Access images of the artist here
Photo Credit: Courtesy of MOAD
Miami, August 14, 2026 – The Museum of Art and Design (MOAD) at Miami Dade College (MDC) presents Luis Manuel Otero Alcántra: nos encontramos at Miami Dade College’s National Historic Landmark Freedom Tower.
This special event will begin with a live performance, followed by a conversation with Alcántara, a prominent Cuban dissident artist who recently arrived in Miami in July 2026 following five years as a political prisoner in Cuba.
He will be joined by film director, Ernesto Fundora, whose documentary Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara: Estamos conectados, highlighted the artist’s plight and his role as co-founder of the San Isidro Movement. Telemundo news anchor Gloria Ordaz will moderate the conversation.
“The Museum of Art and Design at MDC is thrilled to welcome Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara to the Freedom Tower. His journey of resilience and determination echoes in the halls of the Freedom Tower’s history. As a pivotal artist of our time, this is a special opportunity to welcome Luis Manuel after his recent arrival to Miami.” Amy Galpin, PhD, MOAD’s Executive Director and Chief Curator
Works of art produced during his time in prison will be on view at a museum for the first time. A large-scale installation by the artist will be presented in Freedom Hall as well as various drawings. His works reveal a sensitivity to the human condition, and his own vulnerability. The drawings reveal a complex negotiation of power, labor, loss, longing, and self-determination.
Luisma, as he is known to his supporters, was named one of the 50 most influential people of our era by Time Magazine. His work and activism have resulted in international recognition including the Prince Claus Award, the Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent, and the Rafto Prize.
This free event is open to working media and to the public. It will take place on Friday, August 14 from 6:00 to 10:00 PM.
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 Division of Arts and Culture, with support from Art Bridges, and 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 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 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, education and marketing support provided by Art Bridges, ArtesMiami, 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: Luis Manuel Otero Alcántra: nos encontramos
WHEN: Friday, August 14, 2026
TIME: 6 to 10 p.m.
WHERE: MDC’s Freedom Tower (600 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, FL 33132)
RSVP: Free tickets are available here on a first come, first served basis.
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
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