Wynwood Walls in Miami

I've wanted to see the Wynwood Walls murals from the moment I heard about them. So I was thrilled when our Algonquin adventure included a stop there. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that there's a Wynwood Walls Museum, yet somehow I was. And so we started our visit with a tour of the "official" walls. The murals, however, extend far beyond the gates of the Museum. I can't wait to go back (preferably when it's not so blazing hot). 

The Wynwood Walls project was established in 2009 by real estate developer Tony Goldman. Goldman didn't like the moniker "developer," though. Instead, he saw his investments as the engine to revitalize historic neighborhoods, like SoHo in New York and the South Beach and Wynwood areas of Miami. While this might sound like a typical real estate developer conceit, Goldman was the real deal. In 2010 he received a lifetime achievement award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation for his endeavors. 

"A Love Supreme (Wynwood Saints)" by EL MAC

Goldman's vision for the revitalization of the Wynwood area through a mural program has been wildly successful. Wynwood Walls is the most visited tourist site in Florida after Disney World. I suspect the partnership between a businessman and a bunch of graffiti artists used to looking over the shoulder for the law wasn't always an easy alliance. But the graffiti "crews" have become an integral part of the program, with Miami Style Gods (MSG) taking the lead. Today MSG and other crews have offices and budgets. It's practically blasphemous. 

MSG is led by Miami "graffiti god" Crome, an artist who's been on the Miami scene for 30+ years. In 1999, Crome and his fellow tagger Crook engaged in a massive undertaking to make their names known up and down the I-95 corridor. Drivers' morning commute suddenly included large murals blaring the artists' names. How could the police ignore such hubris? Crook and Crome were eventually found, and the mural materials found in the apartment they shared led to their arrest. Wanting to make an example of them, the prosecutor requested that bail be set at $1M. (The judge essentially laughed at this recommendation and set bail at $50K.) The police didn't have a warrant, though, so the evidence was eventually thrown out and the case dismissed. (Click here for an article about the case and to see one of their works.) 

One of four multicultural murals by Kobra

Graffiti artists who create works on public or private buildings without permission continue to be at risk of indictment for vandalism. Wynwood is essentially a safe haven, though. Street artists can "claim" a blank wall by tagging it and waiting a couple of days to see if their mark remains. If it does, the wall is available and they can paint it. In addition, approximately 200 walls are "given away" each year for the creation of murals that run the gamut in terms of style and content. Not surprisingly, you can find many of these artists at work during Art Basel in Miami. (In case you're wondering, there's not an endless supply of walls. Murals are often painted over to provide a new canvas on which an artist will work.) 

Judy, Stephenie and I were excited to find the work of Kobra featured at the Museum. Kobra is a Brazilian street artist who started painting murals at the age of 12. Today he's created more than 3,000 murals on five continents. In 2018, Kobra painted 18 murals on NYC buildings during his 2018 residency with HG Contemporary. To see some of that work and a video of the artist in process, click here and here. I particularly like his take on Mount Rushmore, with Andy Warhol, Frida Kahlo, Keith Haring and Basquiat taking the place of those dusty old Presidents. And just a note that Sarasota has its own Kobra murals, thanks to Denise Kowal bringing him to town for the 2011 Chalk Festival. In addition to the street paintings done at the Festival itself, Kobra painted two murals, including an atypical grayscale work you can see by clicking here. (Marketing alert: The downtown public art walking tour that Judy, Stephenie and I give includes Kobra's other mural. Join us!)   

If you're getting the sense that street art has evolved to include everything from straight up tagging to fine art, you're right. It's exciting. I can't wait to see more, including on the streets of Sarasota. But that's a topic for another day.  For more on Wynwood Walls, click here for the official website. Better yet, make a trek of your own. 

Next up: Art from the Rubell Museum