PULSE:
Art
KOBI KARP AND ROMERO BRITTO Miami’s Art and Architecture Pioneers Written by Susana Baker • Photography by Armando Colls
From the vibrant, bold neon lights that dress the Art Deco buildings of
An example of such rests in the recently
South Beach to the towering structures of downtown, Miami prides
unveiled Museum Garage—gravity-defying
itself on the architecture and public art that visitors can find through-
parking structures that add to the beauty
out its distinct neighborhoods.
instead of cutting into it. The structure is
The once-forgotten area of Wynwood—previously known only as
an 800-car parking garage designed by a
a humble warehouse district—was recently named by TripAdvisor as
curator who designated four renowned
the trendiest neighborhood in the country; boasting an ever-changing
archectrual firms and two famous artists, in
outdoor street art museum featuring some of the most significant street artists in the world. Just north of its unique collection of murals and graffiti lies a striking example of state-of-the-art urban design: The Design District. Here, art integrates with incredible architecture created by globally renowned artists and architects.
a collaboration where art and architecture Below: Girl Gone Shopping by Britto, building by Kobi Karp, Los Suenos
promise to stupefy you!
Opposite Page: Kobi and Romero together, Britto Studios, Wynwood
talented individuals who, came to the
The world’s recognition of Miami’s art and architecture are accredited to two city in the late 1980’s, at the height of Miami’s notoriety as a hotbed for crime. Their collaborative works took notice, and soon “Paradise Lost” of Miami (As Time magazine said of Miami’s infamous Cocaine Cowboys and Mariel Boatlift) went back to becoming the beautiful metropolis known and loved today. Beginning with South Beach’s fantasyland architecture of candy-colored buildings adorned in neon, developers were soon re-investing in the new American Rivera, and the man that everyone soon went to was Kobi Karp, Miami’s renowned architect. As he developed the plans, he included a young aspiring artist, Romero Britto. His inspiration was the unique colors of Miami Beach and city, big blue skies, turquoise waters, bright red-orange sunsets, and pale white sands. He translated the tropical climate and beauty of Miami into his art using vibrant colors and eye-catching patterns.
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CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
