I travel to Miami often. It’s a nice city for tourists with its glamorous life style, beautiful beaches, restaurants and all that. I don’t go there for that though. I go because my parents live there. But…if I’m going to be there, I might as well enjoy it and explore – which is my favorite thing to do.
I had never been to the Wynwood Arts District – never, ever. This time around I decided I’d go check it out and I was very happy to do so. This is an excellent example of rehabilitating a neighborhood and turning it around. The area was an old warehouse district and it is now jam packed with galleries, restaurants, bars, and such – but what I went there for was the street art. You see, it is one of the world’s largest installation of outdoor street art.
As I walked around the area for nearly four hours, I was simply in awe of the artwork on display. I may be a good photographer, but I can’t draw or paint to save my life so seeing all this art was inspiring.
There is the area that started it all – the Wynwood Walls – with the Wynwood Doors right behind it.
I’ll dedicate another short article to the “wall art”, but this one is about what I will call the “sidewalk art”. Those little sayings and slogans that are simply spray painted over stencils and all carry a message of some type.
As I walked along the streets, I felt as though I was stepping on art and I didn’t know which way to look! Should I look up at the walls with the impressive work or look down and read the messages. I did both! I loved the little messages which make you think, inspire you, make you laugh, and even have some political meaning.
My favorite, of course, is the one featured in this post as it served to kick me into action and turn an idea that had been floating around in my head for a few months into this blog. That doesn’t mean there weren’t others that struck a chord:
- Good things come to those who wander
- Hate is heavy, so let it go
- The emptier the heart, the heavier it is to carry
- Let love be the reason you breathe
- Sometimes the best way of finding yourself is to let go
All are meant to make you reflect – and I hope stimulate self-improvement.
If you want to know more about this area, roughly it’s on NW 2nd Avenue with the largest concentration being between NW 23rd and NW 29th Street – plus many of the side streets around there.
I will go back over and over again because as with any art gallery, the work will change over time.
For more information, I suggest you check out the the District Association’s site or the Wynwood Walls site.