Puerto Vallarta’s Oficina de Proyectos Culturales (OPC) marked its 12th anniversary on May 28 with a milestone event that added a striking new public artwork to the city’s cultural landscape.
Acclaimed visual artist Davis Birks unveiled Empathy is the Answer, the latest piece in his ongoing Morse Code / Bar Code series, at OPC’s downtown location on the corner of Juarez and Aldama. The installation translates the phrase into Morse code dots and dashes running along the top of the design, which then extend downward to mimic commercial barcode lines, with the decoded text resting clearly at the bottom. By blending the visual language of consumerism with a call for human solidarity, Birks invites viewers to consider whether modern societies should prioritize economic gain or mutual care for one another and the planet.
Davis Birks has lived and worked in Puerto Vallarta since 1987 and maintains an international career spanning more than four decades. His work appears in permanent collections including the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the Cabanas Cultural Institute. He received the National System of Art Creators grant in 2021.
The anniversary evening also included an accessible educational presentation by artist and academic Gustavo Gomez Brechtel, who explored the ideas and ongoing debates that shape today’s contemporary art scene. The event concluded with a social gathering featuring music, cocktails, and conversation among attendees, artists, and organizers.
Founded in 2013, OPC is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting dialogue through exhibitions, roundtable discussions, public art, and arts education programs. It continues to connect Puerto Vallarta’s cultural scene with a global audience while enriching the visitor experience in the historic center, just steps from the Malecon and the Romantic Zone.
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