Wynwood, Miami's Must-Visit Art Galleries

With a lofty goal of bridging the cultural boundaries of North America and South America, Pan American Projects facilitates a contemporary space for artists from both regions in their prominent corner building at the heart of the Wynwood District. Founded first in Los Angeles, with a second location in Dallas, Texas, Pan America Projects put down Miami roots in December of 2006. This 4,500 square foot venue exhibits two show rooms, a video box, sculpture garden and an apartment with an art studio for visiting artists.

Miami native, Dina Mitrani houses her photography gallery in a clothing factory-turned-warehouse, which was her father’s 40 years ago. Relocating from New York, where her photography career began, proved to be a prudent decision for Mitrani. Since 2002, she has been a peg in the process of turning Wynwood into a thriving art community. Focusing exclusively on classic and contemporary photography, Mitriani features shutterbugs that are emerging, midcareer and established. With the help of her sister, Mitrani also offers the Mitriani Warehouse made up of artist studios, galleries and the Un-Parking Lot, an enclosed outdoor space available for events.

With support by a grant from the Knight Foundation and Miami Worldcenter, the artist-run nonprofit Dimensions Variable offers exhibitions, discussions, lectures and special projects. Dimensions Variable aims to create an exchange of ideas between Miami and the international art-loving community of the world through thought-provoking art. Founders Adler Guerrier, Leyden Rodriguez-Casanova, and Frances Trombly, have built a space known for pushing boundaries, providing artist workshops and hosting forums on community building. The space is a couple of blocks outside of Wynwood, but definitely worth the detour.

Founded in 2008 by Paloma Teppa, this uniquely landscaped gallery space houses some of the most innovative mixes of horticulture and art. Inspired by gardens, architecture and design, Teppa set out to create a world where animals, plants and humans appear to live symbiotically and harmoniously. Plant The Future offers landscape and design services for residential and commercial buildings, as well as a shop for patrons who appreciate the style of living art. From terrariums and hanging orbs, to figurines and floor plants, this shop will inspire anyone who enters.

Founded in 1998 by three artists with a vision, Locust Projects was among the first art spaces to open its doors in the once-depressed Wynwood neighborhood. In 2002 the brand officially became incorporated as an official not-for-profit institution. Receiving grants from a slew of organizations such as, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, kept the business on the fast track to art action. Dubbed “Miami’s alternative contemporary art space,” the Locust Project is dedicated to providing contemporary visual arts without the pressure of gallery sales.

Under direction of Barak Zadok, this Wynwood gallery focuses on displaying contemporary art through innovative presentations. The emphasis of this two-storey 12,500-foot square building is visual expression, the creation of new narratives and use of interesting materials throughout the six-room space. Zadok gallery has been recognized as a collaborative international stand out in Miami; it offers a global overview of contemporary art, while it does not target a particular geographical location or focus on any gender paradigms.

Fredric Snitzer gallery has been a Miami mainstay since its inception in the 1970s. Snitzer has a coveted seat on the Art Basel selection committee and he’s fostered the growth of now-famed artists: Hernan Bas, Alice Aycock, Naomi Fisher, and Bert Rodriguez. This master-trendsetter also teaches at the New World School of the Arts, where his discerning eye for talent has aided in the growth of young emerging artists. When it comes time for his own gallery exhibits, Snitzer’s collection is polished and presentable, which is why his openings remained talked-about and wildly attended.

You can’t mention the Wynwood District without mentioning Wynwood Walls. The late Tony Goldman’s ‘street museum’ displays the most impressively condensed array of graffiti murals in the world. With international artists from Japan to Brazil, Wynwood Walls is home to urban stars such as Aiko, Retna, Friends With You, and Os Gemeos. Goldman’s 2009 vision was to take the warehouse district in Wynwood and develop it into a place where pedestrians could explore street art. Now a thriving epicenter within the gallery world, Wynwood Walls is exemplary in what neighbourhoods can do with art at the forefront of urban development.
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