Sarah Arison is Overwhelmed with Excitement for Art Basel Miami

ART BASEL MIAMI IS COMING UP AND IT IS MY ABSOLUTE favorite time of the year, despite the frequent desire to pull a pop star and check myself into the hospital for exhaustion afterwards. In an effort to maintain my sanity during this whirlwind, I try to narrow my focus to a few fantastic arts organizations who never disappoint at Basel, or the rest of the year.

I may be biased since my grandparents founded the organization and I have been working with it for over a decade… BUT in my humble opinion, the National YoungArts Foundation has some of the most spectacular programming this year. An exhibit with MoMA PS1, a concert series with FKA Twigs and James Blake and a collaboration with Marina Abramovic are some of the highlights of what will be happening on the campus. Additionally, the lounge on the 7th floor will be open and serving cocktails and snacks by Stephen Starr so you can rest and refuel while listening to performances from talented music alums.

MoMA PS1 is a brilliant establishment that is one of the oldest and largest nonprofit contemporary art institutions in the United States. Rather than collecting, it devotes its energy and resources to exhibiting the most experimental art in the world. This year, MoMA PS1’s renowned Director Klaus Biesenbach has curated a phenomenal show at the YoungArts campus saying, “We are honored to work with YoungArts in Miami on the exhibition Zero Tolerance in bringing together some of the most courageous voices in art from around the world. Parallel to Zero Tolerance’s presentation in New York, the exhibition at YoungArts makes the global concerns addressed by these artists relevant to Miami and to the traveling guests of Art Basel Miami from all over the world. Through this exhibition both institutions are proudly sharing our deep commitment to emerging, creative, inspiring cultural vitality.”

Independent Curators International (ICI) produces exhibitions, events, publications, research and training opportunities for curators and diverse audiences around the world. It is truly a hub that connects emerging and established curators, and artists. During the Miami fairs, ICI will have a booth at NADA, where they will be selling limited editions by ICI’s most celebrated collaborators, including: John Baldessari, Robert Burnier, Margaret Lee, Robert Rauschenberg and Laurie Simmons. I, for one, will definitely be going home with a Baldessari piece!

Being involved with these organizations during Basel is great, but I must say that it’s what they do year-round that keeps me involved. Each one is full of people, programming and shows that delight and educate me, and I highly recommend anyone with an appetite for art check them out!