Travel in the Daytime for the Street Art

The Wynwood Arts District is the epicenter of contemporary art for the Greater Miami area, arguably all of Florida and, at the moment anyway, one of the fickle art world's most celebrated destinations for contemporary art. Once a best avoided eyesore of derelict factories and disused warehouses, today this hip area hosts more than 50 art galleries, four museums and major collections along with dozens upon dozens of artist studios. The district fits snug between I-95 and Biscayne Boulevard from 20th to 36th street, south of Miami's Design District.

Whether you're a serious collector or simply a curious tourist, the Wynwood Art District is well worth paying a visit whenever you’ve got a flight to Miami. And a great time to do so is during the evening on the second Saturday of each month. That's when “Art Walk” is on and many of the galleries and studios open their doors to the general public. But don't get there too late because you'll want to have a bit of daylight to view all the street art in and around Wynwood.

Wynwood Walls is an outdoor mural permanent exhibit featuring some of the world's most renowned street artists. Beyond the “Walls” there are literally hundreds of other examples of street art and graffiti murals, making Wynwood one of the biggest street art districts in the world. A who's who array of some of the most famous names in graffiti have a presence here: from Shepard Fairey (renowned for his “Obama Hope” poster and his Obey brand of street wear) and notorious British stencil artist Banksy to the brightest and most outrageous of up-and-coming artists. The highest concentration of graffiti lies clustered along 2nd Avenue between 22nd and 27th Streets.

And if you happen to make it to Miami around the beginning of December, expect plenty of art activity in Wynwood and the whole of Miami. Each December Miami Beach is the scene of Art Basel, the most prestigious art show in the America. More than 260 leading galleries from North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa take part, showcasing works by more than 2,000 artists from the 20th and 21st centuries … and you best believe Wynwood's a hopping place around during this time and that the locals do their best to make the most of the art fair. Art Basel Miami Beach 2012 will take place from the 6th to the 9th of December.

Photo: Chris Osburn