Last month a handful of Design District galleries and art spaces such as Locust Projects, Spinello Gallery, and Dimensions Variable, opted out of the Second Saturday celebration, opting instead to have their openings on the third Saturday with successful results. Earlier this month, inclement weather drove down traffic in the Wynwood area, where receding crowds at Second Saturday Art Walk already seem to have become a trend.
A lot of the action has moved away from Wynwood within the last year or so, be it Locust Projects in the Design District or alternative spaces like Twenty Twenty Projects forging out into the outskirts of Hialeah. They’ve basically turned their backs on the Second Saturday crowds who seem more interested in free booze and the social scene than they are in art. But can art scene thrive in Miami with no regular gallery night?
Take Fredric Snitzer Gallery, one of the most established in Wynwood. They represent some of Miami’s highest quality artists. Also, they’re able to sell work on a consistent basis. They have a reputation that dates back to the days when the art scene centered around Coral Gables and not Wynwood. The gallery would be successful no matter what part of the city it was located. They don’t have to bribe gallery goers with alcohol to come to their openings. In fact, their receptions often end later than most, usually around 9 p.m., just when activity begins to peak on Second Saturday evenings. They simply don’t need that excess traffic.
Galleries like these will survive with or without Second Saturday, but it’s difficult to say the same for spaces that have yet to be established. Miami is not a pedestrian friendly city. How do you establish such a reputation within the art community if there is no foot traffic to your gallery?
I’m one of those that are happy about the change. Genuinely interested in Miami art, I was quickly turned off by the free-booze following crowd and the impossibility of parking and the general uncomfortableness of max capacity situations. Do the galleries need that kind of foot traffic? Or do they prefer a more serious and dedicated crowd? I don’t think the spreading of regular gallery nights will pose a major problem; we already do have separate gallery nights such as Viernes Culturales, last Friday of every month, and the original Coral Gables gallery walk, every first Friday of the month (does it still happen?). But your point is interesting and i’d like to know what the gallerist think of the thinning crowd of liquor-loafers.
I couldn’t agree more with EC….. less is definitely more – We witnessed all “our” definition of the right people (collectors and art enthusiasts) start to disappear when the underage drinking crowd took over. The crowds were actually becoming hard to control. We restricted alcoholic beverages, and have seen a return to a much, much nicer event with genuine supporters. After 6 years of “sponsoring and working very long hours on 2nd Saturdays” at what was seemingly a “free community drink fest” we are definitely happier with our more dedicated crowd.
I highly respect Locust and Spinello for their super quality exhibits but it’s a shame that the spaces in Design District would choose to divide the attendance to art walks and make it some sort of competition. It was so nice a few years back when the neighboring art districts join and become such a strong draw. I also actually assumed that much of the young drinking crowd left Wynwood to “follow” Locust and Spinello as these venues have always been favorites of the young club goers.
By the way – Wynwood also has started “Last Thursdays Open Late” and galleries stay open till 8pm the last Thursday of every month. It is focused on the after work crowd and we hope to see it grow.
Well I am sorry to hear that about the art walk, I believe we need more art friendly people and should have these nights around town. I am glad hialeah is moving in that same direction. I think all of south florida has many artistic communities that should embrace these kind of events. It is good for the communities and for the artist. And about a pedestrian friendly community, well I would like for the art gallery and its friends to come and speak at town hall meetings and come and join others in the community that are trying to make miami a friendly pedestrian city like “Bike Miami” and Fresh Markets and express their concerns. Spread ART AND LOVE and bring all communities together.
Perhaps the real truth is that south Florida has more “liquor loafers” than an arts community.