Krave to Open New Studio Space in Little Havana: 'My Time in Wynwood is Done'

Krave to Open New Studio Space in Little Havana: "My Time in Wynwood is Done"

By Vanessa Martin Fri., Feb. 8 2013 at 7:52 AM

Categories: Art

What is the future of Little Havana to you?

I really think it's the next area to come up, hopefully in the right way. It's just five minutes from Brickell and there's already so much happening there, and the growth has to go in that direction with the new stadium and everything. I see it as a place that's going to maintain a certain cultural resonance because that can't change. It's established but not commercialized. Although you have a few commercial companies there, it still has a certain purity to it, which is good. I don't really know the future of it, but I do know the future of what I'm doing and I'm contributing to it.

So it's been a well thought out move?

So far, it's been a really good idea. I was hesitating a bit at first because it was a big move for me. The space is twice as large, it's a lot more for me, but the chemistry is right and everyone is really excited about it. Like I said, I feel like I'm pioneering and doing something that was destined to happen with or without me. The block that I'm on already has a lot of galleries and art studios on it like 6th Street Container. It's actually been going on for like 10 years. I'm looking to bring new youth and energy to it. I'm more inclined to bring new life to the area and get some crowds out there as well.

the Move - 2013 from DRM (David Miller) on Vimeo.

Should we expect to see more murals in Little Havana?

Absolutely. We already have the Welcome To Havana sign done by my friend Atomic. The local Miami artists--and this is an integral point that I can't stress enough--have seemingly pushed out of Wynwood and one of the destinations is Little Havana. A lot of people are going there and doing more work there. There's a good wall, which is the Good Will building and Ballarate came in and painted there. There's a lot of new, local artists there already putting more energy into that area. I hope to see it be like the hub for when people come to Miami and they want to see the real Miami, they can go there. Wynwood is great for a lot of murals by artists from out of town, but hopefully Little Havana will be the place where people can see work done by the native and local artists.

Tell us about your first artist collaboration.

I've been working with Surface Merchants for a couple of years, but I'm doing work with people that are more into sculptures and wood workers. The main person I'm collaborating with now is Raymond Adrian, who goes by Gems. He and I make up Surface Merchants. What we usually do is, we just brainstorm ideas and get out projects in a fresh way every time and that's how the name of this place came to me, "El Fresco," because it's always fresh. It's like a founding principle for us. We consistently progress, change, and just don't stick to what just works and people like. We make sure the energy is always fresh and that's my main collaboration as I move forward.

What can we expect from your new space at El Fresco?

What I'm telling people to expect is that when they come in everything is going to be fresh. We're going to have events and music going on in the back lot. I'm interested in honing into that untapped current of the movement down here that hasn't really been featured by galleries or organizations. I haven't seen it done, so I'm just really using it as a platform for everything that I believe in beyond just my artwork. If I can bring in the musical component, then I will and I am. Also, graffiti artists and street artists that I feel I can help them deliver in a better way. I mean, they just go paint on the streets, but I can give them a little bit of direction being that I've already been doing this for a long time. I want to just feature the kind of stuff that I like and also project the stuff that I like. The main thing is the vibe. The vibe is always going to be good.

What are you hoping to gain from your new space?

I've been dying to put a spotlight on that of which I believe is dope. It's so difficult when you're working with forces that are beyond my control, but now it's in my control and I've earned it from the ground up. I think I'm going to be surprised at what I do. I'm still doing this--right now I'm building this massive street installation with fire hydrants that are 16 feet tall and painting them and just getting my version of a cityscape. When you walk in, the whole wall is painted. I don't have to clear it with anybody, I just do it and if a good guitarist is playing on the street I invite them to come play. It's very open ended like that. What ever naturally and organically happens will happen. It's just nice to have that kind of control.

"El Fresco" will hold a launch party on Friday, February 22, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. during Little Havana's Art Walk.

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sandy_lazzar

Daniel Fillah's work is also insulting to our community because it does not represent anyone living or working in the community but his work is displayed as a public work. The themes of his work are juvenile and sexist. Often depicting Anglo women or women of color in derogatory ways that are in keeping with the Fillah's interests but are an eye sore to the rest of the community who pass by his murals every day. Children have to see this and that which is disturbing. It may be art to Fillah or other artists but that also does not make the presence of that work right. The freedom to express also comes with responsibility and respect.

sandy_lazzar

Artists need to understand that their temporary benefit of affordable housing will be that communities nightmare and eventual downfall. I would suggest to the people of little Havana to speak to their community representatives and not allow artists to aggressively move into their neighborhood. This will cause traffic and housing disruptions much as they do in Wynwood. They never could do that in Coral Gables because of the zoning and community concerns in that part of Miami... wealthy people don't let artists or galleries dominate their neighborhood. This should be true for any neighborhood. Artists like Daniel Filler can speak very candidly of his privileged and selfish needs because his approach to survival is parasitic as much as it would be for any real estate developer in Miami. We have seen Miami Beach, Little Haiti, Biscayne, Wynwood all gentrified by artists who then get pushed out by developer. We've seen it in Williamsburg, NY and in many other major cities. Until New Times realizes publishes a more critical perspective of the corruption and illegal manipulations going on with certain Wynwood gallery dealers, collector who own property in that area then the situation will not change for the better and will sadly be the demise of most of Miami's real communities.

Sara Burke

Here we go, gentrifying yet another place that had any kind of genuine identity left in Miami...lets see how long it takes to start building behemoth lofts and raising rents sky high. Then we can abandon it for the next trendy spot in the city...I vote for Overtown.