Art Basel Miami Beach is more than just an art show in the Convention Center. During that first week in December, the cultural scene in the city comes alive with satellite fairs, pop-up exhibitions, temporary galleries, lectures, and more, leading the first week in December to be dubbed Miami Art Week. Revelers descend upon the city by the thousands, and restaurants, boutiques, and hotels all step up their game in order to accommodate the sophisticated crowd. Unless you are planning on sprinting from exhibition to event to exhibition, it is nearly impossible to see it all. Here, we highlight the events that the most discerning art aficionados should not miss.
ART BASEL MIAMI BEACH
The Stats:
Dates Thursday, December 3 to Sunday, December 6
Time 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. (6 p.m. on Sunday)
Location Miami Beach Convention Center (1901 Convention Center Dr. / 305.673.7311)
VIP Info Opening Night Vernissage Wednesday, December 2, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The Convention Center opens its doors to a select group of collectors the night before the main fair begins. Invitations to this affair are highly coveted, as only the most high-profile art collectors are extended access by the galleries themselves. The fair them opens to the public the following morning.
The Basics
The convention center will feature an exclusive selection of more than 250 leading art galleries from USA, Canada, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, exhibiting 20th and 21st century artworks by more than 2,000 artists.
The convention center is broken down into sections to help you navigate the fair. For the more well-known artists, stick to Art Galleries, which is made up of leading galleries from around the globe. For fresh new pieces, check out Art Nova, which only shows works created in the last two years. Art Positions is for young galleries, and Art Institutions is a place for cultural organizations, such as The Art Loss Register, to spotlight their programs. Art Kabinett presents curated exhibitions.
2009 Sponsors
UBS | Cartier| NetJets | AXA Art | Singapore Freeport | Zumtobel | Moros | Audi
The Cartier Connection
We are sad to report the Cartier Dome is not making its appearance at this year’s fair, but rest assured Cartier, one of the main sponsors, will still have a presentation of artwork by three artists in the Collector’s Lounge. The highlight is the Precious Column by Alessandro Mendidi. It’s constructed of thousands of stunning and perfectly cut pearls, engraved emeralds, sapphires, mandarin garnets, diamonds, and more that can no longer be used in classical jewelry.
