Jerome
Soimaud
“My understanding of a place comes first from its past. Maybe it’s my European upbringing, but I need to know every detail of its history to understand its soul.” And whether it’s the soul of art or architecture, French-born Jerome Soimaud delves deep to give context and perspectives.
A self-taught artist whose passion for art is eclipsed perhaps only by an insatiable thirst for knowledge and architecture and real estate, Jerome’s latest brainchild is creating a forum for those as passionate about Biscayne Bay—from its incredulous beginning to its world-renowned present to its fragile future.
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And as intrigued as he is by the Bay’s past, Jerome is more dedicated to the protection of its future. Having spent almost two years researching and mastering the DNA of each community on the Bay, he now blushes less when referred to as the expert on each waterfront lot.
“The Bay is a treasure of our time,” he remarks, “and its market value proves it over and over. Nevertheless, in these times of ecological insouciance, the Bay’s biological equilibrium is endangered, its historical heritage is threatened.”
“It has become necessary to build a formidable community, linking those who share the same value of freedom and beauty if we are to be real stewards of the Bay’s future. That’s why I created The Biscayne Bay Directory®.”
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Building communities is nothing new for Jerome, who, having moved to the US in 2006, spent the next decade as an artist and gallerist, deliberately choosing to communicate the realities of fringe cultures. Much like he did with the 2011 opening of Yeelen Gallery in the heart of Little Haiti, a move that helped immerse him in the Haitian culture where he documented everyday life, giving audiences an insight into the realities of the community.
Yet he’s more than an artist or cultural documentarian. Jerome calls on decades-long real estate experience that began in Paris to help curate the Biscayne Bay Directory®, giving audiences a platform where concerns, culture and community converge.
