Bakehouse Art Complex Marks 40 Years With Expansive New Exhibition

The year was 1985. A group of artists came across an old, derelict building adjacent to busy I-95 in Wynwood. The former home of the American Bakeries Company, the building once produced fresh bread, nourishing the bellies of its community. Once the artists took over, the space began to produce art and provide nourishment for the soul.

Forty years later, Bakehouse Art Complex still stands, with its brightly colored exterior housing studio spaces for more than 100 artists and creatives. In celebration of its milestone anniversary, the space has announced its upcoming exhibition, "Bakehouse at Forty: Past, Present, Future." Opening in November, the exhibit tells the nonprofit’s story, along with that of the neighborhood and historic building it calls home.

"I think it's really nice to be able to look back over a century and be actually physically in a space, and thinking about how this building itself reflects and mirrors the whole history of the development of Miami," says Cathy Leff, executive director. "There's still a DNA that remains, and that has been transferred to this organization as it occupied the space 40 years ago."

Although Leff has officially been with Bakehouse since 2018, her connection to the organization spans decades. As a recent Miami transplant in the '80s, Leff worked with the City of Miami Community Development Department. One of her assignments in 1985 was administering a grant for the development of the Bakehouse Art Complex.

"I was the City staff person to make sure they spent it the way the City Commission gave it to them," recalls Leff, leaning onto a gray couch in the corner of what are now the main administrative offices. Her colorful block pants resemble the multicolored exterior of the building she now stewards.

While "Bakehouse at Forty" extensively delves into the history of the building and the organization, it also looks ahead. "We’re really trying to celebrate the fact that we’ve been here this long and that we're permanently rooted," says Leff. "We’re not giving up and we're boldly moving forward."

Artist Philip Lique curates the "Past" portion of the exhibition. Bakehouse curator Krys Ortega looks after the "Present," and architect Michael Maltzan was invited to envision the "Future." The exhibit will take over the complex, and while there will be dedicated gallery spaces, the story will spill over to the walls.

Looking Back at the Past

Lique has spent countless hours digging through old photographs and newspaper clippings to piece together the story of an auspicious space.

"I’m thinking of the past as more of a non-linear idea," he explains. "I want to be able to provide people a context of what our collective past is here in the building, and the collective past of the artists, their practices, and all of the moments that have happened that may surprisingly tie in together in an amalgamation rather than a straight line."

Chiming in, Leff says Lique is the ideal artist to explore the "Past" for the exhibit. "His way of visualizing things is very textured, very layered," she says about Lique’s practice. "It's layers and layers of history and meaning upon meaning. If you excavate his work, there are so many different stories to it. For this 'Past' section, I can't wait to see what he does. It’ll be rich and textured and multi-dimensional, like the way he works."

Sunken in his chair, legs crossed, Lique sits with his orange-tinted aviator frames and fishing cap covering his face. He carries himself like a man who practices the art he preaches. He first moved into a studio space at the complex in 2020 and began to assist in a more managerial role in 2024. Now, after more than a decade in Miami, he is dedicated full-time to his art practice. He attributes much of this to the support and connections he made through Bakehouse.

"It’s a testament to how an artist succeeds in our world. You're around spaces, and you're in these places that put you in front of other people...It’s an ecosystem that I think a lot of people take for granted," Lique says.

Envisioning the Future

"There's a real sense of care and community and just real human relationships here at Bakehouse," adds curatorial manager Krys Ortega. "People rely on each other here. It's all community."

Ortega, who has been with Bakehouse since 2022, is in charge of piecing together the "Present" portion of the exhibition. "I’m trying to relay a sort of cross section of Miami's contemporary art scene and ecosystem...trying to capture the diversity of our community and every aspect of individuality, not just in terms of identity, but in terms of practice and discipline."

Utilizing work from current and former artist residents, Ortega will combine works that might not typically make sense together, weaving a beautiful narrative that will take the viewer on a memorable journey.

When it comes to Bakehouse's future, its fate is intertwined with that of the community it serves. In 2021, the neighborhood was rezoned to allow for new development, and a new name was granted: Wynwood Norte. The nonprofit has a grand vision for what the next forty years can look like, which includes expanding to build residential spaces for artists.

"We realized that we have this really big site, so how great would it be, rather than artists losing space, actually creating more space for artists?" Leff asks rhetorically. For the "Future" section of the exhibition, Leff worked closely with architect Michael Maltzan and drew inspiration from the organization’s master plan to envision a cultural space deeply embedded into its community.

As part of the November 7 opening night celebration, guests will explore the studios and engage with the resident artists. The event is a fundraiser, with tickets costing $40 in advance (an homage to Bakehouse’s 40th anniversary) and $100 at the door (a nod to the building’s 100th anniversary).

"Bakehouse at Forty: Past, Present, Future." Opens Friday, November 7, at Bakehouse Art Complex, 561 NE 32nd St., Miami; 305-576-2828; bacfl.org. Tickets cost $40 to $100.