LOGO

Wynwood is a Broadway musical waiting to happen. .

“It’s a lively little neighborhood,” says Alette Simmons-Jimenez, director of Artformz, a collective of artists who show together, on NW 23rd St. Remarkable encounters happen all the time. She recalls coming to work and seeing a fashion shoot for an Italian magazine at a mechanic shop nearby. Models posed on top of cars with mechanics. Recently Donna Haynes of Artformz painted outside on the gallery walls. “People stopped to take a picture, and she got a sunburn,” laughs Alette. Sometimes the building’s owner allows Artformz to paint a panel outside on the gallery so, she explains, “our artists get to paint big-time street murals.”

Fine art takes to Miami streets while careening across the globe.

Alette recently sent her paintings on paper to Italy. An artist in Miami invited her to take part in an international project from Turin that may be part of the Beijing Biennale before heading to Europe. “There were 7 or 8 artists from the Miami area,” she says, “but there are other artists from all over the world.”

For several years Artformz was in the Design District before moving to far less chic Wynwood. People ask her how she likes the change.

“I love it,” Alette says. “Everyday we have people coming in. The best thing about it is that they are coming to see art. They come from everywhere—from California, Canada, Spain, Australia. People from Miami also come. It is really surprising because you get to share with people from all over the world.” She often gives them a map and advice about finding more galleries by walking or taking a cab. They would surely benefit from a taxi stand.

Julie Davidow, an artist represented by Diana Lowenstein Fine Arts in Wynwood, likes the scruffy streets, so inviting to risk-takers. She moved to a Wynwood studio after working for several years on the more posh Lincoln Road in Miami Beach. Wynwood reminds her of what Lincoln Road was like in the mid 1980s, with boarded-up buildings and packs of wild dogs. That area then attracted artists “because it was such a small community. It felt like there were a lot of possibilities.” Today Wynwood “has that same kind of vibe.”

Julie is one of many talented artists working here. Miami Art Museum curator Peter Boswell chose her for the “Juror’s Pick” in the 76th issue of New American Paintings, juried exhibitions-in-print.

Another artist working in Wynwood is Hernan Bas, represented by nearby Fredric Snitzer Gallery. Hernan’s art can be seen June through November at the 53rd Venice Biennale. His paintings will be part of a group show in the Nordic and Danish Pavilions. Rough streets aren’t an issue. “I try not to walk home at night,” he admits. “I have my bike. It’s not hard to outrun a crack head on a bicycle.”

Janda Wetherington, director of PanAmericanArtProjects on NW 2nd Ave in Wynwood, says the neighborhood doesn’t bother her. “One of my employees had their car window broken. That’s the only incident we’ve had.” She represents Pablo Soria, who works in Miami and traveled to Argentina to create distinctive paintings on paper with photographs.

“We’re putting together a proposal of events that we can do that would be beneficial to the Miami community to make the city more interested in helping us,” Janda says, a member of the Wynwood Arts District Association. “We want to do student days here when the gallerists are available to give tours of the shows, and do things that get more of the community involved in the neighborhood.”

Miami must heed the international excitement reshaping Wynwood. The art world clearly knows Wynwood. Now the city should claim the fame art has wrought.