LIFE Takes Root at UHealth SoLé Mia
An elegant stainless-steel work inspired by the DNA double helix welcomes patients and visitors and underscores UHealth’s commitment to human-centered care.
UHealth SoLé Mia has added a new landmark to its ground-floor café. “LIFE” is a monumental stainless-steel sculpture donated by physician and master sculptor Santiago Medina, M.D. The gift reflects a shared belief that the spaces where patients receive care should also invite calm, reflection and connection.
“We’re grateful to Dr. Medina for a gift that is seen and experienced by so many people who seek care in UHealth SoLé Mia,” said Vandana Pathak, assistant vice president for ambulatory operations at UHealth — University of Miami Health System. “LIFE adds meaning and beauty to a space designed for care and it is a wonderful way to welcome patients, families and our teams.”
A Physician and Artist
In addition to being a physician at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Dr. Medina is also an acclaimed artist whose works, often stainless steel or bronze sculptures, can be found at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, Tufts University and now UHealth SoLé Mia.
The connection came from Felipe Munera, M.D., professor of clinical radiology and vice chair of clinical operations in the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Department of Radiology, and a longtime friend of Dr. Medina. During the March 19 ceremony welcoming the piece to UHealth, Dr. Munera called LIFE a reflection of shared values that connect science to compassion.
“His sculpture ‘LIFE,’ inspired by the DNA double helix, beautifully reflects the very essence of what unites science, medicine and humanity,” Dr. Munera said.
Dr. Medina’s art is distinctive for the way it bridges two demanding disciplines. As a pediatric neuroradiologist, he has spent his career focused on the intricacies of the brain. As an artist, he translates that same curiosity into sculptural forms that celebrate life’s structure and motion.
About “LIFE”
Crafted from Italian stainless steel, the sculpture shifts with natural light throughout the day. Dr. Medina has long admired the medium for its ability to appear new from one moment to the next.
“The beauty of art is that it brings different messages to people,” Dr. Medina said. “I fell in love with the medium of stainless steel many years ago because it changes continuously. It may look different in the morning light than at other times of the day.”
Installed on the ground floor near the café, one of the most traversed public areas in the building, the sculpture was positioned to take advantage of natural lighting and high visibility, ensuring it can be experienced by patients, visitors and team members throughout the day.
In the context of radiology and outpatient care, the helix can also be read as a visual bridge between discovery and diagnosis, between the science that powers imaging and the very personal stories that bring people to the hospital. As viewers move around the sculpture, its reflective surface creates changing perspectives, echoing the idea that healing is not a single moment, but a process.
Dr. Medina’s work has also been featured during major art events, including Art Basel Miami Beach and the Art Palm Beach. He is recognized as the only Colombian-American sculptor to have a permanent monumental sculpture at Harvard University. The accolade underscores the uncommon reach of an artist whose day-to-day work is also grounded in medicine.
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Tags: Art is Medicine, Department of Radiology, Dr. Felipe Munera, SoLé Mia