"The Stories We Carry" Coming to Lincoln Road This November

The Lincoln Road Business Improvement District has announced the winner of its 2026 Request for Proposals for temporary public art: Nigerian-born, Arkansas-based interdisciplinary artist Oluwatobi Adewumi , whose installation "The Stories We Carry" will debut on Lincoln Road this November 2026 and remain on view through May 2027 .

Selected from over 100 global submissions — up from 75 last year — Adewumi has been awarded $75,000 to bring the installation to life as part of Art on Lincoln: Sculpture, Installations and More , one of South Florida's most robust public art initiatives.

The immersive installation will stretch approximately 60 feet long, 10 feet wide, and 9 feet tall , featuring a pathway of sculptural suitcases and suspended tags crafted from powder-coated steel, aluminum panels, etched and laser-cut metal, and a weather-resistant finish. The work reflects on migration, memory, and identity — suitcases serving as containers of what we choose to carry or leave behind, with portraits, handwritten words, travel marks, archival fragments, and suspended travel tags speaking to resilience and dreams brought across borders.

"'The Stories We Carry' grew from my own experience of migration and from conversations with people whose lives have been shaped by movement across countries, cities and generations," said Adewumi. "By choosing to multiply the familiar concept of a suitcase, my hope is that the installation becomes part of the rhythm of the street, inviting people to walk through it, reflect on their own journeys and connect with the experiences of others."

The installation will serve as a major highlight of Miami Art Week 2026 , joining a lineage of world-renowned artists who have transformed Lincoln Road into a year-round cultural destination. Last year's inaugural winner, "La Herencia Viva" by Miami-based Colombian artist Oscar Esteban Martinez, was unveiled during Miami Art Week 2025 and remained on view through May 2026.

"The response to this year's open request speaks volumes, with more than 100 artists from near and far eager to bring their work to Lincoln Road," said Lyle Stern , president of the Lincoln Road BID. "We're excited to build on that momentum with Adewumi's work to reinforce the BID's dedication to making art a district cornerstone."

"The Stories We Carry" is free and open to the public. For more information on current installations, artist opportunities, and upcoming events, visit lincolnroad.com or follow @lincolnrd on Instagram.

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