While many cities continue their war on graffiti, Miami has taken the opposite approach and is embracing, and even encouraging visual artists to liven up the city streets and alleys. Graffiti is often viewed as a form of vandalism, seen in dark alleyways or on abandoned buildings. The suburban neighbourhood of Wynwood has taken a different approach and is now the location of tours that spotlight some of the commissioned pieces that the city and local businesses have worked with artists to develop.
Legal outdoor murals by graffiti artists cover the walls near art galleries and restaurants, which can be viewed from the seat of your Vespa over a two-hour guided tour of the area offered by Roam Tours. In between, guides point out work by different local artists, while explaining the evolution of graffiti from when artists painted vacant buildings as a way to gain street credibility among their peers.
Wynwood has swiftly transitioned itself into a destination for artists to migrate and congregate. Perhaps there’s hope that other cities will one day recognize the grass-roots level contributions of its citizens, offering an artistic outlet by working with as opposed to against. Roam Rides specializes in Vespa scooter rentals and Art Tours. There are three tours to choose from.
Wynwood Street Art Tour: Led by a local graffiti artist, this tour takes our riders across the Venetian Causeway and up through Wynwood Arts District. Many stops along the way focus on both local and internationally known artists who have created some stunning work on both public and private properties. An in-depth and fascinating exploration of the artists and crews, and the rules by which they respect tags, bombs, throw-ups and pieces, this tour is unlike anything you’ve seen in Miami before.
The Gallery Tour: Led by a local artist, this tour features select galleries in Wynwood that showcase the diversity and depth of the exploding art scene in Miami. From more traditional galleries featuring well-known artists to galleries that focus on artists from a particular cultural backgroud to avant garde galleries promoting emerging artists, our tour gives riders a great cross-section of what is going on in the Wynwood Arts District. This tour is customizable, depending on your area of interest.
The Collections Tour: Led by a local artist, this tour features an in-depth visit to one of the major Collection houses in Wynwood – the Rubell Collection, the Margulies Collection, or the De La Cruz Collection. These spaces house huge collections of paintings, sculptures, photos, video, and installations. More like museums than galleries, these locations offer a tour of the collection led by a docent.
For more info or to make a booking, visit: www.roamrides.com or call 888-760-7626.