Murals of the moment

Cityscape

MURALS of the
MOMENT

By Ginger Harris

PUBLIC ART IS HAVING ITS MOMENT IN MIAMI. HERE ARE A FEW TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR, WHAT’S BEHIND THEM AND WHERE TO FIND THEM.

Miami is full of murals. And not all just in Wynwood. Some speak on behalf of the city. Others portray the times. And some, well some are just there to spark joy. These are just a few to keep your eyes out for as you make your way around town.

Lebo’s Welcome to Miami Beach

Last year, we lost Lebo, Miami’s street artist pioneer, to cancer. For decades, Lebo brought joy to Miami with his colorful, fun art, filled with a bold, all-caps block font. Through his “Welcome to Miami Beach” mural taking over the entire side of a building at the foot of the Julia Tuttle Bridge leading into Miami Beach on Arthur Godfrey Road, his spirit and work live on. “I had the honor of working with Lebo on his last commercial project,” says Daniel Fila (AKA Krave of Krave Art). “His work was accessible, funky and it spoke to the common man. It will always be part of our town’s identity.”

Cynno & Chalk and Brush’s You Are Beautiful

Kobra’s Miami City Ballet Student Dancer

Passing by the Arsht in downtown Miami, be sure to look for the beautiful, colorful ballerina on the side of the Carnival Tower. It’s from Brazilian artist Eduard Kobra (aka Kobra). Commissioned in 2018, the work is still a reminder today of Miami’s rich history of arts and entertainment. “I love that it’s become an iconic calling card for the Arsht Center; it provides passersby, locals and visitors alike with a glimpse of the magic that happens on our stages and on the Thomson Plaza for the Arts,” says Aric Kurzman, Arsht Center general counsel & director of visual arts. “Murals have emerged as one of Miami’s myriad languages.”

Typoe’s The Neon Wall

As a street artist since his early teens, Typoe watched Miami’s mural scene evolve into its current incarnation. “Specifically for Miami, us doing the murals helped give the city an identity for a lot of the outside world. And now we are known for it internationally,” he says. One he’s helped put on the map is “The Neon Wall” at the building Wynwood 25. His message: “This piece is a nod to Miami. Since the days of Miami Vice, neon has always been a huge part of the city’s visual language. I really wanted to highlight that, while choosing images like money, happy faces or flamingos that have a funny and kitsch history to them.”

Jim Drain’s Sunshine

Jim Drain painted his first mural at Wynwood Walls back in 2009, and as he puts it, “I got the bug. I truly love that it is art for everybody.” His work “Sunshine” at Amli Residences is inspired by what he calls, “The magical South Florida ecology and the slow flow of the ‘river of grass’ as it makes its way to the Gulf from Lake Okeechobee. Secondly, Seminole and Miccosukee patchwork continues to amaze as true contemporary American design that arose right after the Third Seminole War in South Florida. You can feel the pride, the sorrow, the resistance and persistence to survive in every stitch.” The piece came about this year on the wall at the residences in Midtown Miami. “Murals are important to me because they can be appreciated and loved without a paywall. They can bring a community together around something beautiful and sometimes even challenging. Murals help to create ‘place’ in a world that can sometimes feel like it’s continually being painted with a robot-soft oatmeal brush.”

Cityscape