Remodeled from the old warehouse district of Miami, Wynwood’s unused buildings and factories have been renovated into art galleries, open restaurants and cafes, and open street graffiti art that decorates the depilated buildings.
On the second Saturday night of every month, the art district hosts an event called “Art Walk,” where all the studios and galleries open their doors for public viewings. Aside from the beautiful Wynwood Walls, the event is filled with music and food trucks for people to enjoy.
Located in Wynwood is the University of Miami Art Gallery at the Wynwood Building. The gallery is presenting a special exhibit featuring Abraham Camyd, a third-year UM Master of Fine Arts graduate student, that will premiere Saturday with a preview from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday.
“Abraham works as a printmaker and he does monotype processes,” said Gallery Director Milly Cardoso. “His work is extremely sophisticated, colorful and beautiful, and each is a powerful piece. Anybody coming will enjoy it; they are so visually appealing and beautiful to look at.”
The Abraham Camayd Manifestations: A Painterly Impression exhibit is the first time all of Camayd’s prints will be featured in one exhibit. While he has had exhibits throughout the United States, Panama and Colombia, this exhibit is Camayd’s culmination of work from his time at UM.
“This body of work has been in the process for the last two years and I have shown some of it here and there as individual pieces, but I have never had a chance to really showcase an entire body of work, so I am really excited about having the opportunity to have this show first of all, and have it in Wynwood,” Camayd said. “It is a grand finale of a lot of hard work, a lot of personal struggles and it is a nice way to go out.”
Camayd expressed how the university and its staff were an integral part of his development as an artist and helped him find his voice as both an artist and as a creative individual. With most of the professors having an open door policy, such as Professor Brian Curtis and Professor Lise Drost, the support he was offered helped him develop his artwork and receive feedback on his projects.
“I think it is a good example of the type of work the department fosters and supports,” Camayd said, referring to his upcoming exhibit. “Maybe it could act as an inspirational body of work to other undergraduate or graduate students that may be wanting to pursue printmaking.”
While at Wynwood, students not only have a chance to check out the university’s gallery, but also the other galleries in the area, as well as the outdoor artwork.
“Aside from seeing this great exhibition, [students] get to see what goes on at Wynwood and what goes on in the Art District; it really is a fascinating district- it’s a fun place,” Cardoso said. “You not only get to see the art gallery but other people’s galleries and get to experience what they’re working on; it really becomes a cultural place and you gain so much knowledge about art. Students should come out and see what is going on off campus because there really is another world when it comes to the art community.”
The University of Miami Art Gallery at the Wynwood Building is located at 2750 NW Third Ave., Suite 4, Miami, Fla. 33127. The gallery is open every Saturday from 2 to 9 p.m. and free for all students.