MIAMI, May 8, 2026 — The Museum of Art and Design (MOAD) at Miami Dade College (MDC) presents its newest exhibition, Abstraction as Legacy, featuring works by renowned artists including Carmen Herrera, Willem de Kooning, Sam Gilliam, Virginia Jaramillo, Joan Mitchell, Young-Il An, George Morrison, Lloyd Kiva New, Vaughn Spann, Zilia Sánchez, Hans Hofmann and Noemí Ruiz.
The exhibition — the third at the Freedom Tower’s Wolfson Gallery since the historic landmark reopened following a major renovation to mark its 100th anniversary — will be on view from Wednesday, May 27, through Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026.
Part visual document, part subjective storytelling, visual art illustrates and offers nuance to significant moments in U.S. history. From oil portraits of well-known leaders to history paintings that speak to the sacrifice and strength of the American people, the power of paint remains unquestionable. In Abstraction as Legacy, the act of painting also makes history. Through hard edges and expressive forms, American artists reimagined painting and used abstraction as a mechanism to consider the human body, natural environments, architecture, emotion and economy of line.
This exhibition is not meant to be exhaustive but is intended to highlight the breadth of painterly abstraction in the United States. Following the 1950s, it became clear that the art world turned to the U.S. for ingenuity and boundary-breaking abstract art forms. From styles born in Havana that migrated to the U.S. through exile to experiments developed in New York and Los Angeles, the legacy of American abstraction is rich and varied.
On July 4, 2026, the United States will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This milestone offers an opportunity to reflect on the nation’s past, honor the contributions of Americans and look ahead to the future. The legacy of painterly abstraction in the U.S. provides a distinctive way to celebrate the ingenuity and innovation that define the American spirit.
“As the United States celebrates 250 years, we contribute our own story of innovation and ingenuity through Abstraction as Legacy,” said Amy Galpin, Ph.D., MOAD’s executive director and chief curator. “At midcentury, the art world turned to New York for artistic innovation. Complex abstract languages reverberate across the U.S., and this exhibition honors distinctive and groundbreaking approaches to painting.”
The exhibition will remain on view at MDC’s Freedom Tower through Oct. 18, 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’s Division of Arts and Culture, and with generous support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Programs at the Freedom Tower, operated by MOAD at MDC, are also supported by the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County mayor, and the Board of County Commissioners. Additional support is provided by the State of Florida’s Division of Arts and Culture, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and contributions from ArtesMiami, Art Bridges Foundation, the Shepard Broad Foundation, the Miami Downtown Development Authority, the Henry Luce Foundation, the Jay I. Kislak Foundation, the Mitchell Wolfson Sr. Foundation and U.S. Century Bank.
WHAT: Abstraction as Legacy
WHEN: Wednesday, May 27, through Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026
Public hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
(Gallery hours follow 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, visit http://www.moadmdc.org/ and follow MOAD on Facebook and Instagram.
MOAD Press Contact: Jennifer Weinberg, marketing and membership manager, 305-237-7710, jweinbe1@mdc.edu
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