Bo Droga: Miami Dominoes and Other Art Forms

BO DROGA is an Australian artist whose career spans over two decades and three continents.  He has lived, worked and exhibited in Sydney, Melbourne, Fiji, London, Paris, New York, and more recently in Miami. Droga’s sculptural artworks stem from his strong interest in urban landscapes and how order and chaos converge in urban developments. Droga’s work constantly changes depending on the site, time, and materials. Sometimes he plays with contrasting themes, using positive and negative effects; other times his work is subtly integrated into the environment. His work is mostly site specific and developed after much consideration of the space and the environment in which his creations will reside. After winning an Ellies Award from Oolite Arts in 2018, Droga and his volunteer team used the trompe l’oeil technique and painted large dots on both sides of 56 concrete pylons supporting the Miami-Dade County Metrorail, near the University of Miami train station. They transformed 18 foot tall concrete slabs into dominoes, each pylon requiring a full day of painting by a team of seven. Droga says the response from the public has been overwhelming and inspiring. “People honk their horns, wave their thumbs up, and come over to comment on the artwork. Miami Dominoes transcends all boundaries of age, gender and culture. Dominoes is a game that’s been taken out of the cupboard into the public arena.” Bo Droga’s Miami Dominoes was recently selected by Bloomberg Philanthropies to form part of the Bloomberg “Asphalt Art Initiative.’ The project showcases 26 influential artworks from all around the world that have successfully incorporated art on city streets and public infrastructure.

The videos below are organized by topic and run between 30 seconds and 7 minutes. Click on any video. You must be connected to the Internet to view the videos.

MIAMI DOMINOES:  3:05 min.

INSIGHT & INSPIRATION 1:59 min.

VALUES FIRST-RATE EDUCATION:   1:47 min.

UNDERSTANDS THE AUDIENCE’S PERSPECTIVE:  2:20 min.

CREATIVE FLEXIBILITY:  7:00 min.

PERSEVERANCE FURTHERS:  3:12 min.

RESILIENCE:  1:30 min.

COMMUNITY VALUES: 3:23 min.

DEVELOP A VOICE:   2:01 min.

OPEN TO CHANGE, FLEXIBILITY:   1:15 min.

SEIZES OPPORTUNITIES:  0:37 sec.

CRITICAL THINKING:  2:25 min.

UNDERSTANDS ARTISTS’ NEEDS:  1:13 min.

CRITICAL THINKING:  0:57 sec.

OVERCOMES CHALLENGES TO SUCCEED:  0:26 sec.