Miami

Featured above is the work of the prolific UK-based Snub23. Several more images from the diverse range of artworks that the aWall Mural Projects, founded and curated by Miami-based Registered Artist, recently brought to The Santa Clara Elementary School in Allapattah follow. All were captured by travel and street photographer Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad during the week of Miami’s Art Basel.

Los Angeles-based Drew Merritt and North Carolina-based Dustin Spagnola on bottom right

Dustin Spagnola, closer-up

Ohio-based Phybr 

Michigan-based Old Growth and — on bottom right — Chicago’s Sentrock

Sentrock, closer up

Local Miami artist Eric Karbeling in collaboration with Brooklyn-based Massimo Mongiardo, who painted the child on bottom left

Photos by Karin du Maire

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Founded and curated by Miami-based Registered Artist, the Second Annual aWall Mural Projects took place in Miami from Dec 1-9 bringing a diversely rich range of artworks to The Santa Clara Elementary School in Allapattah. Featured above is the hugely talented Asian artist Sheep Chen at work on a delightfully playful, brightly hued mural. Several more images — all captured by travel and street photographer Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad — at Allapattah’s Santa Clara Elementary School follow:

Project curator Registered Artist

South Africa-based Sonny Sundancer

UK-based My Dog Sighs 

New York-based Tom Bob and Texas-born Asian artist Emily Ding

Emily Ding, closer-up

And New York-based Key Detail at work

Photos by Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad

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The faces that surface on Miami’s walls — like so much of the art that makes its way onto the city’s public places — represent a wide range of artistic styles, sensibilities and backgrounds. The image featured above was painted by Brooklyn-based artist Isabelle Ewing. Several more images of faces that I captured on my recent visit follow:

Jacksonville, Florida-based Nico

London-based David Walker

Australian artist Seb Humphreys aka Order 55

Miami-based Abstrk

West Coast-based Sauteezy aka A Killer’skiller

Photos by Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from WideWalls to the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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Pictured above is the bold and brightly-hued work of Barcelona native Pez. What follows are several more images of distinctly curious characters that I’ve recently encountered while wandering around Miami’s beguiling streets:

Barcelona-based El Xupet Negre aka the Black Pacifier

Parisian artist Combo aka Combo Culture Kidnapper, close-up

St. Pete, Florida-based Sebastian Coolidge

Mexican artist Curiot

Photos by Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from WideWalls to the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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What makes Miami so special for us street art aficionados is the incredible mix of cultures and styles that makes its way to the streets of Wynwood and its surroundings. The wonderfully diverse range of characters that continues to surface are testament to this. Featured above is a close-up from a huge mural fashioned by the Italian artist Zed1. Several more follow in this first of a two-part series featuring curious characters recently encountered on Miami streets.

Chilean artists Jekse & Cines aka Un Kolor Distinto

Brazilian artist Cranio

Ecuadorian artist Apitatán

Ukranian artist Aleksey Kislow

Photos by Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from WideWalls to the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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The image featured above  — one segment of a larger politically charged mural sighted at Wynwood Walls — was painted by the the legendary NYC-based Lady Pink. Several more images of guys on walls that I captured on my recent visit to Miami follow:

Florida-based, Paris-born Smog One

New Jersey-based Joe Iurato, also for Wynwood Walls

Denver-based Pharaoh One aka Pher01 & Atlanta-based David Fratu aka ILL.DES     

Toronto-based, Brazil-born Bruno Smoky

Photos by Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from WideWalls to the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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The image featured above was painted by the wonderfully talented Santa Fe native Miles Toland. Several more images of females on walls that I captured on my recent visit to Miami follow:

New York-based Alice Mizrachi, close-up

Miami-based Daniel Fila aka Krave

Puerto Rican artist Alexis Diaz

LA-based Audrey Kawasaki, a recent addition to Wynwood Walls

Photos by Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from WideWalls to the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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Best-known for his interactive performance art and visual art that have been featured in a range of galleries, art fairs and museums, Miami-based artist David Rohn has recently taken his vision to the streets. In his new series, Street Peeps, he focuses on raising awareness of the issue of homelessness. While in Miami, I had the opportunity to speak to him:

When did you begin this project– with its focus on wheatpasting images of  yourself in various disguises representing street peeps?

I started three months ago.

Had you ever gotten up on the streets before you began working on this project?

Back in the 90’s, I did a series of boys’ heads based on an image that I had seen. I got them up in Miami – mostly on lampposts – Downtown and on the beach. One even made it into the bathroom of the Perez Art Musem, back when it was the Miami Art Museum. I painted the heads in different colors mixing guache paint with wallpaper paste.

What inspired you to do so back then?

I’d seen graffiti and wheatpastes up in NY, and I wanted to be out there.

What spurred you to hit the streets this time around? 

Between 2008 and 2014, I was represented by a gallery in Miami. After that ended, I wanted a way to share my vision — and concerns — with others. Things had tapered off. Getting up in the public sphere seemed like the most sensible way to accomplish this.

And why this particular project?

I feel very strongly about homelessness. I’ve seen it explode in recent years. It is appalling! And the income disparity is continually increasing. I’ve been interested in these two issues for awhile.

Each of your portraits is another rendition of you as someone who is homeless!

Yes! I’ve been doing portraits of myself since 2008 as part of my performance art.

Who exactly are these characters you are portraying?

They are inspired by homeless folks and street people I see when I’m out on the streets. The ones who are the casualties of gentrification. This city is changing so rapidly.

And what about the characters with the masks? Who are they?

They represents the power structure. The eilite – those who control our economic assets. The developers who can easily evolve into a monsters.

What about your relationship with the homeless?

For awhile, I was bringing them sleeping bags and cots. But these days, I bring loaves of day-old bread and bottles of water. And socks – white socks and gray socks. They choose which ones they want. These items are what they seem to need and want the most.

And how has this project – getting your portraits out there in public space — impacted you?

It’s been very liberating! It’s fun! And I like the idea of short circuiting the gallery system.

What’s ahead?

Creating and getting up more images suggestive of the homelessness crisis.

Interview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky with photos by Lois Stavsky.

Special thanks to Andrew Ringler for introducing me to David.

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With a BFA in Photography and Sculpture from the Massachusetts College of Art, multidisciplinary artist Alessandra Mondolfi describes herself as a “Jill of all Trades.”  A recipient of multiple grants and awards, including a Fulbright Grant to Barcelona, Spain, she has exhibited throughout the globe with works ranging from altered photographs to elaborate large scale multimedia installations. These days, Alessandra Mondolfi  perceives herself  primarily as an artist/activist, whose political artworks surface on the streets of Miami and beyond. I recently had the opportunity to speak to her.

When did you begin to direct your creative talents to the political sphere?

It happened right after the 2017 Women’s March. That was a huge turning point. I took to the streets then using art props as tools of protest. I haven’t stopped, and I’m not stopping. I’m a proud member of the middle-age resistance.

What prompted you to do so? To become so active?

The 2016 Presidential election. It’s a gut reaction to our current state of affairs. These times call for drastic action. Having come of age in Venezuela, I saw first-hand attacks on democracy and on people’s basic values as Chavez ran on a populist front — socialist, but populist. No one took him seriously. They thought of him as a joke. They didn’t think he could win. And when he did, he  destroyed his country. The similarities between him and Trump are staggering. My strongest weapon against this kind of  fascism is my creativity.

How has your in involvement in this movement impacted you?

It’s been therapeutic. Creating art is a way for us to release our anxieties and give us a sense of purpose, especially in times like these.

And what about others? How has your work impacted others? What kinds of responses has it elicited?

The props that I’ve used at various protests have been shown around the world in a range of media — in print, online and on television. I feel as though I am creating the visual message of the resistance for the media to transmit. Much of what I’ve created has gone viral.  Getty and AP images have surfaced in newspapers throughout the world, including Turkey, Bulgaria and India.

What’s ahead?

I’m now working on new props for the March 24th, March for Our Lives in Parkland. These will be followed by wheatpastes that I will post wherever I can.

I’m so glad you’re doing this! Thank you!

Photos: 1 & 3 Lois Stavsky; 2, 4 & 5 courtesy the artist; Interview conducted by Lois Stavsky

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This is part IV of an occasional series featuring faces that have made their way onto Wynwood, Miami’s open spaces. Pictured above is a close-up from a collaborative piece by 2alas and Felipe Pantone. What follows are several more I captured on my recent trip to Wynwood:

West Coast artist Hueman, close-up from huge mural at Wynwood Walls — first seen last year

hueman

Brazilian muralist Sipros

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Montreal-based Kevin Ledo, close-up

kevin-ledo-mural-art-wynwood

Portugese artist Mr Dheo

Mr-dheo-street-art-wynwood

Miami-based Atomiko

atomic-street-art-wynwood

Photos by Lois Stavsky

Hailed in a range of media from Wide Walls to the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

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