Wynwood Walls to Pay Tribute to Tony Goldman During Art Basel

Ben Ritter

Wynwood Walls, the fascinating "outdoor museum" imagined into reality by the late Tony Goldman, will honor the visionary with its Art Basel program this year, entitled "Come and Dream." A host of new elements, including a new exhibition of works, the debut of an augmented reality application, and a new Shepard Fairey mural, all aim to both pay tribute to Goldman as well as inspire a new generation of creative thinkers.

Goldman, the restauranteur and real estate visionary responsible for much of Wynwood's development, passed away in September, leaving behind a thriving art community eager to carry on his vision.

"A lot of what has happened in this city can be attributed to him," said Jessica Goldman-Srebnick, Tony Goldman's daughter and close working partner for nearly two decades. "Art Basel, and art itself, is something that he was extremely passionate about. We felt it very important to take that torch and keep it burning bright."

Under the direction of Goldman-Srebnick, CEO of Goldman Properties, and Meghan Coleman, the company's arts manager, Wynwood Walls' new program will be officially unveiled during Art Basel. Here, a quick rundown of what to anticipate at the Walls come December:

New Shepard Fairey Mural
Fairey's current mural has become a fixture within Wynwood Walls for the past three years. Plans were already in the works to create a new one, Goldman-Srebnick explained, but following Goldman's passing she asked Fairey if he might incorporate an image of Goldman into the new piece.

"He was delighted about the idea," she said. "In a way, my dad will be overseeing the neighborhood... it will be very powerful," she said. "And for people that didn't know him, I think that they will ask questions, which will bring his ideas, life, and work to new people."

Flickr: wallyg

Shepard Fairey's existing, iconic mural will be replaced with a new creation by the artist incorporating the image of Tony Goldman.

Exhibition of Works: Time Evaporates, Emotion Elevates
The new exhibition of commissioned works entitled Time Evaporates, Emotion Elevates will be a major cornerstone of the "Come and Dream" program, Srebnick said. Installed within the new Nicewalk Gallery space, the exhibition will feature lenticular lightbox paintings by selected artists of the Wynwoods Walls who had a particularly close relationship with Goldman.

"There are pieces incorporated into the installation items that, if you knew my father, will be very meaningful," Goldman-Srebnick said.

The title of the exhibition is drawn from a quote of Goldman's relating to the concept of emotion being stronger than time, and Goldman will certainly bear a strong presence in the space. Special video imagery will project Goldman's image within points in the gallery, silently greeting visitors and wandering through the space.

"The idea behind the exhibition is that art and spaces create memories and emotions that are stronger than time. It's very dream-like," Goldman-Srebnick explained. "My father has passed... but his legacy has not. It's important to harness and appreciate those memories."