British-Trinidadian artist Zak Ové transforms Miami’s Jungle Plaza with Afrofuturist sculptures, celebrating diaspora, ritual, and collective identity through immersive public art.
This 2026, the Miami Design District welcomes J’OUVERT: Zak Ové in Jungle Plaza, a groundbreaking public art installation by the acclaimed British-Trinidadian artist Zak Ové.
On view from January 15 to February 9, 2026, the exhibition marks Ové’s first solo presentation in Miami, turning Jungle Plaza into an immersive, open-air gallery that merges history, mythology, and speculative futures.
At the heart of J’OUVERT are two of Ové’s most significant monumental works: The Mothership Connection (2022) and Invisible Man and the Masque of Blackness (2016).
The Mothership Connection, a nearly 30-foot-tall totemic sculpture, blends African iconography with Afrofuturist forms, drawing inspiration from the Great Mosque of Djenné, Masonic geometry, and Western civic arches.
Crowned by an enlarged female Mende mask, the work serves as both a cultural monument and an imagined vessel, symbolizing the global reach of the African diaspora.
Complementing this towering structure is Invisible Man and the Masque of Blackness, a powerful circle of forty graphite figures, each standing over six feet tall with arms raised.
These figures, based on an ebony sculpture given to Ové by his father, pioneering filmmaker Horace Ové, assert presence, dignity, and collective identity in public space. The installation’s title references Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man and Renaissance masque traditions, underscoring themes of visibility and empowerment.
Zak Ové’s practice is deeply rooted in the history and lore of the African diaspora, particularly the traditions of masking and masquerade as tools of self-emancipation.
His work celebrates the power of play and imagination, blurring the lines between reality and possibility, flesh and spirit. By reinterpreting old world mythologies into “potential futures,” Ové invites viewers to reimagine history and identity through a contemporary lens.
J’OUVERT is more than an exhibition; it’s a vibrant cultural experience. The Miami Design District has curated a dynamic slate of public programming, including an artist talk in collaboration with the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) on February 5, 2026, and AFROBETA Live Performance—a night of music, food, and Caribbean celebration on February 6, 2026.
Guided tours, workshops, and live music further extend the installation’s themes of ritual, diaspora, and collective presence.
Jungle Plaza, a 33,000-square-foot outdoor event space in the Miami Design District, is renowned for its large-scale productions and community gatherings. The plaza’s open, customizable layout makes it an ideal canvas for Ové’s transformative vision, allowing visitors to engage with the art in a setting that feels both intimate and monumental.
The Miami Design District has long been a hub for museum-caliber public art, offering free and accessible cultural experiences. J’OUVERT continues this legacy, inviting locals and visitors alike to explore the intersection of art, identity, and community in one of Miami’s most dynamic neighborhoods.
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