Miami, Friday, January 16, 2026 – The Museum of Art and Design (MOAD) at Miami Dade College (MDC) presents its newest exhibition Belkis Ayón and Carlos Alfonzo: Odyssey. This marks its second exhibition in the Freedom Tower’s contemporary art gallery since the historic landmark reopened following a major renovation to mark its 100th anniversary. Odyssey features works by artists Carlos Alfonzo, a Cuban-American painter who came to the U.S. during the Mariel Boatlift, and Belkis Ayón, a Cuban printmaker who draws from Abakuá, a secret, all-male Afro-Cuban society. The exhibition will be on view from Wednesday, January 28 through Sunday, May 10.
Odyssey is an exhibition that brings together the powerful and deeply symbolic practices of two influential Cuban artists. Belkis Ayón (1967–1999) and Carlos Alfonzo (1950–1991) who each developed a distinct visual language marked by bold expression and layered meaning. While their artistic approaches differ, their works converge through shared engagements with historical myth, complex spiritual belief systems, and a commitment to visual storytelling that unfolds as an ongoing journey.
Both artists attended the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA), Cuba’s premier national university for the arts. As their work evolved, they were acutely attuned to the societal realities surrounding them, responding to inequity, violence, and oppression shaped by their experiences in and beyond Cuba. Navigating conditions of scarcity and limited personal freedom, Ayón and Alfonzo forged resolute artistic paths that earned critical acclaim during their lifetimes and continue to influence contemporary art today. By presenting their work in dialogue, Odyssey invites renewed consideration of their practices, offering fresh context and perspectives on their lasting impact within art history.
“Odyssey creates a powerful dialogue between two visionary artists whose work speaks to resilience, spirituality, and the search for freedom,” said Amy Galpin, PhD, MOAD’s Executive Director and Chief Curator. “By presenting them together in the Freedom Tower, we invite audiences to engage with their enduring legacies and consider how their distinct yet interconnected journeys continue to shape contemporary art and cultural history.”
The exhibition will remain on view at MDC’s Freedom Tower through May 10, 2026. Additional public programs and events accompanying the exhibition will be announced on MOAD’s website and social media channels.
MOAD’s programs are made possible with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor, and the Board of County Commissioners. They are sponsored in part by the State of Florida through the Department of State through the Division of Arts and Culture, and with generous support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
The programs at the Freedom Tower, operated by the Museum of Art and Design (MOAD) at Miami Dade College (MDC), are made possible with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor, and the Board of County Commissioners. They are sponsored by the State of Florida through the Division of Arts and Culture, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), with collections, exhibition, and marketing support from ArtesMiami, Art Bridges Foundation, the Shepard Broad Foundation, the Miami Downtown Development Authority (Miami DDA), Henry Luce Foundation, Jay I. Kislak Foundation, Mitchell Wolfson Sr. Foundation, and US Century Bank.
WHAT: Belkis Ayón and Carlos Alfonzo: Odyssey
WHEN: Wednesday, January 28 through Sunday, May 10, 2026
Public hours Wednesday through Sunday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
(Gallery hours will observe Miami Dade College’s holiday schedule.)
WHERE: MDC’s Freedom Tower (600 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, FL 33132)
For more information about MOAD and a full schedule of events, please visit http://www.moadmdc.org/ and check our Facebook and Instagram channels for regular updates.
Press Contacts: Jennifer Weinberg, MOAD Marketing and Membership Manager, 305-237-7710, jweinbe1@mdc.edu; or JWI PR—Jessica Wade Pfeffer, 305-804-8424, jessica@jwipr.com.
Miami Dade College is an equal access/ equal opportunity institution which does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, marital status, age, religion, national origin, disability, veteran’s status, ethnicity, pregnancy, sexual orientation, or genetic information. To obtain additional information about the College’s equal access and equal opportunity policies, procedures, and practices, please contact the College’s Civil Rights Compliance Officer: Cindy Lau Evans, Director, Equal Opportunity Programs/ ADA Coordinator/ Title IX Coordinator at (305) 237-2577 (Voice) or 711 (Relay Service). 11011 SW 104 St., Room 1102-01; Miami, FL 33176. CRCTitleIXADA@mdc.edu
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