Bringing Together Old and New Artists at The Wall Art Gallery

The Wall Art Gallery is a more recent addition to this burgeoning south Florida art scene. Located in the popular Wynwood section of Miami, the gallery name riffs on Wynwood Walls, a globally-renowned urban revitalization project, now a street art museum founded in 2009 that draws thousands of tourists and art lovers annually. 

Considered one of the hippest neighborhoods in America, gallerist Eduardo Tamayo looked to Wynwood as the ideal location to open his expansive 4,000 sq. ft. gallery, providing a cooler, more refined venue compared to the rough and tumble, graffiti-inspired artwork found on the exterior walls. Tamayo’s venture was built on 15 years of experience working for others in the business of selling art.

In a discussion with Art & Object about his path to becoming a gallerist, Tamayo [not related to the great Mexican painter Rufino Tamayo] explained, “I have worked closely with artists and their creative and manufacturing process in all mediums… 

That knowledge has given me an advantage to help artists during the creation process when they envision something and need to make it a reality, it’s like understanding an artwork without seeing it, merely by its description from the artist. It also bridges the gap between the needs of the clients and what the artists can do, those two things are sometimes lost in translation.”  

Tamayo’s close-working relationships are particularly helpful to emerging artists who might be unfamiliar with the procedures of the commercial art market. As a dealer, he is well-versed in negotiating the terms of a commissioned piece for a specific collector, or institution, with an artist who may not have worked on a commission basis before. 

While Tamayo takes pride in nurturing artists at the beginning of their career, he also sells the work of established artists whose names are familiar to collectors and dealers operating in the secondary market for contemporary work. 

Some of the most recognizable among the group on The Wall Gallery roster include American contemporary artist and activist Shepard Fairey (b.1970), founder of OBEY Clothing who designed the Barack Obama "Hope" poster for the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Fairey is considered one of the most influential street artists who emerged from the 1990s skateboarding scene.

Alongside Fairey is Japanese powerhouse Yayoi Kusama (b.1929), whose polka dotted works are instantly recognizable along with her flame-colored hair. The artist has actively produced work in many mediums and scale— from massive, immersive installations to small ceramic objects like those featured at The Wall Gallery— which provide many options for buyers wanting to own a piece signed by Kusama. 

Lesser known, but still significant, is British born, New York-based multi-media artist Tatayan Murray (b.1973). She creates magical works of refracted light crafted from glass and motion programmed LED lights.

Tamayo takes a pragmatic approach to integrating digital tools into his business practices, “Social media and technology have undeniably changed our ways of life and keeping up is a must, there are incredible tools available for gallerists and artists to help expand and make the user experience better. I think the secret lies in successfully integrating traditional approaches with the new methods that have emerged from the digital age.”  

The proliferation of art fairs also presents opportunities that have benefitted many gallerists, including Tamayo. He takes a measured approach, “Each art fair is unique. We do like to visit and experience the feel of the fair and their visitors to decide on what to feature. 

Art fairs expose us to new clients you wouldn’t possibly meet in the gallery and it's a great way to give exposure to the artists along with other great artists in a setting that is very enjoyable."

He continues, "Drawbacks? I would say they are more like challenges. Art fairs are expensive and need considerable planning and inventory management. They need to be planned well in advance, and we need to always be ready to improvise and adapt.”

As a relatively new gallery owner, Tamayo had this to say about the importance of a physical location, “I believe that a brick-and-mortar operation in the digital age is more important than ever. We use technology in about every aspect of life, and its role is to make our work easier and more efficient to maximize our greatest commodity, time. 

Time is the only thing we can’t get back. That sense of constant digital connection must be counteracted with tangible connections, may it be human contact, art or nature. People comment often how fulfilling it is to visit the gallery and ‘disconnect’ for a while.” 

Tamayo asks us to “stay-tuned” for information about upcoming solo shows at The Wall that include: Argentinian artist Alberto Echegaray (b.1970); New Jersey born artist Daniel Anderson (b.1979); and French artist Aurelien Couput, adding up to a busy year in Miami for this gallerist.