Mark Dion: The South Florida Wildlife Rescue Unit: Pérez Art Museum, Miami

Mark Dion blurs the lines between reality and fiction to examine human interventions in nature in this large-scale installation, originally commissioned by the Miami Art Museum (now PAMM) in 2006. The South Florida Wildlife Rescue Unit presents a mobile rescue operation—a fully equipped vehicle operated by a fictional team tasked with saving endangered species in the Everglades. Mannequins in uniform displaying conservation tools and artifacts create a staged yet eerily plausible scene that humorously critiques bureaucratic inefficiency while celebrating grassroots environmental activism.

Dion’s work prompts reflection on the complex history of the Everglades—from early exploration and ecological exploitation to ongoing restoration efforts. Combining meticulous research with biting irony, Dion challenges how science, policy, and myth shape our perception of nature. This exhibition brings urgent environmental and social issues into focus, offering a thought-provoking look at Florida’s most fragile ecosystem.

Images:

Installation view,  Mark Dion: The South Florida Wildlife Rescue Unit, Pérez Art Museum Miami, 2025–26. Photo by  Oriol Tarridas