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As always, we are determined to find hope, sun, and LSD (love, stimulants, vitamin D) in Miami. Last year, postdiluvian floods reminded us that nature is bigger than even Gavin Brown’s beach party. This year, Zika put a cramp in Galerie Perrotin’s party and canceled Jack Shainman’s outdoor blast – but fear not, the show must go on and the parties rage on.
Art Basel Miami Beach is one of the art world’s mecca events, a sight of pilgrimage for the jet-setting power players. In the immortal words of John Giorno “We gave a party for the Gods, and the Gods all came.”
It is our pleasurable duty to cover the global art scene, come rain or come shine. Since technology has changed the way we navigate the world, we are launching a new version of our Exhibitionary app with content on Miami’s blossoming art scene – and a new Search feature. Some fairs grew, some disappeared, and many changed venues, so a guide at your fingertips is essential.
Miami is propelled by compulsive spending, boundless energy and the sleeplessness chasing of prize art at the very top level (it is a blood sport for the museum-quality works that are snatched up first by hungry collectors, the sharks are in the water).
Here is our conscientious calendar of happenings about town starting with the fairs and ending with the parties.
NADA Miami Beach
First and foremost, we are proud to be a part of NADA by supporting young international galleries coming to the fair for the first time through the NADA x Exhibitionary International Gallery Prize. The winner of the inaugural prize is SVIT from Prague, founded in 2010 by Michal Mánek who has built an outstanding program well worth watching. In its 14th edition, the fair is moving back to the Deauville Beach Resort after a one-year hiatus, proving traditions are important. The VIP preview hour in the morning is like the Wowowee stampede, so come early and make sure to first hit the heavyweight NADA members like James Fuentes (New York) and Shane Campbell (Chicago) both presenting among others the great John McAllister, as well as newcomers like Hester (New York) Soy Capitán (Berlin) and Tiwani Contemporary (London). During this running with the bulls here are our top ten picks:
We have a booth in the lobby so swing by and say Hello.
NADA Miami Beach, Deauville Beach Resort, 6701 Collins Avenue
The Official After-Parties of NADA are this year curated by the highly adapt Sam Hillmer and will take place as usual at the Sandbar Lounge.
Sandbar Lounge, 6752 Collins Avenue
Art Basel Miami Beach
The big event. Other fairs claim to have satellite art fairs, but only ABMB has 16 moons (and counting) revolving around it. We can’t possibly see all simultaneous fairs, and we wouldn’t want to. ABMB is the only art fair in the world that needs three VIP categories, each one with a private view of its own; it is the real art world pecking order.
The heart of ABMB is the GALLERIES sector, 193 galleries from 29 countries, which include 30 curated Kabinett sections inside selected booths. Must-see KABINETTS are the eternally dark and beautiful Mike Kelley Paintings in Time (Nagel Draxler), the legendary Marcel Broodthaers (Galerie 1900-2000), Asger Jorn (Petzel Gallery), Andy Goldsworthy (Galerie Lelong), Allora & Calzadilla (Galerie Chantal Crousel), and Carlos Amorales (kurimanzutto).
Not to miss are the 35 galleries of the NOVA sector. Sure to be stunning is Vern Blosum and Chadwick Rantanen (Essex Street), Harold Ancart and Korakrit Arunanondchai (Clearing) and Kaspar Müller (Sociéte). As well as the rising star artists Anicka Yi, who just won the prestigious Hugo Boss Prize (47 Canal) and Aleksandra Domanovic, who has upcoming surveys at the Henry Moore Foundation and Bundeskunsthalle Bonn (Tanya Leighton).
Of the 16 galleries in the POSITIONS sector, many are first-time exhibitors, but we are beelining to a veteran gallery, to see the impressive, immersive installation by the incomparable Maggie Lee (Real Fine Arts). Two painters topping our list are Becky Kolsrud (JTT) and Ulrike Müller (Callicoon Fine Arts). The Latin American young powerhouse galleries present a watch list that includes Ana Luiza Dias Batista (Galeria Marilia Razuk), Wanda Pimentel (Anita Schwartz Galeria de Arte) and Sebastián Fierro (Instituto de visión). Speaking of power, HUO will again head up the conversations series which includes a salon titled “Post-Election Art Market,” which is like a play-by-play of the fair itself.
Art Basel Miami Beach, Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Drive
Untitled Art Fair
It is arguable that Untitled (which also occurs in San Francisco) is the number three fair, if only because of it its impressive size, tight curation, and a tent on the beach itself. This year’s special projects will focus on 60-70’s Latin America. A smart move for a fair that wants to establish itself through historically significant works. Henrique Faria from Buenos Aries will present Delia Cancela and Mirtha Dermisache as well as Noemí Escandell, who will recreate the 1995 installation of blank newspapers titled Diario El Blanco. Recontextualizing the work of Post-Internet artists is the work of ‘70s videos by the highly-influential but under visible Steina and Woody Vasulka (BERG Contemporary). We count on the emerging Berlin-based painter Andrew Holmquist to surprise us with new work at Carrie Secrist Gallery proving cartoonification of the body is an urgent mode of figuration. The big show stopper are two projects by stars Rirkrit Tiravanija and Tomas Vu. First, their iconic stand which emblazons white T-shirts with text like "DO WE DREAM UNDER THE SAME SKY." Second, a new collaboration with Vu that is a surfboard stand titled RV TV Boards (Nathalie Karg Gallery) with 15 surfboards featuring lyrics from the Beatles and Pussy Riot. Proof that the most professional collectors wear casual to the fairs and not high-heels is that you can take the surfboards out to the ocean and bring them back to the fair where a shower awaits you.
Untitled, Ocean Drive and 12th Street
In Miami, you are always going to or coming from one of the hotel bars because so much happens there. On any night you might find us on the terrace of the Delano which is like the Public Forum. All other parties are strictly RSVP invite only, with a throng of VIP’s pressing toward the Cerberus PR agent with the list on an iPad. Nevertheless, here are some hot parties.
TUESDAY, November 29
Sotheby’s hosts a reception in honor of Performa 17 with curator and director Roselee Goldberg and artist Roya Sachs.
SoHo Beach House, 4385 Collins Ave
WEDNESDAY, November 30
Artsy and SoundCloud and Gucci, host Collective Reality, which points to how hot virtual reality is right now, and no artist seems to be capturing the Zeitgeist or using the technology as well as Jon Rafman. Also participating is the unparalleled Jacolby Satterwhite.
Faena Art Dome on the beach behind the Faena Hotel, 3201 Collins Avenue
THURSDAY, December 1
A celebration of the 16 finalists for the 7th Annual Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series. Creative Time is the honorary judge, and there's music by Jermaine Dupri.
Parking garage (designed by Herzog & de Meuron) at 1111 Lincoln Road
The BASEMENT club’s Pink Party hosted by the LA-based producers The Haas Brothers and Kehinde Wiley's annual fish fry with head chef Jeremy Ford.
Miami Beach EDITION Hotel, 2901 Collins Avenue
Sean Kelly Gallery, Paddle8, and Absolut Elyx host a charity cocktail and benefit auction for the non-profit Water For People make sure to bid on the new works by Brooklyn-based Hugo McCloud.
Nautilus South Beach, 1825 Collins Avenue
FRIDAY, December 2
MoMA PS1 hosts its annual performance event featuring the ultra-hot fashion collective HOOD BY AIR. The evening includes sets by Wavy Spice, Total Freedom, Grace Dunham, and Ian Isiah.
Delano South Beach, 1685 Collins Avenue
Only in Miami are we fully immersed in the naughty decadence that produces irresponsible consumption. So for certain, do not arrive on a budget. For every excellent position exposing great art, there is an excellent position to assume in nightlife. More than any other art fair, ABMB energizes the entire island into a consolidated art week of celebrations, huge DJ sets, nights on the beach until the first light of the morning.
– Justin Polera
