First artists
As in the rest of the United States, painting emerged in Florida with the arrival of the settlers. Spanish missionaries, established in the Southwestern United States and in Florida, used visual arts to evangelize the Amerindians. To this end, places of worship were decorated with religious paintings and sculptures, steeped in Baroque. Rubens' style strongly influenced the "executors" who could not yet be called artists.
It was not until the 17th century that professionals from Europe executed the first paintings on American soil. They remained marked by European canons and religion. However, before that, the lushness of Florida stimulated the creativity of the painters on board the ships. Charged with documenting the exploration missions, they represented Florida as early as the 16th century. Thus, the French cartographer and illustrator Jacques Le Moyne executed drawings and watercolors of these new lands. The birds of Florida inspired the ornithologist John James Audubon.
Pop Art Miami
Pop art was born in Great Britain in the 1950s, in opposition to abstract expressionism, which was not considered very accessible. It quickly spread throughout the Western world. The technical processes are borrowed from the consumer society (acrylic, silk-screen printing). In the United States, Pop Art was notably carried by Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg who then settled in Florida in Captiva, and the famous Andy Warhol with his silk-screened Marilyn. He shook up traditions by introducing images from advertising and comics into art.
Nowadays, in Miami, the tradition is extended by several talents: Romero Britto, Carlos A. Navarro, Alex Yanes, Franciso Ceron or Ed King.
Artists' associations
As early as the 1970s, the first artist communities were formed in the Florida Keys. While keeping their own studio, the artists rely on solidarity to promote their work. The studios are generally open to the public. Surrounding yourself with creative minds allows you to benefit from an emulsion and to escape from a commercial system that is too formatted.
In Miami Beach, the ArtCenter-South Florida has been promoting the practice of visual arts and the culture of South Florida since 1984. In Tallahassee, the vast space of the Railroad Square Art Park is rented to about fifty artists of all genres. Every first Friday of the month, the First Friday Gallery Hop offers a journey of discovery through the craziest worlds.
In the Keys, FKCA or Florida Keys Art Council is the reference association for all artists. It awards grants, supports public art and events to enhance the cultural heritage of the Keys. Its committee is in charge of the 1% art program. Among the public art projects supported by the FKCA are murals at the North Key Largo Fire Station, the Key West Courthouse and the Key West Airport.
Along the Overseas Highway, some creative whimsy signals artistic communities. In Islamorada, a five-meter tall giant lobster stands guard over a Big Betsy artist and artisan village (between Key Largo and Key West).
Contemporary art
The Art Deco city is famous for its Art Basel Miami Beach. A not-to-be-missed event for collectors and art lovers from all over the world, the Miami fair has been held every year since 2002. Over 250 galleries gather at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The event is complemented by some twenty off-site fairs throughout the city.
A must-see is the Pérez Art Museum Miami, or PAMM, located in a superb ultra-design building overlooking the bay. Here you'll discover contemporary works by artists from Florida, Latin America and the Caribbean. A detour to the Sculpture Garden is a must.
As for the galleries, the choice is vast and the program diverse. Since 2007, Avant Gallery (701S. Miami Ave., Suite 121A, Miami) has been exhibiting sculptures by Will Kurtz, rock photos by Mick Rock and paintings by LaSsO. The vast space of Galerie Fredric Snitzer (1540 NE Miami Court, Miami) is divided into 2 galleries, complemented by a sculpture garden. Galerie Nina Johnson (6315 NW 2nd Avenue, Miami) covers the most ambitious proposals in photography, sculpture and installation.
In Key West, head for Duval Street, also home to a large number of galleries. Pop art landscapes are on the program at Wet Paint Gallery.
Wynwood and street art in Miami
It's no coincidence that the world's first museum dedicated to the history of graffiti art recently opened in Wynwood. This once-derelict neighborhood has become Miami's most distinctive feature. Transformed into an artistic epicenter by art patron Tony Goldman, the man behind the development of SoHo in New York, it has been attracting street artists since the 2000s. In the Wynwood Walls park, the walls are made available to creative artists from all over the world, notably during Art Basel. Acclaimed muralists and emerging graffiti artists gather for several days, including Shepard Fairey and Miami-based painter, illustrator and muralist Ernesto Maranje.
Not all murals are concentrated in Wynwood Walls. All around, you can track down the works on 50 blocks. Along the way, a hundred art galleries, restaurants and vintage boutiques welcome you. Don't miss the Margulies Gallery's collection of contemporary art in all media: photography, video, sculpture and installation; at the Bakehouse Complex, you can even meet the artists in their studios.
Since 1994, the Street Painting Festival in Downtown Lake Worth Beach has been inviting everyone to become an artist. Its premise is in keeping with a centuries-old tradition, back when artists used to paint pavements to make a name for themselves. The first and most popular outdoor event, it now attracts almost 100,000 visitors. Every February, over 600 artists from all over the world take to the streets to practice their art. Chalk or paint, leave your mark in Florida!
