is one of the most powerful pathways to stewardship, and I hope the work inspires a deeper appreciation for the extraordinary marine life that surrounds us.

Beatriz Chachamovits

Born in São Paulo, Brazil, and living and working in Miami, Beatriz Chachamovitsexplores the beauty and fragility of marine ecosystems through ceramic sculptures, drawings, and installations that merge natural history with speculative mythologies. By highlighting the intricate forms of underwater life, she invites deeper reflection on our impact and responsibility toward ocean conservation. She is the author and illustrator of the book “The little handbook of marine fishes and other aquatic marvels” (“Pequeno manual de peixe marinhos e outras maravilhas aquáticas”), published by Companhia das Letrinhas in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2018.

​Her selected solo exhibitions include “Into the Great Dying: Waters We Share” at Faena Art Project Room in Miami, Florida (2022), “Into the Great Dying: Roles We Play” at the Museum of Contemporary Art of North Miami, Florida (2023), and “ Meet Me in the Clearing Between the Waves” an early career survey at Miami Design District in Miami, Florida (2024). Selected group exhibitions include the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, “Coral Expedition: 1865 – 2018” (2018), the Art and Cultural Center of Hollywood, Florida, “C[h]oral Stories and Collective Actions” (2022), and The Baker Museum, Naples, “Entangled in the Mangroves” (2025).

​Chachamovits has received fellowships to attend residencies at Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts and Penland School of Craft. She is the recipient of Oolite Arts’ The Ellies Awards (2023) and was commissioned by the City of Miami Beach for the Elevate Española public art project (2023). Her work has been featured in Vogue Magazine’s “Earth and Us” section, Arte Al Día, and the National Geographic Education platform as part of an AAAS grant to teach fifth graders about women in marine science. She is currently a resident artist at The Bakehouse Art Complex in Wynwood, Miami.

MIA Galleries, established in 1996, is managed by MIA’s Fine Arts and Cultural Affairs Division. Its mission is to enhance the travel experience by presenting exhibitions that showcase the rich culture, diverse landscape, and artistic resources of the local community. MIA Galleries aims to elevate the passenger experience by curating a visually stimulating environment that is contemporary, thought-provoking, and reflective of South Florida’s cultural depth and creativity.

Miami International Airport, America’s busiest airport for international freight and the second busiest for international passengers, is receiving an unprecedented investment of $14 billion in capital improvements and maintenance upgrades. MIA offers more flights to Latin America and the Caribbean than any other U.S. airport and is also the leading economic engine for Miami-Dade County and the state of Florida, generating $212 billion in business revenue and approximately 60 percent of all international visitors to Florida annually.