Week in Images

BSA: Miami

We start 2010 with a bag of sea-shells and this bounty of inspiring Street Art images from warm sunny Miami – which was a break from the bitter coldness of BK for a bit.  Heartfelt gratitude to Typoe for showing us what’s up and who, together with a dude named Books, has built the one-of-a-kind Primary Flight show on the streets of Miami’s Wynwood District over the past three years during Art Basel.

With a vision that speaks to the next decade of public art, these guys have coordinated with local businesses, galleries, graff/street artists, and the City of Miami to clear the way for what is turning into a global gallery on the street. Without self-aggrandizing rhetoric, these peeps are developing a model for building an art scene while keeping the edge and encouraging experimentation. So far the “collection” doesn’t risk the blanding that can happen when bureaucrats, committees, or self-appointed art critics insert themselves, or when corporate sponsors commodify the spirit.

It’s worth mentioning that this is just one more case of artists revitalizing abandoned blighted areas of the urban landscape, of their own volition, with grit, determination, and vision.

During a whirlwind tour last week of Primary Flight sites (and many others who have jumped into the game) we witnessed a diverse, energetic mix of graff, old-school, art school, graphic design, sculpture, illustration, surrealism… all part of the developing Street Art vocabulary that we’re witnessing in Brooklyn and NYC at large.  Thanks to Typoe and Giovana for their kind hospitality and insight.

We hope you enjoy the Dade County Bounty: a past and present explosion of art on the streets of Miami.

One stunning example of what’s happening – this female form is answered with a male counterpart further down the street (J. Robles) (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Yes, it’s all aerosol, friends.  (J. Robles) (detail) (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Evils does a Medusa on an 3 sided block-long wall completely covered with new pieces (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Retna and Mac’s ’08 entry still stands on a massive wall – using a self-developed symbol library that functions as an alphabet. Typoe says certain people can read it. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Retna and Mac (detail) – the circular fine line patterning on the boy in this piece was accomplished by keeping the cans in an ice cooler – and fine can control of course. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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