Regaled as one of America’s “Best Hipster Neighborhoods,” Wynwood is Miami’s creative and cultural hub. But it wasn’t always that way.
Located just north of Downtown Miami and west of Miami Beach, the area was once the center of Miami’s burgeoning garment district. With row after row of warehouses,
Wynwood was then considered to be a “storeroom neighborhood.”
The rent here was cheap. So cheap, in fact, that by the early 1990s, artists and collectors began moving in. It wasn’t long before a few small galleries and art complexes also popped up. But it wasn’t until big names like the former Rubell Collection (now in Allapattah) and the Margulies Collection put down roots that Wynwood’s reputation went from “Gritty Gallery District” to Miami’s “Artsy Hang.”
Today, Wynwood is a globally recognized Miami neighborhood and a haven for both aspiring and famous painters, graffiti artists, creatives, and the like.
And at the heart of it all is Wynwood Walls. Commissioned in the early 2000s by the neighborhood’s early visionary and developer, Tony Goldman, this “outdoor museum” was initially comprised of a handful of giant murals on the walls of Wynwood’s abandoned warehouses. Over the years, the art walls have expanded to include six warehouses, showcasing more than thirty-five original murals.
These striking walls continue to evolve and have become a blank canvas for international artists from around the world, including renowned Brazilian mural artist, Eduardo Kobra; contemporary street artist Shepard Fairey, who created the notorious Hope poster for former President Barack Obama; and neo pop artist, Peter Tunney whose large-scale paintings are made from collaged packing materials and newspapers.
In addition to the Walls, just about every surface of Wynwood is covered in art. The neighborhood is also home to the Museum of Graffiti, as well as several world-class art galleries and seventy-five exhibition spaces. Wynwood is also a hip haven for dozens of eclectic eateries, fun bars, and unique boutiques that stretch along Northwest 2nd Avenue and the adjoining side streets.
Transformed into a design marvel, Wynwood Garage, a former “brutalist mix-use space,” is also a main attraction here and has several cool shops on the first floor. The building’s unique facade is covered with free-form shapes that take on a whole new look from every angle and magically transform from night to day.
Needless to say, there is a lot to explore here, so plan accordingly. If you prefer a more structured adventure, there are plenty of local tour companies that can show you around. Truly a “must-see” whenever you’re in the South Miami area. Info: thewynwoodwalls.com.
