BY ALI BERGER
When hearing about Hollywood, the mind automatically conjures up images of gold-starred walks of fame, skinny palm trees towering high above Spanish-styled cottages, and busy streets littered with an eclectic group of celebrities and bohemian artists. This immediate association is of course true for Hollywood–California, that is.
Hollywood, Florida–well that’s a different story. Many tourists are pleasantly surprised to learn of the hidden gem in Broward County. A Hollywood that sports tiny gastropubs and live music. Outdoor artisan vendors accompanied by food trucks are just steps away from the pristine South Florida ocean. And the best part is the burgeoning art scene.
All of this and much more is carefully woven together during the Downtown Hollywood Mural Project Walking tour, held the third Saturday of the month.
Currently featured on the tour are 24 visually stunning public murals. The walking tour is completely free and starts promptly at 6 pm every third Saturday night of the month lasting just over an hour. Local curator/project manager, Jill Weisberg, enthusiastically guides the tour through the boutique-ish busy downtown area, explaining the importance of each detailed mural. I had a chance to catch up with Jill Weisberg during her last tour, and she explained to me:
“This is the largest walkable mural project in the 954 (Broward County). People who come on the tour learn and appreciate the value public art brings to our downtown area. Making a positive impact on our community is enhanced by visually interesting displays.”
Choose954 & Broward Arts Journalist Ali Berger Interviewing DHMP Project Manager/Curator Jill Weisberg In Front Of Vickie Pierre’s Latest Mural
Within the heat of the hot summer night, there was a magical buzz in the air, as passersby’s stopped to look in wonder. Each mural is so visually stunning, it’s hard not to be captivated at first glance. Since the murals are contemporary in nature, they work to represent the culture of our local community in Broward County. Brilliant elements instilled in each public mural really tie our society together in a special way and create civic pride.
It’s no secret that public art dramatically enhances local communities. The murals featured on the tour will speak to people in different ways, but will also draw upon shared bonds and experiences. This is the magic that was felt during the tour, a yearning to relate to a shared cultural experience and find that it can be satisfied right in our back yard. The priceless value of that commodity is what is being offered in Hollywood, Florida on this very tour without having to travel to Brooklyn or Wynwood to appreciate world class street art.
A list of the international and local artists currently featured are:
Tatiana Suarez, Rone, The London Police, Ernesto Maranje, Kenny Scharf, Ruben Ubiera, 2alas, Michelle Weinberg, Daniel Fila, Diana Contreras, Strangeways & Yenta, Hoxxoh, Logan Hicks, TM Sisters, Nicole Salcedo, Georgeta Fondos, Nice’n Easy, Eddie Mendieta & Jay Bellicchi, Yuhmi Collective, Fabio Onrack, Key Detail, Alice Mizrachi, and Vickie Pierre.
Each mural contributes its own unique set of visual storytelling, enriching the cultural landscape and bringing crowds together from all walks of life. This is a project that residents of Hollywood and Broward County alike can take pride in, and undoubtedly has contributed to the revitalization of Florida’s Hollywood.
For more information on the Downtown Hollywood Mural Project click here
Ali Berger is a staff writer and local arts journalist by night, and creative storyteller/copywriter by day. Follow her on twitter @laquadivine or instagram @alibchi