GRAFFITI in MIAMI – Retna and The Wynwood Walls

We are in Miami and had a great day.  After a really nice tour of a collector’s home (including De Kooning, Rothko, Lichtenstein, Miro, Twombly, Stella, Guston and others) we went over to the Louis Vuitton store in Wynwood – Miami’s Design District.

They have recently commissioned Los Angeles-based graffiti artist RETNA to paint a mural on the outside of the building as well as design scarves.  RETNA was there to talk with us about the project, his process and his path from doing illegal graffiti to being commissioned by stores like Louis Vuitton.

RETNA

RETNA with a scarf that he designed

RETNA’s project at Louis Vuitton, Miami

Then we drove over to see The Wynwood Walls.  This was a project that was started in 2009 by a developer named Tony Goldman (who recently passed away in September).  He had the vision to turn the warehouse walls into public art during a time when the neighborhood was not the hip, bustling place it is today.  Over the course of a couple of years, he brought street artists in from all over the world to paint murals.

Os Gemeos wall – Brazilian brothers

It is interesting for us (Dallas people) to see a place like the Design District of Miami.  The neighborhood is full of interesting retail, restaurants, people and art.  This is what the Dallas Design District will be one day!!  We just have to believe in it and think outside the box.

Kenny Scharf

Shepard Fairey

RETNA

I’ll post more about Miami along the way.  Love you.  Bye bye. xoxo

**If you know any of the artists in the images where I did not include captions, let me know and I will add them.  Thanks!!