Under The Sun

by Caroline LaMarre of I Heart Miami/(oh carolinea on Flickr)

This mural by Retna is now a Wynwood landmark./ Caroline LaMarre

I often find myself driving back to Brickell from the Design District by taking N Miami Avenue home.  Driving through uncharted territories and discovering new places always has a calming effect on me.  A few years ago Wynwood was just another shady part of Miami we didn’t drive through unless necessary but, with time, it is developing into Miami’s very own art mecca.  There are dozens of  art galleries, collections, museums and now restaurants and bars in the Wynwood/Midtown area, but my favorite part of driving through N Miami Avenue is watching the ever-changing street art murals.

Tes One and Bask put the finishing touches on this mural./ Caroline LaMarre

These are some street art murals I shot this week during Art Basel.  Some have been a part of the streetscape for some time (like the Retna mural at the top of the post) and others were literally appearing before my eyes.

I had no idea where these works of art were coming from.  Were they commissioned or put up by street artists quietly making their mark in Wynwood?  I’ve recently learned that Primary Flight is the organization behind many of the creations. From NW 36th Street to NW 20th Street, and between N Miami Avenue and NW 6th Avenue (map) you can find murals painted on entire buildings, abandoned trailers and even light poles. As the bustling area of Wynwood continues its development, I hope to see Miami’s street murals evolve.