The painted walls of Miami Marine Stadium are so familiar to most Miamians that they're nearly ubiquitous. Even though the layers upon layers upon layers of graffiti never seem to lose their charm, they've come to represent the normal aesthetic atmosphere of the stadium, to the point where all types of tags and pieces -- from the egregiously bad to the astonishingly stunning -- just look like they belong on the walls.
Now, though, there's a new piece at the stadium that stands apart and makes you think, "One of these things is not like the others."
Walking along the second floor of Miami Marine Stadium, on the side facing the parking lot and the support pillars, you'll find one of the alcoves is now painted stark white. Inside sits a turquoise chair and coffee table, a flower in a little vase, and a turquoise frame with a solid yellow canvas in it hanging on the wall. Surrounded by a mosaic of graffiti, the installation looks shockingly out of place.
See also: Miami Marine Stadium: A Revival of Magic, Concrete, and Spray Paint
"The idea for the 'reverse graffiti' piece came from an evening of hanging out at the Marine Stadium in the spring," explained Bruce Pinchbeck, the artist responsible for the new installation. "Jessica Cotzin and I thought it'd be fun to do a really minimalist piece of art in the chaos of all the colors."
There's no denying that it's an interesting, evocative concept and one that's well executed. All the choices made for this installation, from the ultra saturated hue that the furniture is painted to the quaint way in which it's all arranged, seem as if you'd be just as likely to chance upon this sitting room set on the front porch of any house in Miami Beach or under shade near the pool at a retirement home in Coconut Grove.
"As far as intent goes, we simply thought it would be a fun way to contribute to the art of the stadium. We had no expectations and we've been really surprised by all the positive feedback," Pinchbeck added.
One of the most distinctive characteristics of this piece, though, may also be one of the most short-lived: how pristine it is. The natural order at Miami Marine Stadium is change -- constantly changing walls, constantly changing artwork, with the old being constantly covered up by the new. It will be interesting to see how long Pinchbeck's piece goes unmarred and how it will be incorporated into its environment when the cans do descend upon it. As far as the artist is concerned, "While we hope it stays for a bit, we're excited to see the piece transform as people interact with it and expect artists to reclaim it."
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