5 /5 Ariel W.: When entering Miami Beach you cant help but smile when you spot this cheerful mural. This is the largest mural ever approved by the city of Miami Beach and is 50 feet high and 120 feet long. Completed in October of 2016, the Welcome to Miami mural was painted by David "Lebo" Le Batard. Lebo was born to Cuban immigrants and was raised in South Florida. Inspired by American cartooning, fine art, indigenous art and Egyptian hieroglyphic, his art work includes murals, paintings, and sculptures. He is a pioneer of Postmodern Cartoon Expressionism, an art form that uses cartoon imagery, rich color, and unique lines to create layers of meaning. Lebo has a showroom in Wynwood and a studio in Miami Beach. His art can be found all over the world and his has done corporate partnerships with Norwegian Cruise Lines, Lulu Lemon, Harley Davidson, Audi, Google, Microsoft, Redbull, Ketel One, Bacardi, and Ferrari. American. Murals are on display at the Airlines Arena in Miami, Calle Ocho, Hart Plaza in Detroit and Hotel de Artes in San Francisco.
About his art Lebo has said "My aim in creating is to explore the purest, most spiritual elements of the arts and sciences (from astronomy to history, from music to physics) and to interpret them through the language of cartoons, giving them a unique and vibrant voice. After all, cartoons are a primordial form of expression that have always combined images in order to tell stories. We have only to think of rock paintings, hieroglyphics or religious iconography for our proof. In reality, even when we look at Picassos work after 1905, it all becomes very hard-edged yet organic. The very essence of cartooning.
The Welcome to Miami mural is on the side of the historic Roosevelt Theatre along the Biscayne Channel. The left side of the mural features a monk parakeet. Native to Argentina, Uruguay and other South American countries, they were introduced to South Florida in 1969 through the pet trade. On the right side of the mural is a native Florida flower, the night blooming jasmine. Lebo said that "A big reason I chose to highlight the Monk Parakeet for this project is its unique nature as a tropical species. Not only can their interesting squawking be heard throughout the area, but you can also see their family nests located in palm trees all around Miami Beach. Below the parakeet and night jasmine blossom is a stylized wave pattern inspired by the Art Deco movement, another trademark of Miami Beach. The lifeguard stand also captures another Miami Beach highlight with its delightful one of a kind feel, as it stands dotting the Atlantic".
I really like the pop art feel of the mural which gives vintage postcard vibes. Since its creation the Welcome to Miami Mural has been a landmark for visitors to Miami Beach. Take your picture in front of it and let everyone know you are in Miami.
