Lincoln Road Miami Beach debuts “The Stories We Carry” this November, ahead of Miami Art Week. Created by Nigerian-born, Arkansas-based artist Oluwatobi Adewumi, the free installation is a 60-foot field of sculptural suitcases and suspended travel tags exploring migration, memory and identity. It stays on view through May 2027.
Key Takeaways
- “The Stories We Carry” measures 60 feet long, 10 feet wide and 9 feet tall, and visitors are invited to walk through it.
- The Lincoln Road Business Improvement District selected the piece from more than 100 submissions to its 2026 public art call.
- Oluwatobi Adewumi received a $75,000 award for the commission.
- This is the second year of Lincoln Road’s open call, which began with Miami-based Colombian artist Oscar Esteban Martinez’s “La Herencia Viva.”
- The installation is built from powder-coated steel, aluminum panels and laser-cut metal designed to withstand Miami’s weather.
A Walk-Through Sculpture Built From Suitcases and Travel Tags
“The Stories We Carry” is meant to be walked through, not viewed from a distance. Oluwatobi Adewumi’s installation lines a 60-foot stretch of Lincoln Road with sculptural suitcases, each one a stand-in for the memories and histories people carry as they move through life. Suspended travel tags hang above and around the forms, etched with portraits, handwritten words and archival fragments.
The scale is part of the point. At 10 feet wide and 9 feet tall, the piece takes up real space on the promenade, so passersby step inside it rather than glance at it on the way to dinner. Adewumi has said he hopes the installation invites people to walk through it, reflect on their own journeys and connect with the experiences of others.
The materials were chosen with Miami Beach in mind. Powder-coated steel, aluminum panels and laser-cut metal let the work stand up to sun, salt air and summer storms through its run, which ends in May 2027.
The Artist Behind “The Stories We Carry”
Oluwatobi Adewumi was born in Nigeria and now lives and works in Arkansas. He has described “The Stories We Carry” as growing from his own experience of migration and from conversations with people whose lives have been shaped by moving across countries, cities and generations.
That personal starting point gives the installation a quiet, human focus. Rather than one story, the suitcases and tags suggest many: arrivals, departures, family histories and the objects people hold onto along the way. Each visitor brings a different set of associations, which is the kind of exchange Adewumi has said he wants the work to spark.
How Lincoln Road Picks Its Public Art
“The Stories We Carry” is the second selection in Lincoln Road’s open call for temporary public art. The Lincoln Road Business Improvement District launched its 2026 Request for Proposals in February and received more than 100 submissions from artists around the world. Adewumi’s proposal won a $75,000 award.
The program started in 2025, when the BID’s inaugural call went to Miami-based Colombian artist Oscar Esteban Martinez for “La Herencia Viva.” Lyle Stern, president of the Lincoln Road Business Improvement District, said the response to this year’s call shows how committed the district’s businesses are to making arts and culture part of everyday life on the street. Anabel Llopis, the BID’s executive director, said the district is proud to expand the initiative by bringing global artists to Lincoln Road.
For Miami’s creative scene, the open call is worth watching. A funded, juried commission on a heavily walked pedestrian street gives artists a stage that reaches people who may never step inside a gallery, and it gives the promenade a reason to change its look each year.
Planning a Visit to Lincoln Road’s Newest Installation
“The Stories We Carry” is free to see on Lincoln Road’s open-air pedestrian promenade in Miami Beach. The Lincoln Road Business Improvement District has said the piece debuts in November, ahead of Miami Art Week. Visitors should check the district’s website for the exact unveiling date and location along the street.
The installation also gives Art Week visitors a free stop beyond the fairs. It pairs naturally with the free public projects outside the Miami Beach Convention Center during Art Basel, a short trip away. For a more guided outing, Lincoln Road hosts a free Art Walk on the third Thursday of every month.
FAQs
What Is “The Stories We Carry” on Lincoln Road?
“The Stories We Carry” is a public art installation by Oluwatobi Adewumi made of sculptural suitcases and suspended travel tags. It explores migration, memory and identity and invites visitors to walk through it.
Who Is Oluwatobi Adewumi?
Oluwatobi Adewumi is a Nigerian-born artist based in Arkansas. He won Lincoln Road’s 2026 open call for temporary public art.
When Can Visitors See “The Stories We Carry”?
The installation debuts on Lincoln Road this November, ahead of Miami Art Week. It remains on view through May 2027.
Is “The Stories We Carry” Free to Visit?
Yes. The installation sits on Lincoln Road’s open-air pedestrian promenade, and there is no cost to see it.
How Was the Artwork Selected?
The Lincoln Road Business Improvement District chose it through a Request for Proposals launched in February 2026, which drew more than 100 submissions from artists around the world.
