Latest news with #TonyGoldman
New York Times
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
In Miami, Wynwood Walls and Street Art Continue to Evolve
The real estate developer Tony Goldman was no stranger to transforming neighborhoods when he established the outdoor street art museum Wynwood Walls in Miami in 2009. Located in Wynwood, formerly an industrial district of warehouses and garment manufacturing factories, the museum was his way of revitalizing a city pocket that had declined in the 1980s and had since sat virtually abandoned and forgotten. Goldman, who died in 2012, was known for breathing new life into Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood by investing in real estate and turning it into a destination for artists and the fashionable set. He saw the same potential with Wynwood, according to his daughter, Jessica Goldman Srebnick, a co-chair of the real estate development company Goldman Properties and the museum's curator. 'My dad, Joey, and I were together when we first visited Wynwood in 2005,' she said, referring to her brother. 'Block after block of single-story industrial buildings — mostly vacant or abandoned — served as canvases for a sea of chaotic graffiti, but my dad recognized the opportunity to build upon the DNA of the neighborhood and enhance it for others to enjoy.' Goldman Srebnick said that her father saw the advantages of Wynwood's central location, the walkability of its streets, the mass of underutilized buildings and its grittiness — all factors he used to breathe new life into SoHo, South Beach in Miami and Midtown Village in Philadelphia. 'To him, it was clear that Wynwood would become the center for the creative class, with the Wynwood Walls Museum as its vibrant, beating heart,' she said. What started as an endeavor showcasing the works of 11 street artists quickly drew in visitors by word of mouth and grew in popularity and scale. Today, as it moves past its 15th anniversary, Wynwood Walls encompasses 35,000 square feet of walls and bills itself as the world's largest outdoor graffiti art museum. It's a major tourist attraction that has had more than 15 million visitors and shown 183 murals and sculptures by over 140 international artists since its inception, according to Goldman Srebnick. In an interview, she shared more about the museum's history, how it's changed and what she hopes to accomplish in the years ahead. Conducted by phone and email, the conversation has been edited and condensed. Was there a specific artist that helped put the museum on the map? Rather than a single artist, there have been several defining moments in Wynwood's evolution. The first came in 2002, when Miami Beach was selected as the home of Art Basel. That decision turned South Florida into a cultural destination and attracted collectors, curators, gallerists, artists and the press in droves every year. Wynwood became a beneficiary of that spotlight. We aligned Wynwood Walls programming to coincide with Art Basel and used that week to unveil our newest murals and sculptures. Some visitors to Art Basel also came to Wynwood, putting it on the map. A second defining moment was the advent of the iPhone and social media applications, which enabled us to showcase Wynwood to the world. A little-known art form painted in a forgotten neighborhood became a globally recognized outdoor museum thanks to Instagram and other platforms. You change the museum's works annually. How do you scout for new muralists each year? My journey of discovery is about being aware. Social media has become an incredible resource. It's essentially a portfolio where I can track trends, explore techniques and discover artists in real time anywhere in the world. My pipeline also comes from recommendations by people I respect, including other artists, photographers and gallerists. Artists themselves also reach out to introduce us to their work. Many of the street artists we've included have become well-known names or were already famous, such as Osgemous, identical twin brothers from Brazil, who currently have an exhibition at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in [Washington] D.C. Also, Shepard Fairey, who is known for his Obama 'Hope' poster from 2008, was part of Wynwood's first batch. He did a mural in black, white and red using wheat paste with references to climate change, human rights and war. How has the global reputation of street art transformed over the past 15 years? And how do you think Wynwood Walls has helped reshape perceptions of it as fine art? Fifteen years ago, street art was largely dismissed as vandalism. Today, it stands as one of the most significant movements in contemporary art. This transformation was driven by fearless artists, visionary curators and supportive communities that redefined the cultural value of this art form. Street art now appears in galleries, major museum collections and prestigious auction houses. From the facades of buildings in Berlin and Toronto to festivals in France and Australia, street art has become part of the identity of many cities across the globe. Our initiatives go beyond murals. We have a Street Art Experience, where visitors use spray paint to create their own works, and an arts gallery showing smaller contemporary pieces. Can you share any challenges you've faced balancing artistic freedom with Wynwood's commercial and cultural aspects? As Wynwood has grown, it has been challenging to avoid becoming too commercial. Of course, the artists look to their art that we show as a source of revenue, and it's a business for Wynwood Walls as well. We didn't charge an admission fee for a decade but eventually had to to fund the museum. Our success has driven traffic to the neighborhood and increased the business of the local restaurants and stores. Yet, we try to stay true to my dad's original vision by fostering an artistic community. How do you envision Wynwood evolving in the years ahead? Do you have any specific goals? One primary goal is to expand Wynwood's identity to incorporate music. We recently signed a lease with Gibson to bring its Gibson Garage retail store and music venue to the center of Wynwood. We hope to host live concerts by global musicians and have initiatives where they can collaborate with the street artists.
CNN
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Keys, gators and Latin flavors: Why Miami continues to captivate visitors
Miami. Just saying the name is enough to conjure thoughts of vibrant nightlife, streets aglow with neon and Art Deco architecture that lends everything a hip, 20th-century feel. This Florida gem is in your face and proud to be so. Yet it hasn't always been like this. Miami is a city that has changed beyond recognition over the past 40 years. A tourist boom set off by the hit TV series 'Miami Vice,' which first aired in 1984, saw the famous Art Deco buildings get a new lease on life as clubs and bars sprung up along the waterfront. What had been a struggling city was transformed as the decades passed, somewhere people could be themselves, with a diverse community that helped foster a sense of pride in the place they called home. Now, Miami has matured into a destination that retains an artsy vibe with a love of its Latin heritage, as well as being a world-class financial hub. People don't just want to visit Miami. They want to stay and make their lives here too. And it's easy to see why. Wynwood is perhaps the Miami district that has seen the biggest changes. A working-class neighborhood since its inception in the 1910s, home to garment factories and retailers, by the 1980s drugs and crime had made Wynwood into a place that residents wanted to leave as soon as possible. Yet when the South Florida Arts Center snapped up the beautiful but derelict American Bakeries factory, everything began to change. Soon artists were drawn to the area thanks to cheap rent and abundant space available in old warehouses. Today the American Bakeries factory is known as the Bakehouse Art Complex and is a nonprofit incubator for new artists. In the 1990s and 2000s, property developer Tony Goldman saw Wynwood as ripe for further development, creating Wynwood Walls, a space that uses the facades of buildings as canvases for street art. Goldman died in 2012, but his vision has seen Wynwood become an essential stop for anyone exploring Miami and its arts and nightlife scene. In fact, Wynwood is just one of many Miami districts that have become destinations in their own right, whether it's Coconut Grove, Miami's oldest neighborhood with its leafy streets and street-side cafes, or the planned community of Coral Gables, just south of Downtown. Yet nowhere stokes the fire quite like Little Havana. Little Havana came into its own during the 1950s and 1960s, when waves of Cuban exiles fled their homeland and the ongoing revolution for safety in America. Since then, it has been the epicenter of Cuban-American life, with restaurants, bars and cafes catering to those craving a taste of home, especially delicious Cuban coffee made with evaporated milk. For musician Juan Turros, Little Havana's central street Calle Ocho and the surrounding area are what make this neighborhood so special. A saxophonist, he's also CNN's guide to the area, yet can't help himself when there's the chance to play. Having guzzled a quick coffee, Turros darts into Old's Havana, a palm-fronted building with orange neon beaming, to do his thing — jumping in to join a performance by other musicians. Does he know the other musicians? 'No,' he replies, laughing. So how did they know he was any good? 'Oh,' he says. 'They can hear it!' With that, Turros leads the way into the night, making time for salsa and a few drinks to round off the day. Miami isn't the end of the road when it comes to South Florida. Pick up a rental car and drive 160 miles (257 kilometers) along the Overseas Highway over 42 bridges, all the way to the end of US Route 1, and you'll find a slice of paradise: Key West. Key West is the most southerly of the Florida Keys — the archipelago of islands off the state's southern tip — and more of a state of mind than a destination, a place that is welcoming, friendly and has a vibe all its own. It's known for its party scene, its effervescent and kind LGBTQ community and, of course, year-round sunshine. It's also close to the largest coral reef in continental America, its marine life heavily protected and cared for by the locals. Key West is renowned too for the people who have called it home. Famous writers Tennessee Williams and Robert Frost once lived here. But it's Ernest Hemingway who remains the city's most celebrated former resident. His former home and writing studio is now the Hemingway Home and Museum. While you can see the typewriter upon which classics such as 'The Old Man and the Sea' and 'A Farewell to Arms' were written, there are some proper oddities on show too. Chief among them is a series of 17th-century 'birthing chairs' which, the museum's director, Andrew Morawksi, says helped ease the author's back pain. It's not just the furniture though. The Hemingway Home is also the home of a barely believable 59 cats, many of which have six toes on their front paws. They are absolutely everywhere you turn, each one named after someone famous. We catch sight of Walt Disney and Jackie O, as well as the latest addition to the family, June Carter Cash. 'They get 60 pounds of food a week,' smiles Morawksi. 'We have a vet that comes here about once a month that checks on them [and] takes care of them.' Even the pool here has a story to tell. 'This was actually the first in-ground pool put in the city of Key West,' says Morawksi. That alone would make it special. Yet there's more. It's said that Hemingway's second wife — Pauline Pfeiffer — built the pool in 1938 as revenge for his suspected infidelity. 'She got rid of his prize boxing ring, donated it to the local brothel and she put in a $20,000 pool,' says the museum director. On arriving home and hearing the news, Hemingway was said to be furious. 'He took a penny out of his pocket, threw it at his wife, and said, 'Pauline, if you're going to spend my money like this, you might as well take me for my last penny.' She actually took that 1934 penny and stuck it in the ground.' You can still see it today, stuck fast in the cement deck. No trip to South Florida would be complete without an Everglades adventure. Back on the mainland, southwest of Miami, the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States is home to alligators, manatees, American crocodiles, the elusive Florida panther and many more animals and plants. Robby Price is captain of an airboat, something synonymous with the Everglades. They skim across the vegetation and shallow water in search of the abundant wildlife that calls this special place home. Price's boat is powered by a huge Chevrolet car engine, all the better for going farther, faster and deeper into the far reaches of this two-million-acre wetland ecosystem. Despite what many think, this is not a swamp. In fact, it's the slowest-flowing river in the world. Price grew up on these waters and he knows them like his own backyard. Just watching him search for his favorite alligator is inspiring. 'I call her Lily,' he says. 'She normally lives back there, in the lilies, but, in the daytime, I'll catch her hanging out throughout this trail because she gets pretty good opportunities for food.' After a brief search, she appears. Then it's off to see another of Price's favorites, Snaggle Tooth. 'You could see he's got a bunch of scars and bite marks on his body,' he observes. 'It's all chewed up from fighting other alligators.' Just a glimpse of these creatures is frightening, but Price insists that there would be little danger from falling in the water. 'If you just jumped in and did a cannonball, they would most likely get scared from the splash and take off. When people get attacked by these animals, it is always a freak incident. It is definitely always a mistake.' With that in mind, it's easier to relax and enjoy one of the United States' and the world's most beautiful corners, all just a stone's throw from Miami itself. CNN's Richard Quest contributed to this story.
CNN
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Keys, gators and Latin flavors: Why Miami continues to captivate visitors
Miami. Just saying the name is enough to conjure thoughts of vibrant nightlife, streets aglow with neon and Art Deco architecture that lends everything a hip, 20th-century feel. This Florida gem is in your face and proud to be so. Yet it hasn't always been like this. Miami is a city that has changed beyond recognition over the past 40 years. A tourist boom set off by the hit TV series 'Miami Vice,' which first aired in 1984, saw the famous Art Deco buildings get a new lease on life as clubs and bars sprung up along the waterfront. What had been a struggling city was transformed as the decades passed, somewhere people could be themselves, with a diverse community that helped foster a sense of pride in the place they called home. Now, Miami has matured into a destination that retains an artsy vibe with a love of its Latin heritage, as well as being a world-class financial hub. People don't just want to visit Miami. They want to stay and make their lives here too. And it's easy to see why. Wynwood is perhaps the Miami district that has seen the biggest changes. A working-class neighborhood since its inception in the 1910s, home to garment factories and retailers, by the 1980s drugs and crime had made Wynwood into a place that residents wanted to leave as soon as possible. Yet when the South Florida Arts Center snapped up the beautiful but derelict American Bakeries factory, everything began to change. Soon artists were drawn to the area thanks to cheap rent and abundant space available in old warehouses. Today the American Bakeries factory is known as the Bakehouse Art Complex and is a nonprofit incubator for new artists. In the 1990s and 2000s, property developer Tony Goldman saw Wynwood as ripe for further development, creating Wynwood Walls, a space that uses the facades of buildings as canvases for street art. Goldman died in 2012, but his vision has seen Wynwood become an essential stop for anyone exploring Miami and its arts and nightlife scene. In fact, Wynwood is just one of many Miami districts that have become destinations in their own right, whether it's Coconut Grove, Miami's oldest neighborhood with its leafy streets and street-side cafes, or the planned community of Coral Gables, just south of Downtown. Yet nowhere stokes the fire quite like Little Havana. Little Havana came into its own during the 1950s and 1960s, when waves of Cuban exiles fled their homeland and the ongoing revolution for safety in America. Since then, it has been the epicenter of Cuban-American life, with restaurants, bars and cafes catering to those craving a taste of home, especially delicious Cuban coffee made with evaporated milk. For musician Juan Turros, Little Havana's central street Calle Ocho and the surrounding area are what make this neighborhood so special. A saxophonist, he's also CNN's guide to the area, yet can't help himself when there's the chance to play. Having guzzled a quick coffee, Turros darts into Old's Havana, a palm-fronted building with orange neon beaming, to do his thing — jumping in to join a performance by other musicians. Does he know the other musicians? 'No,' he replies, laughing. So how did they know he was any good? 'Oh,' he says. 'They can hear it!' With that, Turros leads the way into the night, making time for salsa and a few drinks to round off the day. Miami isn't the end of the road when it comes to South Florida. Pick up a rental car and drive 160 miles (257 kilometers) along the Overseas Highway over 42 bridges, all the way to the end of US Route 1, and you'll find a slice of paradise: Key West. Key West is the most southerly of the Florida Keys — the archipelago of islands off the state's southern tip — and more of a state of mind than a destination, a place that is welcoming, friendly and has a vibe all its own. It's known for its party scene, its effervescent and kind LGBTQ community and, of course, year-round sunshine. It's also close to the largest coral reef in continental America, its marine life heavily protected and cared for by the locals. Key West is renowned too for the people who have called it home. Famous writers Tennessee Williams and Robert Frost once lived here. But it's Ernest Hemingway who remains the city's most celebrated former resident. His former home and writing studio is now the Hemingway Home and Museum. While you can see the typewriter upon which classics such as 'The Old Man and the Sea' and 'A Farewell to Arms' were written, there are some proper oddities on show too. Chief among them is a series of 17th-century 'birthing chairs' which, the museum's director, Andrew Morawksi, says helped ease the author's back pain. It's not just the furniture though. The Hemingway Home is also the home of a barely believable 59 cats, many of which have six toes on their front paws. They are absolutely everywhere you turn, each one named after someone famous. We catch sight of Walt Disney and Jackie O, as well as the latest addition to the family, June Carter Cash. 'They get 60 pounds of food a week,' smiles Morawksi. 'We have a vet that comes here about once a month that checks on them [and] takes care of them.' Even the pool here has a story to tell. 'This was actually the first in-ground pool put in the city of Key West,' says Morawksi. That alone would make it special. Yet there's more. It's said that Hemingway's second wife — Pauline Pfeiffer — built the pool in 1938 as revenge for his suspected infidelity. 'She got rid of his prize boxing ring, donated it to the local brothel and she put in a $20,000 pool,' says the museum director. On arriving home and hearing the news, Hemingway was said to be furious. 'He took a penny out of his pocket, threw it at his wife, and said, 'Pauline, if you're going to spend my money like this, you might as well take me for my last penny.' She actually took that 1934 penny and stuck it in the ground.' You can still see it today, stuck fast in the cement deck. No trip to South Florida would be complete without an Everglades adventure. Back on the mainland, southwest of Miami, the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States is home to alligators, manatees, American crocodiles, the elusive Florida panther and many more animals and plants. Robby Price is captain of an airboat, something synonymous with the Everglades. They skim across the vegetation and shallow water in search of the abundant wildlife that calls this special place home. Price's boat is powered by a huge Chevrolet car engine, all the better for going farther, faster and deeper into the far reaches of this two-million-acre wetland ecosystem. Despite what many think, this is not a swamp. In fact, it's the slowest-flowing river in the world. Price grew up on these waters and he knows them like his own backyard. Just watching him search for his favorite alligator is inspiring. 'I call her Lily,' he says. 'She normally lives back there, in the lilies, but, in the daytime, I'll catch her hanging out throughout this trail because she gets pretty good opportunities for food.' After a brief search, she appears. Then it's off to see another of Price's favorites, Snaggle Tooth. 'You could see he's got a bunch of scars and bite marks on his body,' he observes. 'It's all chewed up from fighting other alligators.' Just a glimpse of these creatures is frightening, but Price insists that there would be little danger from falling in the water. 'If you just jumped in and did a cannonball, they would most likely get scared from the splash and take off. When people get attacked by these animals, it is always a freak incident. It is definitely always a mistake.' With that in mind, it's easier to relax and enjoy one of the United States' and the world's most beautiful corners, all just a stone's throw from Miami itself. CNN's Richard Quest contributed to this story.
CNN
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Keys, gators and Latin flavors: Why Miami continues to captivate visitors
Miami. Just saying the name is enough to conjure thoughts of vibrant nightlife, streets aglow with neon and Art Deco architecture that lends everything a hip, 20th-century feel. This Florida gem is in your face and proud to be so. Yet it hasn't always been like this. Miami is a city that has changed beyond recognition over the past 40 years. A tourist boom set off by the hit TV series 'Miami Vice,' which first aired in 1984, saw the famous Art Deco buildings get a new lease on life as clubs and bars sprung up along the waterfront. What had been a struggling city was transformed as the decades passed, somewhere people could be themselves, with a diverse community that helped foster a sense of pride in the place they called home. Now, Miami has matured into a destination that retains an artsy vibe with a love of its Latin heritage, as well as being a world-class financial hub. People don't just want to visit Miami. They want to stay and make their lives here too. And it's easy to see why. Wynwood is perhaps the Miami district that has seen the biggest changes. A working-class neighborhood since its inception in the 1910s, home to garment factories and retailers, by the 1980s drugs and crime had made Wynwood into a place that residents wanted to leave as soon as possible. Yet when the South Florida Arts Center snapped up the beautiful but derelict American Bakeries factory, everything began to change. Soon artists were drawn to the area thanks to cheap rent and abundant space available in old warehouses. Today the American Bakeries factory is known as the Bakehouse Art Complex and is a nonprofit incubator for new artists. In the 1990s and 2000s, property developer Tony Goldman saw Wynwood as ripe for further development, creating Wynwood Walls, a space that uses the facades of buildings as canvases for street art. Goldman died in 2012, but his vision has seen Wynwood become an essential stop for anyone exploring Miami and its arts and nightlife scene. In fact, Wynwood is just one of many Miami districts that have become destinations in their own right, whether it's Coconut Grove, Miami's oldest neighborhood with its leafy streets and street-side cafes, or the planned community of Coral Gables, just south of Downtown. Yet nowhere stokes the fire quite like Little Havana. Little Havana came into its own during the 1950s and 1960s, when waves of Cuban exiles fled their homeland and the ongoing revolution for safety in America. Since then, it has been the epicenter of Cuban-American life, with restaurants, bars and cafes catering to those craving a taste of home, especially delicious Cuban coffee made with evaporated milk. For musician Juan Turros, Little Havana's central street Calle Ocho and the surrounding area are what make this neighborhood so special. A saxophonist, he's also CNN's guide to the area, yet can't help himself when there's the chance to play. Having guzzled a quick coffee, Turros darts into Old's Havana, a palm-fronted building with orange neon beaming, to do his thing — jumping in to join a performance by other musicians. Does he know the other musicians? 'No,' he replies, laughing. So how did they know he was any good? 'Oh,' he says. 'They can hear it!' With that, Turros leads the way into the night, making time for salsa and a few drinks to round off the day. Miami isn't the end of the road when it comes to South Florida. Pick up a rental car and drive 160 miles (257 kilometers) along the Overseas Highway over 42 bridges, all the way to the end of US Route 1, and you'll find a slice of paradise: Key West. Key West is the most southerly of the Florida Keys — the archipelago of islands off the state's southern tip — and more of a state of mind than a destination, a place that is welcoming, friendly and has a vibe all its own. It's known for its party scene, its effervescent and kind LGBTQ community and, of course, year-round sunshine. It's also close to the largest coral reef in continental America, its marine life heavily protected and cared for by the locals. Key West is renowned too for the people who have called it home. Famous writers Tennessee Williams and Robert Frost once lived here. But it's Ernest Hemingway who remains the city's most celebrated former resident. His former home and writing studio is now the Hemingway Home and Museum. While you can see the typewriter upon which classics such as 'The Old Man and the Sea' and 'A Farewell to Arms' were written, there are some proper oddities on show too. Chief among them is a series of 17th-century 'birthing chairs' which, the museum's director, Andrew Morawksi, says helped ease the author's back pain. It's not just the furniture though. The Hemingway Home is also the home of a barely believable 59 cats, many of which have six toes on their front paws. They are absolutely everywhere you turn, each one named after someone famous. We catch sight of Walt Disney and Jackie O, as well as the latest addition to the family, June Carter Cash. 'They get 60 pounds of food a week,' smiles Morawksi. 'We have a vet that comes here about once a month that checks on them [and] takes care of them.' Even the pool here has a story to tell. 'This was actually the first in-ground pool put in the city of Key West,' says Morawksi. That alone would make it special. Yet there's more. It's said that Hemingway's second wife — Pauline Pfeiffer — built the pool in 1938 as revenge for his suspected infidelity. 'She got rid of his prize boxing ring, donated it to the local brothel and she put in a $20,000 pool,' says the museum director. On arriving home and hearing the news, Hemingway was said to be furious. 'He took a penny out of his pocket, threw it at his wife, and said, 'Pauline, if you're going to spend my money like this, you might as well take me for my last penny.' She actually took that 1934 penny and stuck it in the ground.' You can still see it today, stuck fast in the cement deck. No trip to South Florida would be complete without an Everglades adventure. Back on the mainland, southwest of Miami, the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States is home to alligators, manatees, American crocodiles, the elusive Florida panther and many more animals and plants. Robby Price is captain of an airboat, something synonymous with the Everglades. They skim across the vegetation and shallow water in search of the abundant wildlife that calls this special place home. Price's boat is powered by a huge Chevrolet car engine, all the better for going farther, faster and deeper into the far reaches of this two-million-acre wetland ecosystem. Despite what many think, this is not a swamp. In fact, it's the slowest-flowing river in the world. Price grew up on these waters and he knows them like his own backyard. Just watching him search for his favorite alligator is inspiring. 'I call her Lily,' he says. 'She normally lives back there, in the lilies, but, in the daytime, I'll catch her hanging out throughout this trail because she gets pretty good opportunities for food.' After a brief search, she appears. Then it's off to see another of Price's favorites, Snaggle Tooth. 'You could see he's got a bunch of scars and bite marks on his body,' he observes. 'It's all chewed up from fighting other alligators.' Just a glimpse of these creatures is frightening, but Price insists that there would be little danger from falling in the water. 'If you just jumped in and did a cannonball, they would most likely get scared from the splash and take off. When people get attacked by these animals, it is always a freak incident. It is definitely always a mistake.' With that in mind, it's easier to relax and enjoy one of the United States' and the world's most beautiful corners, all just a stone's throw from Miami itself. CNN's Richard Quest contributed to this story.
