The MARTIANS
is a small preview of a much larger permanent exhibit that will exist inside FIU CasaCuba. It will also extend to the greater Miami area.
The project is created by Abre Camino Collective, the creators of The Amparo Experience. It is called The Martians because we all come from Jose Marti, in one way or another. We’re all “Martianos,” Martians.
We know what it feels like to be far from home in a place that is sometimes alien to us. This exhibit will allow for us to reconnect with our home as we always have, but also, importantly, it will allow us to signal out to the rest of the world. Show who we are, and what we are about. What we’ve built, and what we hope. In other words, what will be inside Casa Cuba, the soul of CasaCuba, is you.
Photograph courtesy of Jesse Dittmar
Jose Aleman
is a visual artist whose allegorical work mirrors the epic journey of his life. Taking on mythic characters, from Quixote to El Caballero de Paris, his work dances on the edge between spiritualism and story. Born in Havana on April 2, 1954, he studied painting at the San Alejandro Academy and the National Academy of Design in Cuba. His work is exhibited and collected in private collections and galleries nationally.
Photograph courtesy of Jesse Dittmar
Carlos Eire
is the T. L. Riggs Professor of History and Religious Studies at Yale University. He specializes in the Protestant and Catholic Reformations, and recently released an award-winning, superbly written book on levitation called They Flew: A History of the Impossible. He is most known for his memoir, Waiting for Snow in Havana, which tells the story of his own flight through Operation Pedro Pan. Waiting for Snow won the National Book Award in 2003.
Photograph courtesy of Jesse Dittmar
ARTURO Sandoval
is a celebrated Cuban-American jazz musician whose extraordinary talents as a composer, pianist, timbalero, and trumpet virtuoso have earned him global acclaim. Among his numerous accolades are 10 Grammy Awards, the prestigious Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the American Masters Award, an Emmy Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom presented by President Obama. Most recently, he was honored as a Kennedy Center Honoree, joining luminaries such as the Grateful Dead and Francis Ford Coppola.
With a prolific career spanning decades, Sandoval has recorded over 35 albums, performed in all of the world’s most iconic venues, and composed the scores for more than two dozen films, solidifying his legacy as one of the most influential figures in music history.
Photograph courtesy of Jesse Dittmar
Melissa Fumero
is a highly accomplished, award-winning actor and director, celebrated for her work across television and film. She stars in the upcoming NBC television drama series Grosse Pointe Garden Society, set to premiere on February 23, 2025. Created by Jenna Bans and Bill Krebs, this series adds another prominent role to her expansive acting portfolio.She is best known for her iconic role as ‘Amy Santiago’ on the critically acclaimed, award-winning series Brooklyn Nine-Nine, where she starred alongside Andy Samberg for eight successful seasons.Fumero has been recently seen on the hit Peacock series Based on a True Story opposite Kaley Cuoco, further expanding her impressive range of roles.Recently, Fumero has added to her voice-acting portfolio by voicing the character ‘Bella’ in Comedy Central’s adult animated series Digman! created by Andy Samberg, as well as ‘Sophie’ in Mindy Kaling’s animated series Velma on HBO Max. In 2022, she starred opposite Randall Park in Netflix’s comedy series Blockbuster and alongside Rachel Bloom in IFC’s comedy film Barfight!.Fumero’s career began in 2004 with her breakout role as ‘Adriana Cramer’ on the soap opera One Life to Live. Her previous television credits include popular shows such as Gossip Girl (CW), Royal Pains (USA), CSI: NY, and The Mentalist (CBS).Melissa is also an established director, recently directing two episodes of Freevee’s original comedy Primo, which premiered in May 2023. Her directorial credits also include episodes of ABC’s Not Dead Yet, NBC’s Grand Crew, HBO Max’s Gordita Chronicles, and NBC’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine.A distinguished figure in Hollywood, Fumero was recognized in The Hollywood Reporter’s “Young Hispanic Hollywood Class of 2013” and named one of Variety’s “10 Latinos to Watch.” In 2022, she was awarded the Imagen Foundation Award for “Best Supporting Actress - Comedy (Television)” for her work on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.Melissa currently resides in Los Angeles, California, with her husband and their two children. CREATED BY
OUR FUTURE HOME
SPONSORED BY
The FERNANDEZ FAMILY
Creators - Abre Camino Collective Vanessa Garcia (writer) and Victoria Collado (director)
Photographer - Jesse Dittmar
Art Director - Joe Rawda - Founder of Paper Planes Project
Sound Designer - Matthew Corey
Builders - 2R Creative