Urbanism Perceived and Interpreted

Since I was a kid, I've loved city life.  New York, Barcelona, Chicago, Paris, . . . the hustle and bustle of daily urban life energizes me and always leaves me wanting more.  My earliest memories are of Chicago, a city that is pretty much accessible by anyone on foot.  I remember the buildings and the pedestrians wherever I looked.  The city was busy and the people all looked like the had somewhere to go.

Most of all, though, I remember the buildings.  These were mostly midrise, 4 and 5 story brownstones scattered through Lincoln Park and Wrigley Town, where we lived. The downtown, however, was and still is magnificent.

I felt an extreme disappointment when we moved to Miami.  Having been accustomed to the hustle and bustle of America's Second City, Miami in those days was nearly rural.  Slow, hot and virtually inaccessible except by automobile.

In the ensuing years, I've seen Miami grow to the urban center it now is.  I still would not compare it to the major metropolises of the world, but it's certainly head and shoulders above where it used to be in my youth.

The photo above is entitled Terraces.  It was shot in the Brickell area of luxury condo, essentially a large box comprised of may smaller boxes in which individuals store their stuff and live their lives. Here's the thing, though, with enough of those boxes you have a viable city.  That's Miami today.

Terraces is my contribution to Urbanism Perceived and Interpreted, a group show at the Coral Gables Museum.  Along with Terraces, the works of 17 other artists will be on exhibit as well.  The opening reception will be held on February 7, 2014 from 6 to 9PM.