What is presently considered the most important international art fair in the hemisphere will host some 269 galleries from 29 countries, exhibiting works by more than 4,000 artists. In conjunction, more than 20 traveling fairs will also take place, in addition to the numerous social events that will gather the art elite: critics and collectors from around the globe.
Left: HIGH HAT MAN & HIGH HAT WOMAN, 1968- Lynn Chadwick, Courtesy of Landau Fine Art
Right: Gfwlist 2010- AAAJIAO, Courtesy of the artist and Leo Xu Projects, Shanghai
Once again, the event will take place at the Miami Beach Convention Center, from December 1st to the 4th. Like before, the fair will provide a comprehensive overview of visual arts on a global scale. A combination of expert promoters, skilled artists and tasteful curators are sure to provide the general public with aesthetic enjoyment.
The Miami Beach edition is celebrating its fifteenth year, preserving the spirit of the famous art fair that originated in Basel, Switzerland, and its consistency over the years can be measured by the fact that more than the 85 galleries participating in the current celebration were present in the first Florida event in 2002.
Top, left: Umbrella from: Fundamentals, 2016- Michael Craig-Martin, Courtesy of the artist and Alan Cristea Gallery, London
Top, right: La Grande Sortie, 2015- Alex Prager, Courtesy of the artist and Lehmann Maupin
Bottom, left: The Music Lesson, 2010- Stanley Whitney, Image courtesy of Berggruen Gallery
Bottom, right: Let this happen organically (Dramaturgical framework for structure and stability), 2016- Ryan Gander, Courtesy Lisson Gallery
Among the excitement of the event are its many novelties and surprises. Although the fair maintains an organized event, the content is usually unique. This year, twelve new galleries will be incorporated. Among the new participating galleries: Christian Andersen, Galleria d’Arte Maggiore G.A.M., Galeria Greta Meert, Galeria Maria Bernheim, High Art and Vigo Gallery.
In the Convention Center’s spacious interior, the Fair will be divided into nine sectors. The Galleries section, undoubtedly the core of the event, will feature 193 of the most important and diverse galleries in the world. The Galleries area will welcome new exhibitors including Altman Siegel, Bergamin & Gomide, Cherry and Martin, GALLERYSKE, Galerija Gregor Podnar, Labor, Menconi + Schoelkopf and Pilar Corrias.
Top: MIMESI, 1975- Giulio Paolini, courtesy of Barbara Mathes Gallery
Bottom, left: BAM, 2015- Sanford Biggers, Courtesy of David Castillo Gallery
Bottom, right: Panel, 2015- ANA LUIZA DIAS BATISTA, Courtesy of Galeria Marilia Razuk, Sao Paulo
The Edition section, dedicated to graphic arts, will showcase eleven international leaders in the field.
A section that has become a favorite among the crowds is Survey. Born in 2014, Survey focuses on projects of historical characters. In this edition, particularly noteworthy is the one dedicated to the Uruguayan painter and sculptor Carmelo Arden Quin (1913), co-founder, alongside Gyula Kosice and Rhod Rothfuss, of the Madí Movement, an artistic current that left its imprint on all types of artistic expressions.
Left: Portrait: Signora Albissola, 1957- Asger Jorn, Courtesy of Petzel, New York
Top, right: Dazzling City, 2016- Keiichi Tanaami, Courtesy of the artist and NANZUKA
Bottom, right: Moyo, 2013- Kudzanai Chiurai, Courtesy of the artist and the Goodman Gallery
In the 16 booths of the Positions section, the visitor will find the area where artists present individual projects of great scope. This year we will be able to appreciate projects that are exponents of the creative ingenuity and richness of modern art forms.
The Nova section, the area where young art galleries will exhibit the recent work of up to three artists, will feature 35 exhibitors. The section remains a launching pad for the unpublished work of authors of different nationalities, which brings freshness and up-to-date reflection on creative processes. This is the space where visitors can appreciate the most avant-garde art.
Left, top: Ceiba Sagrada 14, 2016- Eduardo Sarabia, courtesy of joségarcía ,mx
Left, bottom: And Nails, 2016- Becky Kolsrud, Courtesy of the Artist and JTT, New York
Right: Dance Bag, 1985- Alan Shields, Courtesy of the artist and Van Doren Waxter
In addition to showing first-class works of art in the five sectors of the gallery, some exhibitors will present works in subsections generated from Art Basel projects. A noteworthy example is Kabinett, an area that emphasizes the individual work of an artist or groups diverse creators in a unique thematic exhibition. This section includes Public, in Collins Park, along with the Bass Museum of Art, and Film, which exhibits works at the nearby New World Center.
Simultaneously, the museums and galleries of South Florida will complement the event— with their respective agendas—to the dynamics of the great art festival. The Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), the Institute of Contemporary Art of Miami (ICA), the NSU Art Museum of Fort Lauderdale, the FIU Wolfsonian, the Kampong National Tropical Garden, the Norton Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) will hold exhibitions and special events prepared specifically to complement the fair.
There are also some returning local fairs including Art Pulse, Art Scope, Pinta, Aqua, Red Dot Fair and Art Miami, along with this year’s edition of Design Miami, the transcendental design forum, featuring the leading galleries that specialize in this art branch. The Design Miami tent will be located next to the Convention Center.
Top: Mixed Behaviour, 2003- Anri Sala, Courtesy of the artist and Hauser & Wirth
Bottom: Continuous light cylinder of the Enlightenment Series, 1962 / 2012- Julio Le Parc, courtesy of Galeria Nara Roesler
December will certainly be a perfect time for culture in southern Florida. During the Fair, the streets of Miami will overflow with public art. Walls and facades will be covered with graffiti; installations or sculptural objects will appear in the most unusual places.
On the beach, you’ll see visitors from all over the world. Hotels and boutiques will be welcoming guests from the most diverse latitudes. Night clubs and restaurants will host celebrations for all tastes and cultures. It will be a festive atmosphere for locals and visitors alike, where all can enjoy a diverse calendar of events.
And all this will happen thanks to that sublime facet of the human condition that is artistic expression. ■
