Graffiti Gentrification
“Art is a powerful thing. It has propagandized nations, re-structured entire societies, and compelled countless minds throughout history to ponder new ideas. In Miami, it is re-shaping our territories as a gentrifying agent. Wynwood, once a Puerto Rican neighborhood called Little San Juan, is now Miami’s burgeoning arts district. Fueled by a surge of artists and collectors in the area, developers have begun constructing expensive apartment complexes only blocks away from government subsidized projects. The rich swarm the streets of Wynwood during December’s Art Basel, one of the largest art festivals in the world; but when the festival is over, the nice cars are replaced with homeless drug addicts, and the area is generally considered unsafe to walk at night.” – Jesse Meadows, Camila Alvarez (Juan Carlos Espinosa, Ph.D), Department of Art and Art History, Florida International University, Miami, Florida
A part of this process has turned illegal street art into commissioned work. Some of the work is quite impressive. Just a small selection from the little I was able to walk around today. It was scorching today. (Click on the Pics)
Sometimes a Good Notion 