The Menina of the Reef: An Infinite Message (La Menina del Arrecife: Un Mensaje Infinito)

Inspired by the iconic Las Meninas painting by Diego Velázquez, Spanish-based artist and sculptor Antonio Azzato creates larger than life-size statues, fashioned in the shape of the Ladies in Waiting in the famous artwork, that have been displayed on the streets of Madrid every fall since 2018. The statues are painted by various Spanish artists and celebrities and used to raise money for different charities.

To continue the successful and positive spirit of the Las Meninas project in Madrid, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) and Healing Arts in Medicine brought Antonio Azzato’s vision to the United States for the first time.

The vision of this meaningful collaboration is to submerge the Menina sculpture underwater into the UMA, allowing coral reef to grow and thrive within it. This powerful symbolism represents the transformation that can occur during the journey of battling cancer. Just as something seemingly rough and negative can evolve into something beautiful and full of life, like a coral reef supporting the ecosystem, cancer patients can find hope and new beginnings.

To learn more about how you can submit a message of hope, visit the Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation website linked below.