It all began with Craig Robins, an art-loving property developer who, in the late 80s, set his sights on Miami, and in particular on the Art Deco streets of South Beach. At the time, the area was nothing more than a gangster hangout, the favourite playground of Two Cops in Miami and Scarface.
Once he had succeeded in transforming South Beach into a mecca for sunbathers and artistic hipsters, this visionary went on to reclaim Miami by creating the famous Design DistrictThis is a former warehouse zone now dedicated to international luxury brands, with a host of showrooms, most of which boast breathtaking architecture.
Over the years, decadent Miami has become a city of culture, the place to be for contemporary artThis is thanks in no small part to the most prestigious event of all, Art Basel Miami, created in 2002. A corollary event, Design Miami, bringing together designers and publishers, was launched in 2005 by... Craig Robins again. At the same time, another promoter, New Yorker Tony Goldman, who sadly passed away in 2012, confirmed the phenomenon of conversion of warehouse districts, starting with Wynwood.
Formerly known as Little San Juan, it has been home to textile wholesalers, small restaurants and stalls run by Puerto Ricans since the 1950s. After buying a few disused warehouses, Tony Goldman donated his first walls to around thirty local businesses. renowned street artists who gradually took over the whole area.
In 2009, this led to the opening of a huge open-air gallery, the Wynwood Walls, devoted to street art stars such as Swoon, Retna, Maya Hayuk, Aiko and Lady Pink... A feast for the eyes that is completely renewed every year just before Art Basel Miami. Today, Wynwood boasts nearly a hundred artists' studios and galleries, including that of Dina Mitrani, whose parents owned a textile factory that she was able to transform in 2008 into a space dedicated to contemporary photography.
Arty gentrification
But today's Wynwood also boasts a plethora of trendy restaurants, cafés and bakeries, like Zak the Baker's, which makes made-in-Florida pains au chocolat and croissants. There are plenty of boutiques too, like Frangipani, a colourful and seductive concept store where you'll want to buy everything from decorative items, jewellery, bags and books to small pieces of furniture from all over the world.
However, with gentrification bringing its share of drawbacks, not least rising rents, many gallery owners have started to head north, to Little Haiti in particular, and even to some of the outlying towns. This is the case of Michael Jon & Alan, who have set up shop in the heart of a dairy factory between Little Haiti, Litte River and Lemon City. "People don't come here by chance. It's really to see us and discover our artists."Despite the unlikely geography of their space, which opened five years ago, the two young gallery owners have managed to make their mark on the Art Basel Miami scene.
The fact that art is gradually overtaking Wynwood's boundaries does not mean that the district is no longer in vogue, but rather that Miami's transformation process is progressing, taking in areas that are still undeveloped and full of potential. Miami has entered an exciting phase in its development. Everything moves, everything changes. And Wynwood, quite simply, is just a splash of colour in the broad palette of this great urban and artistic flowering.
Meet Jennifer Roberts
Director of Design Miami. www.basel2017.designmiami.com
Under the impact of Art Basel and Design Miami, the city has changed a great deal.
Art Basel Miami's little sister, Design Miami, takes place at the same time, in a large tent set up in front of the Convention Center where the contemporary art fair is held. Design Miami was added to Art Basel Miami almost twelve years ago. It is a partnership between MCH Group, the Swiss company that owns Art Basel, and Craig Robins, the promoter of the Miami Design District. It's fair to say that Craig Robins has really brought a new way of developing a district and integrating design into it. International property developers and major cities around the world have drawn inspiration from him. As a collector and art lover, Craig Robins played a major role in the creation of these two fairs, making them a real 'destination event' to attract visitors from all over the world. The last edition of Design Miami welcomed 36,000 people, Art Basel Miami 90,000, and we work closely with the city. This year, the Convention Center will be undergoing renovation, but eventually the exhibition space will be much larger.
Under the impact of its two international fairs, Miami has changed a lot. You see buildings by Rem Koolhaas, Jean Nouvel and design everywhere. Personally, as a New Yorker, I didn't think I could live anywhere else but New York. But since I moved to Miami two years ago, my perspective has changed. I still feel very much a New Yorker... but not quite any more either. I really feel at home in Miami, where you're always discovering new restaurants and shops. The urban landscape is constantly changing. That's what I love about this city: it has a rich cultural life, but it's also very cosmopolitan. "
