Miami’s Wynwood Arts District Faces its Shaky Future

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Audible sighs of disbelief and nostalgic disappointment have been uttered in Miami as of late since Wynwood mainstay Emerson Dorsch Gallery announced it was closing its doors a few weeks ago. Dorsch has been a benchmark presence in a neighborhood that’s seen galleries come and go over the years, and many see its departure as a final death knell for a district that’s been struggling to maintain its identity, and solvency, for a while now.

Since its establishment, bolstered temporarily by the arrival of the first Art Basel Miami Beach in 2002, the former-industrial Miami neighborhood has been home to over seventy galleries, five museums, multiple collections (including those of the venerable Rubell and Margulies collecting families) and countless artist studios. The area was once a hotbed of drug use and crime, and the residual grit from those days has lent a certain street cred unknown to most of the world’s gallery neighborhoods. And, for a time, the area fostered a thriving community of local artists and budding curators inspired by the raw, unpolished atmosphere of the Miami streets. Indeed, a certain brand of “Miami hipster” was born here. But an evolution some would sooner call a devolution, mixed with myriad economic and cultural factors, have created struggles for artists and dealers trying to keep afloat.

An ephemeral audience

Perhaps the most daunting challenge facing local Miami establishments is finding and maintaining interested - and financially supportive - audiences. For all the thousands of collectors, artists, curators and journalists that descend in droves during Miami Art Week in December, few venture to the Wynwood galleries, distracted by the dozens of fairs and events that fill their hectic schedules. And once the tents are taken down and hotels vacated, the greater Miami area is left a startlingly desolate place. And even apart from the annual Art Basel phenomenon, one can’t forget that the nature of Southern Florida’s wealthy population - generally the core base of habitual art collectors - is often fleeting. Miami Beach, Palm Beach and surrounding areas have been havens for “wintering” society for over a hundred years. Keeping a pied-à-terre in Miami means spending limited time in the area each year, and such part-time residents are often in major American capitals, heavy with galleries, when not in Florida. Fredric Snitzer, one of the founding gallerists of the district, has said that only thirty percent of his sales are to Miamians, and down to 15 percent for expensive pieces in the mid five figures. “If Art Basel had to depend on local sales,” he told the New York Times, “they never would have stayed.” So the question remains: How does a fledgling Wynwood gallery promoting local artists attract and cultivate collectors willing to invest in their visions?

“The emergence of the art fair model and the dominance of the auction houses has completely changed how collectors acquire art.  Perception is reality and if the Wynwood art galleries are not being selected to exhibit in the top art fairs where competition is keen, they will have difficulty attracting serious collectors to their spaces to see much less buy contemporary art,” explains Art Advisor Anthony Japour, whose gallery in Miami operated from 2002 through 2012. “Unfortunately, many of the best galleries in Miami have closed or relocated out of Wynwood,” he continues.   

Boutiques move in, artists move out

One thing’s alarmingly clear when looking at the progression of artistic spaces starting with Emmanuel Perrotin’s exit in 2010 and ending with the Dorsch’s departure last month: it’s become increasingly difficult for artists and gallerists to remain in an area that’s become a little too hip for its own good, as well as the subject of major real estate speculation. The formerly dilapidated area was once ideal for the establishment of vast exhibition spaces - both indoor and outdoor - and artist ateliers. Rents were cheap and square footage seemingly endless. But while the advent of chic restaurants and the burgeoning Miami Design District to the north (now home to Burberry, Bvlgari, Cartier, Dior, Valentino and Hermes boutiques) means increased foot traffic, it also means increased operating costs for galleries whose price points can’t compete with their well-financed neighbors. “The gallery scene in Wynwood was critical to the revitalization of the neighborhood, however the consequence of its initial success made the neighborhood more appealing and suitable for dining and retail,” notes Miami gallerist Kevin Bruk.

It’s a trend that’s been seen in many arts neighborhoods across the world over time - from the Marais in Paris to New York’s Chelsea: First come the galleries, then the shopping. Only in Wynwood’s case, the galleries don’t have the financial backbone to support the competition. So many have had to shutter their spaces, and flocks of artists have chosen to relocate to cities like Los Angeles or the outer boroughs of New York City, where opportunities for their careers abound in comparison.

On to the next thing?

Though Wynwood looks like its days as an art hub for the local and relatively unestablished might in fact be numbered, the possibility of another, newer, fresher locale is always a possibility. With the opening of the Perez Art Museum Miami (which replaced the Miami Art Museum) and its stunning Herzog & de Meuron-designed space in 2013, a surge in attention and energy was felt throughout the Miami community. And while the museum’s new space is sleek and sophisticated, its permanent collection lacks serious heft and breadth. The situation proves an adequate metaphor for the artistic scene in the area. At times the infrastructure is just right and the setting ideal, but troubles will always come when the programming isn't stellar or, in some cases, when it’s excellent but just not recognizable enough to attract an audience willing to spend the time and money on a community that still hasn’t quite found its footing or legitimacy.

And, as Mr. Bruk has come to understand, collectors and the way they purchase art have changed a lot since 2008’s financial crisis - something else for struggling dealers to grapple with. He says, “There is a new breed of collectors who want to buy art in a manner similar to how they acquire other luxury goods. Instead of successful upper middle class collectors who enjoyed the experience of going to galleries, meeting dealers, and searching the gallery back rooms hoping to discover something new... New, exceptionally wealthy buyers buy at auction, art fairs, and via email.”  

Where will the galleries head next? And how will they adapt to quickly changing market? We’ll have to wait and see. As noted - ominously yet hopefully - on the Dorsch Gallery website at the moment: “In the midst of a move to an as yet to be determined future location, Emerson Dorsch will be closed for the summer. See you in the Fall!”