5/5 Ariel W. 5 months ago on Google • 1121 reviews
When
entering
Miami
Beach
you
can't
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
Picasso's
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.
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