Wynwood Art District – Miami, Florida, U.S.A. Those who venture beyond the sand and neon lights of South Beach know that Wynwood–just on the other side of the Biscayne Bay–is one of the funkiest neighborhoods in Miami.
Sometimes called Little San Juan in honor of the working class Puerto Ricans who have made homes and businesses here since the 1950s, Wynwood’s claim to fame is an area of several blocks called the Wynwood Art District. The Art District is known for its vibrant culture, dazzling graffiti and street art. Not long ago, it was dominated by abandoned warehouses. Today, it is home to dozens of galleries, restaurants, lounges, and cafes.
Beginning with a permanent outdoor mural exhibit called Wynwood Walls, Wynwood’s industrial fringe has been transformed into a living canvas for artists and creatives from around the world. And, every second Saturday of the month, the District struts its stuff, hosting Wynwood Art Walk, an evening of gallery open-houses, bands and deejays, restaurant parties, food trucks, and no small amount of coolness. The Art Walk is at its finest in December when Miami Beach and Miami host thousands of international visitors for Art Basel Miami Beach. Check out our iPhone pics from last year’s Wynwood Art Walk at the tail-end of Art Basel 2012; start here.
A stroll through the Wynwood Art District is a treat for the eyes. The art is not only inside the galleries, but it literally spills outside, onto every surface. The external walls, doors, sidewalks, crosswalks are adorned with color, texture, and stories reminiscent of Diego Rivera’s grand murals. The Walls seem to speak and they tell of vitality, grittiness, and cultural complexity. It is an exhilarating neighborhood, one of our favorite places. Yet, our love of the district is tinged with ambivalence.
We know Wynwood because we live nearby, having relocated from Boston less than a year ago. When we were searching for somewhere to live in Miami, we were told that Wynwood was “sketchy,” but “getting better.”
Indeed. Owing largely to the Art District, Wynwood attracts attention, people, and investment from around the world. A new shopping and residential development called Midtown Miami has been carved out of the community, replacing the modest homes of working class folks with high rise condos, a West Elm Showroom, and a Target Department Store. In 2012, Forbes named Wynwood one of the top hipster neighborhoods in the US. As we understand it, only seven years ago, rents in Wynwood were about $6 per square foot–today, rents hover between $22 and $36 per square foot. Yes, it would appear that Wynwood is “getting better,” but at what (and whose) expense?
It is enough to leave us wondering, if the walls of Wynwood could really talk, would they tell us that, behind the luster, is just another low-income community being displaced.