Demolition of downtown Miami building sparks debate: Graffiti or art?

MIAMI – Ever since artists from around the world in town for Art Basel last year descended on 100 Biscayne, covering the building set for demolition in bursts of colorful bold lettering, it has been caught in the crossfire of local controversy. The downtown Miami building, which started its demolition process last year, has been the center of a worldwide conversation: is it graffiti or art? There are those who like the aesthetic. Felipe Montes de Oca, who works nearby, said, “I walk by it every day. I think it is cool. I have taken pictures of it.” And others who view it as an eyesore. A passerby commented, “That’s ugly. I don’t like it.” The tag “1 UP” next to the word “VITAS” at the top of the building reveals that the paint wasn’t just random tagging. 1 UP, for example, is a European-based artist collective out of Berlin. According to pop culture publication Complex, other internationally known artists participated in the 2023 Art Basel artist activation takeover. The publication wrote at the time: “After the demolition of One Bayfront Plaza was announced by city officials, graffiti artists from all over the world who visited Art Basel this week...