Across four days in October, roughly 800 feet off the coast of Miami’s South Beach, 22 cars were lowered from a barge and submerged underwater. Far from an ecological disaster, these cars — made of a marine-grade, pH-neutral, low-emission concrete blend — are a permanent art installation resembling a traffic jam by Argentine artist Leandro Erlich. The surfaces of the cars are equipped with specialised technology for coral regrowth. “Concrete Coral” is part of an ambitious underwater sculpture park called Reefline, which when complete some 10 years from now, will feature additional art installations, a marine learning and visitor centre and eventually span seven miles.
The idea for Reefline began in 2019 when artist and curator Ximena Caminos was thinking of ways to make public art more meaningful. Originally from Buenos Aires, Caminos had been living in Miami for several years, working with the local government on projects like The Underline, a public urban trail with an art programme. “I asked myself, am I doing enough?” she says.
The Reefline is an underwater sculpture park off the coast of Miami Beach © Courtesy David Chavez and Reefline
Nine of Leandro Erlich’s concrete cars, ready to be lowered into the Atlantic Ocean near Miami © Courtesy Nico Munley and Reefline
