Photo: © Art Basel
Art Basel in Miami Beach is the global destination for the worlds of art, glamour, and wealth, drawing more than 77,000 visitors to Magic City every winter. Featuring four days and nights of unrivaled luxury, Art Basel in Miami Beach attracts jet-setting artists, collectors, and celebrities from around the world. Since its inception in 2002, the fair has become the crown jewel of the American art scene.
The 16th edition returns this year with over 200 international Modern and contemporary galleries from 29 countries, featuring work by some 4,000 artists. The VIP previews begin Wednesday, December 6, and the fair is open to the public Thursday, December 7 through Sunday, December 10.
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The Miami Beach Convention Center is where it all begins, where the best of the best by more than 4,000 artists is presented for your viewing pleasure. The fair is organized in 9 sectors including Galleries, Nova, Kabinett, Positions, Edition, Survey, Public (at Collins Park), Film (at Soundscape Park), and Conversations – highlights from which are detailed below.
Expect to see a diverse mix of classic works of modern art alongside cutting-edge works of contemporary art. Each booth is brilliantly curated, creating its own little universe, relieving visors of the dreadful sense of being inside a convention hall. Give yourself plenty of time to take it in, for the scope and scale of Art Basel in Miami Beach is nothing short of magnificent.
Bureau. Erica Baum, Caution, 2017. Courtesy of the artist and the gallery
Galleries
This year, over 200 of the world’s leading international Modern and contemporary art galleries display artworks by over 4,000 artists, including paintings, sculptures, installations, photography, film, video, and digital art. Visitors can find works ranging from editioned pieces by young artists to museum-caliber masterpieces.
Among the many Crave faves exhibiting are Miguel Abreu Gallery, Gavin Brown’s enterprise, Cherry and Martin, Gagosian, Howard Greenberg Gallery, Hauser & Wirth, Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Edwynn Houk Gallery, Alison Jacques Gallery, Paul Kasmin Gallery, Sean Kelly, Lehmann Maupin, Luhring Augustine, Matthew Marks Gallery, Victoria Miro, P.P.O.W., Jack Shainman Gallery, and David Zwirner.
Foxy Production. Sara Cwynar Tracy, (Stepping Forward, Stepping Backward), 2017. Courtesy of the artist and the gallery.
Nova
The Nova section features galleries showcasing one, two or three artists presenting never-before-seen pieces fresh from the studio made in the last three years. Among the galleries exhibiting are Essex Street, Foxy Production, Galerie Laurent Godin, and House of Gaga, among others.
Galería Jorge Mara – La Ruche. Grete Stern. Courtesy of the artist and the gallery.
Kabinett
The diverse curatorial concepts for Kabinett include thematic group exhibitions, art-historical showcases and solo shows for rising stars. Here, the world is yours as galleries present some of the finest works available today including Hernan Bas at Frederic Snitzer Gallery, Grete Stern at Galeria Jorge Mara, and Roe Ethridge at Andrew Kreps Gallery.
Taro Nasu. Koichi Enomoto, In the rain, 2016. Courtesy of the artist and the gallery
Positions
In Positions, galleries provide a platform for a single artist to present one major project, allowing curators, critics, and collectors to discover ambitious new talents from across the globe. Here, visitors can experience the works of Harold Mendez at Patron, Taro Nasu at Koichi Enomoto, and Nicolas Ceccaldi at Real Fine Arts.
ULAE. James Rosenquist, The Stowaway Peers out at the Speed of Light, 2001. © James Rosenquist / Universal Limited Art Editions / Licensed by VAGA New York, NY
Edition
In Edition, leading publishers of editioned works, prints, and multiples exhibit the results of their collaboration with renowned artists, providing visitors with the opportunity to see significant and rare publications.
Here, visitors can take in James Rosenquist at ULAE, Damien Hirst at Paragon, Mel Bochner at Two Palms, and legends like David Hockney, Robert Rauschenberg, and Richard Serra at Gemini G.E.L.
Simões de Assis Galeria de Arte. Cicero Dias, Untitled, oil on canvas, 1951. Courtesy of the artist and the gallery
Survey
Survey presents precise art historical projects. These may include solo presentations by an individual artist, juxtapositions and thematic exhibits from artists representing a range of cultures, generations and artistic approaches. Here, visitors can enjoy the works of Edgardo Antonio Viro at Richard Saltoun Gallery, David Driskell at DC Moore Gallery, Carlos Leppe at espivisor, and Cicero Dias at Simões de Assis Galeria de Arte.
Bortolami, Daniel Buren, Les Guirlandes, 1982-2017 © Art Basel
Public
One of the best features of Art Basel in Miami Beach is the Public section featuring large-scale sculptures and installations by leading and emerging international artists in Collins Park. Curated by Philipp Kaiser, independent curator and critic, this section of Art Basel is free and open to the public, providing a wonderful space for people to connect with art outside of the strictures of the commercial setting.
Tin Ojeda | Free Jazz Vein (2017) 45′ | 303 Gallery
Film
Organized in association with David Gryn, Director of Daata Editions and London’s Artprojx, the Film sector presents a dynamic program of films. Outdoor screenings take place at SoundScape Park, where works are shown on the 7,000-square-foot projection wall of the Frank Gehry-designed New World Center. In addition, New York-based film curator Marian Masone selects a feature-length film for a special screening at the Colony Theatre.
Among the highlights this year is Argentinian-born and US-based artist Tin Ojeda’s Free Jazz Vein (2017), an experimental surfer film shot on Super 16mm showing on Friday, December 8 at 8pm. In his latest work, Tin Ojeda pursues his ongoing fascination with a vintage 1970s style inspired by period jazz album covers and movie posters.
Shot in the USA, Central America, Australia, and Indonesia, the film celebrates surfing exploits while keeping an eye on the darker side of things. Ojeda, who shot and edited the film himself, revels in spectacular scenes of sunsets on the beach, sunlight glinting on foam, and heart-stopping shots of the chiseled bodies of pro surfers gliding through the waves. At the same time, he provides glimpses into the poverty that exists next to the glorious beaches, and hints at political violence simmering just under the surface.
Access: Free public access, seating is limited – bring a blanket or lawn chair
Jason Moran. © Clay Patrick McBride
Conversations
From Thursday, December 7 through Sunday, December 4, a series of Conversations will be held at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. Focusing on issues in the contemporary art world, topics discussed this year including Patronage, Journalism, Business Models, Natural Disasters, the Internet, Influencers, Indigenous Art, and Biennals, among many other subjects.
Of particular note is “Is Culture in the Americas in Big Trouble?” a conversation with artist Jordan Casteel, Brooklyn Museum Director Anne Pasternak, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston Director Bill Arning, and moderator Teju Cole on Thursday, December 7 at 6pm.
Art Basel in Miami Beach
Private Day
(by invitation only)
Wednesday, December 6, 2017, 11am to 8pm
Vernissage
(by invitation only)
Thursday, December 7, 2017, 11am to 3pm
Public Days
Thursday, December 7, 2017, 3pm to 8pm
Friday, December 8, 2017, 12 noon to 8pm
Saturday, December 9, 2017, 12 noon to 8pm
Sunday, December 10, 2017, 12 noon to 6pm
Miami Beach Convention Center
1900 Washington Drive Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
See the best routes for getting to the show with the transportation map.
Miss Rosen is a journalist covering art, photography, culture, and books. Her byline has appeared in L’Uomo Vogue, Vogue Online, The Undefeated, Dazed Digital, Aperture Online, and Feature Shoot. Follow her on Twitter @Miss_Rosen.
