I love exploring all of the art work in the Miami Design District. You can stop at the art booth and scan the QR code for a complete list of works throughout the district like this new mural Interdimensional Portal, located in the Jungle Plaza.. Interdimensional Portal was created this year by the 32 year old Afro-Brazilian artist Taina Lima also known as Criola. She chose the name Criola because it signifies her two cultures, black and indigenous. This is her first major mural in the U.S. Criola began her art career in 2019 by painting in the streets while studying fashion design. The mural features four black women on profile along with snakes, plants, and hummingbirds. It is filled with the symbols of a blessing. The snake plant held by the figures on the end is used in Brazil for its properties of healing and its spiritual and religious connections. As the plant is raised in the air it denotes the power of spiritual and healing protection. Carried out by the indigenous people, the act of blessing is an ancestral practice in Brazil. The hummingbirds point their beaks toward the figures third eye. They are a medicinal animal and represent the expansion of consciousness that takes place when traveling through the interdimensional portal. While the mural stresses interconnectedness, the reality is many black women in Latin America are subjected to racism and violence. Criola wants the mural to mirror what is inside the women and to serve as a stand against racism. I enjoyed learning more about this art work and Criola. The bright colors of the piece draw you into the stories of the women depicted. I love the power they possess. read more