ARTS CULTURE
The Arts & Culture Insider for Greater Miami & Miami Beach
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Art of Black Miami is a marketing platform and destination driver organized by the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau that showcases the diversity of the visual arts locally, nationally and internationally, celebrating the Black diaspora. This initiative highlights the artistic landscape found in heritage neighborhoods and communities year-round throughout Greater Miami & Miami Beach. For more information, visit ArtofBlackMiami.com
© Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau — The Official Destination Sales & Marketing Organization for Greater Miami & Miami Beach. CS-04143
Acquavella Galleries ©Art Basel 3 GET OUT AND EXPLORE GREATER MIAMI & MIAMI BEACH’S ART & CULTURE
With so much to explore, these tips will help you make the most of your visit 6
Striking Art Deco architecture and landmark arts institutions center Miami Beach around art and culture 8
A primer on Miami Beach’s iconic Art Deco boutique hotels
12
Commemorating 20 years in 2022, Art Basel Miami Beach has grown into an exciting weeklong celebration of art 14
In Greater Miami & Miami Beach, there’s no shortage of artists to offer what you need 16
Discover outdoor sculptures, murals, music festivals and more
ON THE COVER
Art Basel Miami Beach celebrates 20 years in 2022. Visitors can view art from hundreds of the world’s leading galleries at the Miami Beach Convention Center from December 1-3, 2022.
Cover image: acb • Imre Bak ©Art Basel
What sets Greater Miami & Miami Beach apart from other great locales?
Just about everything. More than a century ago, this seductive destination was created as a pioneer trading post on the banks of the Miami River. Today, it’s known as one of the most welcoming, progressive and exciting places in the world.
Thanks to its amazing weather, thriving arts scene, diverse population and non-stop nightlife, Greater Miami & Miami Beach has earned its spot as a preferred vacation destination among culture seekers. Its multifaceted appeal lets visitors enjoy second-to-none funin-the-sun partying, in addition to scoping out elite cultural happenings and venues.
The attractions lineup includes unique natural wonders like the Everglades, miles of sandy beaches, top sports teams and events, and world-class museums and festivals that you won’t find anywhere else. With a wide range of events, accommodations and dining options, Greater Miami & Miami Beach is as inclusive as it is unique, as sophisticated as it is sexy. Get one step closer to the vacation of a lifetime!
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701 Brickell Ave., Suite 2700, Miami, FL 33131 USA
1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139 USA
T: 305/539-3000; 800/933-8448
For information about Greater Miami & Miami Beach, visit MiamiandMiamiBeach.com.
111 NW 1st St., Suite 625, Miami, FL 33128 USA
T: 305/375-4634 • miamidadearts.org
Chairman: Brian E. May
Director: Michael Spring
Deputy Director: Marialaura Leslie
The Department, and its 15-member volunteer advisory board, the Cultural Affairs Council, develop cultural excellence, diversity, access and participation throughout Miami-Dade County by strategically creating and promoting equitable opportunities for artists and cultural organizations, and the approximately 2.7 million residents and millions of annual overnight visitors who are their audiences.
The Arts & Culture Insider for Greater Miami & Miami Beach
CHAIRMAN
Bruce Orosz
PRESIDENT & CEO
David Whitaker
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Rolando Aedo, CDME
DIRECTOR, CULTURAL TOURISM / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
John Copeland
DIRECTOR, CONTENT & CREATIVE SERVICES
Janel Blanco
SENIOR EDITORIAL MANAGER, PUBLICATIONS
Robert Franzino
CREATIVE SERVICES MANAGER Tito Monsante
The Arts & Culture Insider is produced by the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs.
GREATER MIAMI & MIAMI BEACH ARTS PASS
Explore Miami’s Art Scene with our Fun + Free Arts Pass
Art in Public Places Installations can be found all over Miami’s diverse neighborhoods – and we’ve highlighted some of our faves here along with many of our “must-visit” Art Museums, Cultural Centers and Private Collections – It’s easy to get started!
Scan the QR code below to receive instant access to this mobile exclusive pass. No apps to download – just fun check-ins throughout Greater Miami & Miami Beach!
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The Official Destination Sales & Marketing Organization for Greater Miami & Miami Beach. CS-04143
Miami Beach is world-renowned for its beautiful beaches, but it’s equally known as home to one of the most important contemporary art fairs in the world, Art Basel Miami Beach. This annual art-lover’s extravaganza has given rise to a movement placing cultural arts at the center of life, yearround, in this sun-drenched paradise.
As a part of this cultural scene, the Miami Beach Cultural Affairs Department oversees a robust public art program, numerous festivals and events, and resources to support incredible live theater, art museums, dance performances and concerts.
Part of this program includes aweinspiring public art displays throughout Miami Beach that will bring out your inner art aficionado.
Start your art walk with a stroll down famous Lincoln Road, a pedestrianonly thoroughfare of shops, cafes, restaurants and galleries. Redesigned in the 1960s by famed architect Morris Lapidus, this district showcases wonderful sculptural elements and eclectic charm. Toward the west end of Lincoln Road, between Alton Road and Lenox Avenue, you’ll find a childfriendly project by artist Dan Graham. “Morris’” (2010) pays homage to Lapidus in this ”fun-house” sculpture inviting all to explore.
With so much of Greater Miami & Miami Beach ready to explore, these tips will help you make the most of it.
Sharing this whimsical spirit is “Bent Pool” (2019) by Elmgreen & Dragset, at Pride Park adjacent to the Miami Beach Convention Center. This piece invites us to re-imagine the ordinary and see the world from a different point of view. A highlight of any Collins Park visit is “Miami Mountain” (2016) by Ugo Rondinone. Commissioned by The Bass museum of contemporary art, these five massive boulders stack precariously to spark the imagination of park-goers headed to the museum.
With the emergence of street art on the global stage, Wynwood is a place where this art form is celebrated, revered and preserved as a platform to transform a neighborhood. Begin your journey at the Museum of Graffiti, where you can learn about the history of street art and understand the roots of this controversial yet beautiful art form.
Head next door to Wynwood Walls, located in the heart of Wynwood. Featuring nearly two dozen curated exterior masterpieces and three interior art galleries, this is the space where the vision for the Wynwood Arts District was formed. The Walls were conceived by developer Tony Goldman and his family as a place where innovation, creativity and commerce would thrive in an accessible urban oasis.
A tribute mural of Goldman, by American contemporary
street artist Shepard Fairey, greets visitors from around the world as they enter.
From the Wynwood Walls, head out into the streets to find hidden treasures adorning the walls (and floors, and basically every previously empty space available to paint over) by masters of the craft as you explore unique artisan shops and galleries run by many of the talented artists drawn to this creative neighborhood.
Miami-Dade County is home to one of the largest collections of public art in the nation. Through its Art in Public Places program, visitors can take in more than 700 works in this “county-wide museum.” On their website (miamidadepublicart.org) is a view of the artworks on a map to help you tour the collection.
A highlight in Downtown Miami is “Red M” (1996) by Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt, which was commissioned as part of the City of Miami’s centennial celebration. According to the artists, this 45-foot-tall work is layered with multiple meanings, “the secret of which remains an open mystery.”
One of the newest public art installations can be found at the Sandrell Rivers Theater at the Audrey M. Edmonson Transit Village in Liberty City. “I See Myself in You...” (2019)
is a collaboration between Nekisha Burrett & Hank Willis Thomas. Featuring neon, aluminum and stainless steel, this large-scale exterior sculpture is a monumental source of pride for the emerging 7th Avenue corridor.
In Coral Gables, you can explore the roundabout at Segovia Street and Biltmore Way, where you will find “Passion/Passiflora Incarnation” (2016) by Alice Aycock springing out as a centerpiece inviting passersby to slow down and take in the beauty of this fanciful melding of colors and materials. The City of Coral Gables offers an interactive Art in Public Places website (cggisw.coralgables.com/ cgartinpublicplaces) featuring a terrific map that offers a treasure hunt of exploration.
The magic of Miami’s paradise has captured the hearts of generations dating back long before the turn of the last century, many of which showcased their feelings in the beautiful gardens and epic historic homes that can still be experienced today.
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens offers hours of historic exploration in this time capsule estate and garden filled with art and antiquities amassed from James Deering’s world travels. A few miles south, the Deering Estate, former home of James’ half-brother, Charles Deering, includes impeccably preserved bay front mansions that take full advantage of the beautiful natural environment. Several important pieces from Charles Deering’s art collection can be found here.
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is another jewel in Miami’s historical garden majesty, with 83 acres of botanical wonder that provide a welcome commune of beauty and science. The Fairchild arts and sculpture garden has celebrated well-known international artists, from Chihuly to Kusama to Botero, within the exquisitely detailed natural setting.
Greater Miami & Miami Beach is a place that shines with art night and day – our neighborhoods, museums and public spaces are filled with inspiration and beauty that draw culture seekers from around the world. We hope you will visit us soon to explore, discover and enjoy!
To sample the best of local arts and culture in Miami Beach, mark your calendar for the monthly Miami Beach Culture Crawl. The free event presented by the City of Miami Beach takes place on the third Thursday of the month, from 6 to 9 p.m., between October and May. Each month brings new and different programming.
Most of the area’s cultural gems, from museums to art galleries, open their doors to the public for extended hours. Expect everything from concerts and new art exhibitions to films, art talks and workshops. Choose what you want to see and do, and then hop on and off one of the free trolleys at different points of interest.
Another chance to soak up the area’s outstanding culture is through Miami Beach On Stage! The City of Miami Beach hosts free outdoor performances and visual art exhibitions in local parks and venues such as oceanfront Lummus Park and the Miami Beach Bandshell, which offer the perfect setting for al fresco events. Each month is packed with various events consisting of live music, dance and theater, classic movies under the stars, and site-specific art installations at nine parks and locations throughout the city. There’s always an artistic offering for every age and taste.
There’s more than music on tap at the New World Center concert hall. As part of the Soundscape Cinema Series, films are projected on the soaring 7,000-square-foot outdoor projection wall every Wednesday at 8 p.m. from October through May.
With its striking Art Deco architecture, landmark museums and institutions boasting everything from graceful ballet to renowned musicians, Miami Beach is centered around art and culture. Art lovers can find cultural happenings throughout the year, and many of them are free.
Bring a picnic, a blanket and lawn chairs to relax on the cushy lawn, and watch a free flick just blocks from the beach.
Miami Beach’s newest cultural event, the Ocean Drive Promenade Music Series, features free live classical music performances on Sundays at 5 p.m. between 14th Street and 14th Place. Esteemed local institutions such as the Florida Grand Opera, the South Beach Chamber Ensemble and the Amernet Quartet have performed.
Art aficionados can spend a day or two visiting Miami Beach’s diverse museums. Start your day at The Bass, where you’ll view ever-changing exhibitions of international contemporary art. Move outside to take in the museum’s public art exhibition, “Art Outside,” an interactive collection of contemporary sculptures and murals found in Collins Park and throughout Miami Beach.
Carve out time for The WolfsonianFIU, a unique museum, library and research center. Step inside the grand 1927 Mediterranean Revival building to discover more than 200,000 eclectic objects you won’t see anywhere else. The museum is packed with artifacts that transformed the world from 1850 to 1950, including everything from
industrial-design objects to rare books, paintings and household objects.
In the nearby South of Fifth neighborhood, discover another only-inMiami Beach gem: the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. Look for the bright yellow historic buildings, which were once synagogues for Miami Beach’s first Jewish congregation. Once inside, you’ll be immersed in the rich history of Florida’s Jewish community, with an evolving collection of more than 100,000 items as well as new exhibitions.
You’ll also discover meaningful art in unexpected places in Miami Beach. While waterfront South Pointe Park
is a dreamy spot with a pier, plenty of shaded green spaces and a splash park for kids, it’s also dotted with public art. Look for the colorful 55-foot lighthouse sculpture by German artist Tobias Rehberger, as well as his whimsical “speech bubble” that dangles above the South Pointe Pier gate.
At the recently transformed Miami Beach Convention Center, you’ll see bright porcelain tiles by artist Sarah Morris, entitled “Morris Lapidus,” on the northeast corner exterior walls. Stroll through the interior to find more interesting pieces of art, such as Joseph Kosuth’s “Located World,” which uses lettering to showcase global locations.
These hotels were lovingly restored in the 1980s and 1990s, catching the eye of fashion models and film producers who helped spread the word of South Beach’s unique Art Deco quarter – along with its stunning beaches – to the world. Today, South Beach boasts beautifully restored Art Deco hotels, bustling cafes and restaurants from celebrity chefs.
Stroll the streets of South Beach as you marvel at one of the largest collections of Art Deco architecture in the world – and one of the most distinctive cityscapes in the country. Start here with a primer on these iconic buildings and where to find them.
Art Deco is a design aesthetic first popularized in 1920s Paris that spread throughout the world during the 1930s up until World War II. Most of Miami Beach’s Art Deco buildings were built during the 1930s and 1940s and are considered to be part of the second wave of Art Deco known as Streamline Moderne.
With our tropical, seaside influences they’re sometimes called Tropical Deco, and are characterized by pastel colors, floral and aquatic embellishments, as well as nautical designs reminiscent of ocean liners.
Miami Beach is one of the few walkable cities designed after the advent of the automobile, so there’s a lot to see on a short stroll.
If you find yourself ambling along Ocean Drive or Collins Avenue, here are some of the hallmarks of Art Deco architecture to look for: symmetry, ziggurat (stepped) rooflines, eyebrow window overhangs, friezes, porthole windows and neon lighting. Make your way inside building lobbies and look for glass block details, chandeliers, curved plaster ceilings, terrazzo floors and murals depicting idyllic scenes.
Ocean Drive is lined with Art Deco boutique hotels overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and Lummus Park.
Originally constructed in the 1930s after the stock market collapse, you’ll notice that these hotels take up relatively small plots of land – they’re not the sweeping resorts that Carl Fisher previously erected overlooking Biscayne Bay or that Morris Lapidus would go on to design farther up the beach. Many are only three to four stories tall (more floors would have required elevators and would have been more expensive to construct).
Two of Miami Beach’s most prolific Art Deco era architects are Henry Hohauser and L. Murray Dixon. Both designed hotels, apartment buildings and private homes in the area. For a glimpse of Hohauser’s work, stop by the Gabriel South Beach at Ocean Drive and 6th Street. It has a slightly grander feel than other Ocean Drive hotels, thanks to its double-height lobby and seven floors of rooms. Note the three porthole windows on the façade, the symmetry of its exterior and the curved design of its terrazzo floors.
Essex House HotelAt Hohauser’s smaller Essex House Hotel on Collins Avenue and 10th Street, look up to admire its neon-lit spire and curved “eyebrow” windows. Once inside, marvel at the hotel’s well-preserved Everglades mural and striking ziggurat fireplace. The fireplace and lobby wainscoting are both made of Vitrolite (a man-made composite similar to, but cheaper than, marble). L. Murray Dixon’s work includes the Hotel Victor South Beach, the Marlin Hotel and The Betsy – South Beach.
You may notice that many of South Beach’s hotels bear two names on the façade – for instance, the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach includes the name DiLido Beach. As a measure to preserve the original architecture of these buildings, the original names on the façades must remain.
A modern hallmark in South Beach hotel design is a dramatic overhaul resulting in contemporary glitz and glamour, often envisioned by star architects such as Philippe Starck. This is the case with the SLS South Beach, which was redesigned by Starck. While many hotels take pains to respect the Art Deco aesthetic, new amenities such as rooftop pools and bars, spas and expanded patio restaurants were not part of South Beach’s original hotel landscape.
As you walk north along Collins Avenue, the history of Miami Beach unfolds before your eyes, as illustrated in the architecture of its hotels.
Starting at 17th Street, a string of taller boutique hotels built in the 1940s in the Art Deco style can be found, including the adults-only National Hotel Miami Beach and the Shelborne South Beach
Pop into hotel lobbies, meander the grounds and get caught up in the dream worlds that were constructed over the decades.
Each was designed with a fantastical point of view that characterizes the essence of Miami Beach through art, design and architecture.
Looking for a deeper dive? The Miami
Design Preservation League (MDPL) is the organization responsible for designating much of Miami Beach’s terrain into historic districts.
The Art Deco Welcome Center, located at MDPL’s headquarters at 10th Street and Ocean Drive, is a great way to start your exploration of the Art Deco District, which stretches from 5th to 23rd streets in the heart of South Beach.
Commemorating 20 years in 2022, Art Basel Miami Beach has grown into an exciting weeklong celebration of art.
By Angela Caraway-CarltonAt 20 years young, Art Basel Miami Beach has never been stronger. In 2022, the internationally acclaimed art fair celebrates two decades in Miami Beach with a version that’s bigger and better than ever.
The largest edition of Art Basel Miami Beach to date will showcase 283 galleries, with 26 of those participating for the first time. The fair is open to the public from December 1-3, 2022 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
As in the past, the fair will extend well beyond the convention center with programming at cultural institutions and private collections, as well as parties and other events, all collectively known as Miami Art Week.
The original art fair blossomed in Basel, Switzerland in 1970. Created by Swiss gallerists Ernst Beyeler, Trudl
Bruckner and Balz Hilt, who wanted to woo a new wave of art buyers and collectors, the first fair drew more than 16,000 attendees and was an instant hit in the art world. Due to its popularity, officials realized there was room to expand internationally.
Fast-forward to the early 2000s, when the art fair’s organizers focused their sights on Greater Miami & Miami Beach and its distinctly multicultural spirit. Thanks to the fair’s belief in Miami’s potential, as well as the urging of local leaders and a host of private collectors, Art Basel expanded to the United States with its first sister fair, Art Basel Miami Beach, in 2002.
In the fair’s inaugural year, 160 galleries from 23 countries showcased their works, drawing 30,000 attendees. It was not only a chance for visitors to see and buy world-class art and hobnob with the art elite, but Art Basel
Miami Beach provided a flair that only Miami can deliver. Art enthusiasts from all over the world were thrilled to mix a sun-drenched vacation with art appreciation, glittery parties and celebrity sightings.
Several key people played important roles in bringing Art Basel to Miami Beach. Norman Braman, a prominent figure in Miami’s art scene, helped convince the Swiss art fair to consider expanding to Miami. The car dealer and art collector had developed relationships with fair officials when he began buying art at the Swiss fair. Mera and Don Rubell, whose impressive personal art collection is on display at the Rubell Museum, were also major players in attracting Art Basel to Miami Beach, as were other private collectors including Martin Margulies (The Margulies Collection at the Warehouse), and Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz (de la Cruz Collection).
The celebration of art now extends beyond the Miami Beach Convention Center, where Art Basel Miami Beach takes place. Satellite fairs, parties and brand activations are sprinkled throughout the area during what’s known as Miami Art Week
Popular satellite fairs include Scope and Untitled, Art, which take place in pavilions on the sands of South Beach, and Design Miami/, which presents museum-quality exhibitions of 20thand 21st-century furniture, lighting and objects as well as panel discussions, lectures and other programming right next to the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Art Basel attendees should also look for incredible public artwork in and around the Miami Beach Convention Center. On the building’s southeast corner exterior wall, discover the vibrant colors of “About Sand” by German artist Franz Ackerman, which celebrate tourism and commerce in Miami Beach.
Inside the center, you’ll find a dramatic neon and text installation called “Located World,” by Joseph Kosuth. “Bent Pool,” by Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset, is located in Pride Park, which is part of the Convention Center Campus.
With the inception of Art Basel Miami Beach in 2002, Greater Miami & Miami Beach exploded into a full-time art destination. Incredible art in all mediums is now on display throughout various neighborhoods, with highly regarded art institutions and private museums finding new homes in areas such as the Miami Design District, Wynwood and Downtown Miami.
One of Miami’s most important cultural institutions, the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), moved to dramatic new digs in Downtown Miami in 2013. Fronting Biscayne Bay and adorned with hanging gardens, the
high-design building by renowned Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron contains a stirring collection of 20th- and 21st-century art that speaks to Miami’s diverse culture as well as the cultures of Latin America, the Caribbean and the African diaspora.
In the Miami Design District, the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA) opened in December 2017 within a shiny modern building that boasts three floors of permanent collections and exhibitions as well as a sculpture garden.
Allapattah is another burgeoning neighborhood with a diverse art scene well worth exploring during Art Week. In addition to the Rubell Museum, you can check out an experiential museum – Superblue Miami – where the walls come alive with vivid digital art and guests wander through mirrored labyrinths. You’ll also find El Espacio 23, founded by Jorge Pérez.
Rele Gallery • Marcellina Akpojotor ©Art BaselLooking
for your next art fix? Then you’re in luck. In Greater
no shortage of artists to offer what you need. Visit artists’ studios for sublime art experiences.
Boasting an everexpanding list of art fairs, festivals and more, Greater Miami & Miami Beach has put itself on the map when it comes to all things creative.
Check out our special sampling of artists’ studios you may visit throughout Miami.
In the West Little River building that houses One United Bank, the nation’s largest African-American owned bank, sits the studio of Addonis Parker. The self-taught muralist and restoration artist has been making his mark throughout Miami with public commissions and large-scale projects. When he isn’t mentoring students or out in the community, he’s in his second-floor studio working on his latest painting. Parker specializes in pieces that highlight the experience of Africans throughout the diaspora. Visits to the studio are
available by appointment only, but you may purchase his artwork anytime through his website.
To visit or buy: Art Forever Studios at One United Bank, 3275 NW 79th St., Miami 786-381-6879
AddonisParker.com
everywhere: Colombia, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, France, Senegal and his native Haiti. Locally, you may have seen his work at the Pérez Art Museum Miami and the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami. Studio visits are by appointment only.
To visit or buy: Edouard Duval-Carrié’s studio, 225 NE 59th St., Miami 786-202-7126
Duval-Carrie.com
Zero Empty Spaces is tucked inside Miami International Mall in Doral, next to Kohl’s department store. Inside, you’ll find an enclave of artists who love to engage with the public. The group includes dancer, artist and educator Lucia Morales, who uses her paintbrush to open a window into her Peruvian heritage. Morales is available for commissioned work and offers original pieces, prints and reproductions. For more information, drop by the studio or contact her online. Another artist who shares this location is Colombian-born William Alonso The cartoonist, painter, draftsman, and potter uses symbols, geometry,
animals and the concept of death as prominent elements in his pieces. Remember to call ahead of time as artists use the studio space on a rotating schedule.
To visit or buy: Zero Empty Spaces at Miami International Mall, 1455 NW 107th Ave., Doral 954-361-4998
ZeroEmptySpaces.com/ artistsandlocations.html
Of course, when it comes to the up-and-coming Miami arts scene, many will tell you Wynwood is where it’s at. We could spend all day listing its art and artists. But if you have to pick just one spot, consider the Bakehouse Art Complex, which is teeming with all manner of works in a variety of specialties. There you’ll find, among others, Cynthia Cruz’s studio. Born in Miami, of Dominican heritage, the artist and curator is skilled in producing paintings, sculptures and digital art. Within the walls of the Bakehouse building (which once housed an Art Deco-era bakery), artists have a place to create, learn and share – and you
have a place to revel in the bounty.
To visit or buy: Bakehouse Art Complex, 561 NW 32nd St., Miami 305-576-2828 bacfl.org
Marcy Grosso is a passionate sculptor, illustrator and painter whose colorful pieces reflect a mixture of her Cuban heritage and modern American life. Her artwork has been featured in public venues such as Bal Harbour Shops. Visit her website and take a peek at what she’s been working on. You can also see the range of sizes offered on limited-edition prints. Schedule a visit to her Olympia Heights studio, or feel free to give her a call for details on her prints, commissioned projects and original artwork.
To visit or buy: Marcy Grosso Fine Art, 4112 SW 90th Court, Miami 786-624-1296 GrossoFineArt.com
ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit source of theater, dance, visual arts, music and performing arts news.
“A Reflection of the Times” by Chire Regans / Photo by Gesi Schilling Addonis ParkerWant to enjoy art outdoors?
Greater Miami & Miami Beach is brimming with creativity al fresco. Stunning natural beauty. A rich biodiversity. And a vast and varied tapestry of outdoor events and programs dedicated to the visual arts, dance, music and more.
Greater Miami & Miami Beach has it all – and invites you to breathe in the fresh air while you behold the spectacles all around.
Are you a cultural explorer? Then
you’re in luck, because we’ve got installations by world-class artists tucked away in parks, near the beach, even in front of a stadium. They’re just about everywhere – and they’re ready to be found.
Thanks to Miami-Dade County’s Art in Public Places program, the region is home to one of the largest public art collections in the United States. So you can go on the hunt for treasures such as Erwin Redl’s “Volume Miami,” Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen’s “The Dropped Bowl, with Scattering
By Taima Hervas/ArtburstMiami.comSlices and Peels” and Forrest Myers’ “Lazers Maze.” The official website, MiamiDadePublicArt.org, has a handy map, so you can curate your own tour.
Don’t feel like driving around from piece to piece? Get a one-stop visual experience in Wynwood, one of Miami’s top arts destinations. Casually walk the neighborhood and revel in the ever-changing wall murals, or join a guided tour at the Museum of Graffiti or at Wynwood
Walls. No matter which way you look, Wynwood has something spectacular to see and do.
In Greater Miami & Miami Beach, finding art al fresco is a walk in the park. Literally. (And not just because the aforementioned Art in Public Places program has pieces placed at parks).
Take Everglades National Park , for example. Once you’re done marveling at the great outdoors, take a tour through one of its art exhibitions. The park has an Artist In Residence In Everglades (AIRIE) program that welcomes writers, curators, choreographers, musicians and other creatives to develop unique interpretations inspired by the 1.5 million-acre wetlands and its inhabitants. Some exhibitions have started at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center and wind along trails and boardwalks throughout the park.
Of course, music is also art – and several parks host music festivals
and events throughout the year.
At Greynolds Park in North Miami Beach, join an open jam session every first Sunday of the month as part of the Bluegrass Festival . Greynolds Park was considered a hippie hotspot back in the day, and today it also hosts the annual Love-In Music Festival – a full day of tunes from the ’60s through the ’80s, plus food vendors, costume contests and classic car displays.
Speaking of music festivals, you don’t want to miss the annual Redland Blues & BBQ Festival at the Fruit & Spice Park in Homestead. This 37-acre subtropical oasis invites you to explore a world of exotic fruits, herbs, spices and nuts from around the world – plus great melodies. Who could ask for anything more?
The grand Deering Estate in South Dade is architecturally impressive and is thought to feature the largest virgin coastal tropical hardwood hammock in the United States.
As if that weren’t enough, it’s also home to an Artist in Residence Program.
That means that on any given day you have visual, performing, literary and cross-disciplinary creatives working at their craft, inspired by their surroundings and engaging with the public. The estate – once home to industrialist Charles Deering – offers exhibits, films, concerts and more.
If you think gardens are also works of art, which we do, be sure to visit Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Coconut Grove. The creation of Charles Deering’s half-brother, James, the inner workings of the home are dazzling in and of themselves, but the views outside are even more breathtaking, if that’s possible.
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