From whimsical to political to vaguely disturbing the murals that grace Wynwood Walls will, each one, actively require your attention. The artists and styles vary but each piece will draw you to it. These images are part of restaurant, hot spot, Wynwood Kitchen & Bar (pretty close to a "must visit" when in Miami).
A new book, The Wynwood Walls And Doors, on this wonderful display of street art--mostly ensconced within Wynwood Walls Restaurant is out (in a limited edition of 200). The book was the result of work by a number of people, including photographer Martha Cooper.
“Personally, I am interested in process so first thing I like to do is see how they do the walls. So when we did the book every artist got a double page spread; the first double page spread had to do with making the wall.” says Cooper. “I like to see what kind of tools they use, what kind of paint they use what kind of brushes they use; whether it is spray paint, rollers or whatever. Second I want to put the wall in the context of the surroundings. So I don’t just want to take a picture of the wall I like to try to get a picture of the wall with whatever is next to it, above, it below it, beside it etcetera.”
She wants there to be scale to the walls but more than that she points out that a wall in Miami will look different from one in New York City. The context tells you about where the wall "lives."
A new book, The Wynwood Walls And Doors, on this wonderful display of street art--mostly ensconced within Wynwood Walls Restaurant is out (in a limited edition of 200). The book was the result of work by a number of people, including photographer Martha Cooper.
“Personally, I am interested in process so first thing I like to do is see how they do the walls. So when we did the book every artist got a double page spread; the first double page spread had to do with making the wall.” says Cooper. “I like to see what kind of tools they use, what kind of paint they use what kind of brushes they use; whether it is spray paint, rollers or whatever. Second I want to put the wall in the context of the surroundings. So I don’t just want to take a picture of the wall I like to try to get a picture of the wall with whatever is next to it, above, it below it, beside it etcetera.”
She wants there to be scale to the walls but more than that she points out that a wall in Miami will look different from one in New York City. The context tells you about where the wall "lives."
Wynwood Walls limited edition book of the mural art on site.
There are a number of murals, large and small, at Wynwood Walls and, as noted, the styles and colors vary. How do you organize such a book?
“We had to have some kind of organizing principle so our OP was to do it geographically as you would walk through the walls. We did it by area. You might not notice it if you were looking at the book but we separate each area with a transitional shot that showed more than one wall,” she says. “And showed you as you would enter there are like three separate areas here; three separate big lots. There are also the exterior walls; one of the three areas is called the doors...They are smaller, they are gates. And then we have outside the walls which are walls not within this compound, we put that in a different section.”
Designer Kiki Bauer was another of the group working on the limited edition book.
"I worked with Martha Cooper and Ethel (Seno) and Meghan (Coleman) about this book on Wynwood walls and I did the design together with everybody—we basically collaborated on the book and I worked with Martha before I worked with the publisher, Powerhouse Books," says Bauer. "And that is where I met Martha and she asked me if wanted to design the book she has been working on. She took these photos for over three years in Wynwood."
“We had to have some kind of organizing principle so our OP was to do it geographically as you would walk through the walls. We did it by area. You might not notice it if you were looking at the book but we separate each area with a transitional shot that showed more than one wall,” she says. “And showed you as you would enter there are like three separate areas here; three separate big lots. There are also the exterior walls; one of the three areas is called the doors...They are smaller, they are gates. And then we have outside the walls which are walls not within this compound, we put that in a different section.”
Designer Kiki Bauer was another of the group working on the limited edition book.
"I worked with Martha Cooper and Ethel (Seno) and Meghan (Coleman) about this book on Wynwood walls and I did the design together with everybody—we basically collaborated on the book and I worked with Martha before I worked with the publisher, Powerhouse Books," says Bauer. "And that is where I met Martha and she asked me if wanted to design the book she has been working on. She took these photos for over three years in Wynwood."
Cooper started taking photos in 2009. This edition of the book is a “pre-edition” according to Bauer and there will likely be an expanded edition. Bauer says the Goldman family, especially Tony Goldman were also heavily involved in the design and choices made in the book. Goldman is the man behind Wynwood Walls.
This area of Miami was something of a dump in times past and is an example of the rejuvenation of the city. More important, Wynwood Walls is not an abrogation of Miami and an attempt to turn the city into Paris or New York. While the artists are from many places the character of the work is firmly in the spirit of the city and in the world of street art. monumental.
This area of Miami was something of a dump in times past and is an example of the rejuvenation of the city. More important, Wynwood Walls is not an abrogation of Miami and an attempt to turn the city into Paris or New York. While the artists are from many places the character of the work is firmly in the spirit of the city and in the world of street art. monumental.
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