Beyond Art Basel

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.

Haute Spots in the Convention Center

• VIP Desk | Info Zone D
• Art Collectors Lounge | MBCC, Hall D
• Worn out? The Spa At David Barton Gym will be offering treatments in Hall D (305.534.1660)

Don’t Miss In Art Galleries, German Gallery Neugerriemschneider will present a pavilion by Jorge Pardo including works by Franz Ackermann, Olafur Eliasson, and Pae White; Miami’s own Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin (194 NW 30th St.) will present three monumental new Takashi Murakami paintings; Klosterfelde from Berlin will mount a Hanne Darboven series consisting of 600 sheets, as well as a 30-foot Matt Mullican painting.

What’s New in 2009

Oceanfront Area
This year, Collins Park will serve as a platform for virtually all of Art Basel Miami Beach’s cultural programming. The space was designed by L.A. artist Pae White, and during the day, it will be dominated by large color blocks that transform into a shadowy group of buildings as night falls, housing merchants and performers. In this labyrinth-like metropolis on the sand, White has designed an open-air stage that will host the Art Video, Art Film, and Art Perform programs, as well as Art Basel Conversations.

Don’t Miss: Art Film: Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child, a sneak preview of the documentary feature film (Friday, December 4, 8:30 p.m.), which will be shown during Oceanfront Nights.

FRINGE FAIRS

Art Basel Miami Beach is flanked by a number of smaller fairs, some of which have been running since long before the Swiss fair came to town. Here are three of our favorites:

Art Miami (NE 1st Avenue between NE 32nd & NE 31st St.)

This year marks the fair’s 20th anniversary, and the milestone will be honored through a wide-range of special exhibitions, including a large outdoor sculpture by Tony Craig and video installations curated by Asher Remy Toldedo.

The Differentiating Factor: Art Miami also presents decoative arts, African tribal art, Pre-Colombian art, Japanese bamboo art, textiles, and kiln-formed glass.

Don’t Miss: Art-dealer and financial expert Asher Edelman discussing “Art as Investment,” Thursday, December 3 at 2 p.m. RSVP: [email protected].
Art Miami will also partner with ArtTable to recognize a group of women for their ongoing contributions to the visual art during ArtTable’s annual reception on December 4 at 10 a.m.

Design Miami/ (NE 39th Street & 1st Court)

This is a celebration of the best of design. Two fairs are held each year, one in Miami and one in Basel, Switzerland, both concurrent with Art Basel. It features a marketplace for limited-edition designs of museum-quality luxe items like furniture, lighting, and objets d’art. There are also Design Talks and Design Performances, and special exhibitions, including Limited Forever at Cappellini Miami (10 NE 39th St. / 305.576.3636), a collection of nine timeless limited-edition designs from 2000 to 2009.

The Differentiating Factor: Each year, Design Miami/ Designer of the Year award is presented to a prominent designer whose advanced body of work demonstrates quality, innovation, and influence, pushing the boundaries of art, architecture, and design. This year, Maarten Baas will join the likes of Marc Newson, Zaha Hadid, Tokujin Yoshioka, Fernando & Humberto Campana as a recipient of this prestigious accolade. He has created a special theatrical environment that will be on display throughout the fair.

Don’t Miss: Swarovski Crystal Palace, an atmospheric installation, with 860 square feet of “sails” covered in more than 1.5 million Swarovski crystals. The marvel is located at the entrance to the Designers’ Lounge, and is definitely worth a look; the material is so thin that some of the panels, which are more than 500 square feet, can be packed into the trunk of a car.

SCOPE Art Soho Studios / 2136 NW 1st Ave.)

This global art fair is a long-running satellite fair of Miami’s Art Week that also presents annual shows in New York, the Hamptons, London, Basel, hosting a whopping 30 fairs over the last eight years alone. SCOPE is dedicated to museum-quality offerings that reflect emerging and unexplored themes in the contemporary art world.

The Differentiating Factor: According to the founder and director Alexis Hubshman, the younger generation of curators are the reason that SCOPE stands out and is synonymous with what is cutting edge in the world of contemporary art. Among SCOPE’s many successes, count that Franklin Sirmans, a member of SCOPE’s curatorial committee, was recently named chief curator of contemporary art at LACMA, while many of the galleries that show at Art Basel actually launched at SCOPE. “We are really about finding the next new gallery or work that has never been seen before and is not recycled from previous years,” he shares.

Don’t Miss: The members of SCOPE’s curatorial committee present The SCOPE Film Program, with a different film exhibition showing each day of the fair. Hubshman also touts the glories of Iconic, a selection of career-defining pieces from world-renowned artists placed throughout the fair, as well as The SCOPE Sculpture Garden in the 6,000-square-foot grass-lined retreat space located within the venue. And don’t forget about SCOPE’s sister fair, Art Asia, located just next door.

PARALLEL FAIRS
Art Asia, www.artasiafair.com Wynwood
Art Miami, www.art-miami.com Midtown
Aqua Art Miami, www.aquaartmiami.com Wynwood
Design Miami/, www.designmiami.com Design District
Focia Art Fair, www.fociartfair.com Midtown
Fountain Miami, www.fountainexhibit.com Wynwood
INK Miami Fair, www.inkartfair.com South Beach
NADA Art Fair, www.newartdealers.org Miami Beach
NOBE 67 ART, www.nobe67art.com Miami Beach
photo MIAMI, www.photomiami-2009.com Wynwood
Pool Art Fair, www.poolartfair.com South Beach
Pulse, www.pulse-art.com Miami
Red Dot Fair, www.reddotfair.com Wynwood
SCOPE, www.scopeart.com Wynwood
Verge Art Fair Miami, www.vergeartfair.com South Beach

ART DISTRICTS

Once you have “done” Art Basel Miami Beach, cross the causeways—there is plenty more to see. While museums, galleries, and exhibitions can be found throughout Miami-Dade, there are three main art districts that serve as hubs for the week’s main fairs.

Design District

The Design District (www.designdistrict.net) is the original epicenter for the art world in Miami. The 18 blocks it encompasses is filled with boutiques, restaurants, art galleries, design showrooms, and entertainment year-round, but during Miami Art Week, it will get even a little hauter.

Art Tours Art Basel Miami Beach is conducting art tours of the Design District on Friday, December 4, at 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. The tours meet at the Locust Projects (155 NE 38 St.) before heading to check out the workspaces of the likes of Naomi Fisher, Martin Oppel, and Frances Trombly.

Don’t Miss Limited Edition Experiences, which brings together some of the world’s most sought-after designers to present merchandise as well as radically innovative programming. Example? Fendi will debut a limited-edition design Needle Point Stitch Kit, which allows consumers to customize and stitch their own bag.

Gucci will also launch the second installment of ICON-TEMPORARY, a flash sneaker store featuring a limited edition collection of Gucci Ronson sneakers, a collaboration between Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini and award-winning musical artist Mark Ronson.

Opening Celebrated shoe brand Louboutin (155 NE 40th St., Ste 101) will open just in time for Art Basel. The boutique will offer the latest collection of Christian Louboutin shoes and handbags, including a few special editions that are only available at the new boutique.

Bisazza (3740 NE 2nd Ave.) is opening a new Miami flagship as well. The enormous space will display an assortment of furniture and decorative accessories signed by leading designers like Andrée Putman, Marcel Wanders, and Patricia Urquiola.

Art Midtown

Sandwiched between the Design District and Wynwood, Midtown Miami (www.midtownmiami.com) is the city’s newest emerging neighborhood of the arts, which is overtly apparent during Art Basel time. For the second year, the 10 city blocks that make up Midtown will play host to Art Miami, Red Dot Fair, Photo Miami, FoCI, as well as a number of special installations and exhibitions.

Don’t Miss Gardens of the World Designed by Harry Nelson Fine Gardens, this “Garden for the People” will debut during Art Midtown. The globally inspired installation will feature a 100-foot-long reflecting channel, 75-foot-high trees, water garden and reflecting pool with water lilies, smaller gardens, shaped topiaries, exotic evergreens, and blossoms. While the entire garden will be revealed in phases over the coming months, during Art Basel, the World Gardens will feature two unique sculptures by Rafael Barrios.

What’s New in 2009 FoCI Art Fair (3000 North Miami Ave.) makes its debut appearance during the 2009 fair. Developed as a social and cultural marketplace, it seeks to merge arts, events, commerce, technology, and entertainment—and it’s a welcome addition to Midtown, as it is a permanent, year-round facility. However, a unique highlight during Art Basel is the FoCI Food Festival, which will feature national and international chefs paired with local restaurants. From Wednesday to Saturday, the 8,100-square-foot patio and lounge will have “happy hours” from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Wynwood Art District

The Wynwood Arts District includes more than 70 artist spaces and galleries—a number that is constantly growing. Every month, visitors flock to Second Saturdays, an art walk that showcases the best of the burgeoning region, which was known in the not-so-distant past for having a seedy side. During Art Basel, Wynwood is a go-to haute spot for art enthusiasts.

Gallery Tours Art Basel Miami Beach will be conducting tours of Wynwood Galleries on Thursday, December 3, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. These Artist Studio Visits allow guests to see where the art is created, speak with the artists, and gain a new perspective about one of the many vibrant neighborhoods of Miami.

The Goldman Warehouse (9404 NW 26th St. / 305.573.7167), which has hosted an annex of MoCA for the past four years, is embarking on an independent exhibition program. For Art Basel, Tony Goldman of Goldman Properties and Jeffrey Deitch of Deitch Projects will present Francesco Clemente’s monumental work A History of the Heart in Three Rainbows, a remarkable 180-foot-long suite of large-scale watercolor paintings. The show opens on December 3.

The Margulies Collection at the WAREhOUSE (591 NW 27 St. / 305.576.1051) is a newly converted warehouse in the midst of the art district, displaying an extensive collection of contemporary and vintage photography, sculpture, and installation. For its current exhibition, the dramatic 45,000-square-foot space features Miró & Noguchi: Masters of Surrealist Sculpture, as well as new additions to the permanent collection. Access is free with Art Basel VIP cards for the duration of the fair.

Rubell Family Collection (95 NW 29th St. / 305.573.6090) will introduce its exhibition Beg Borrow and Steal, a collection featuring 74 artists, occupying all 28 galleries at the 45,000-square-foot museum. The show finds inspiration in Picasso’s quote, “Good artists borrow, great artists steal,” and seeks to find the line between inspiration, duplication, and originality. Visiting the private collection is free of charge during Art Basel.

Don’t Miss Wynwood Walls, the street art mural park, a collaboration between Tony Goldman and Jeffrey Deitch. The project features works by nine internationally respected artists that typically create museum-quality art. For Wynwood Walls, they took their talents to the streets, using the walls of buildings owned by Goldman Properties as their canvas. The entrance to the Art Park, which contains one of the largest collections of outdoor art in the U.S., is next door to Joey’s Italian Café (2506 NW 2nd Ave / 305.438.0488), which is owned and operated by Tony’s son, Joey.

BEYOND THE ART

It Pays to be a Member

Anyone who has been to Art Basel Miami Beach knows that, while the art might take center stage, the events are really the icing of the week. Art Basel Miami Beach is known as the most social of the world’s top art fairs, and during the weekend, you are as likely to see Pamela Anderson take the red carpet in her underwear (it happened in 2008) as you are to see Marilyn Manson throw down at the Gansevoort (also during last year’s fair). While the big name celebrities help increase the buzz about Art Basel, we know our readers are looking for a more sophisticated setting—but just as lively, of course. And since the hotels are typically filled to capacity over the weekend, there are a plethora of revelers all trying to get into the hautest events. Luckily, those who are already patrons of the city’s arts institutions and museums are honored with the best invites throughout the weekend.

MAM
(101 W. Flagler St. / 305.375.3000)
MAM will host its International Committee ($5,000) during a private cocktail party at a private residence in Miami Beach on December 1. Contemporary members ($250) and above also receive an invite to the Party on the Plaza on December 3, while Friends ($1,000 to $2,499) and Museum Circle ($2,500 and above) members are able to attend the MAM Ball, taking place at the Fontainebleau on December 6.

MOCA
(770 NE 125th Street, North Miami / 305.893.6211)
Member of MOCA? Then you received an invite to an exclusive welcome party sponsored by Vanity Fair International. MOCA Shakers ($150/$250) were graced with invitations to a party at Louis at the Gansevoort, while Patrons ($500) gain entrance to the Cartier Cocktail Reception on Thursday in the Art Collectors Lounge. Associates ($1,000) get invites to Vernissage, and Benefactors ($2,500) are given private tours of Art Basel with MOCA Executive Director Bonnie Clearwater, as well as a first-come, first-serve invite to a Sunday brunch at the Sagamore Hotel, hosted by MOCA Honorary Trustees Cricket and Marty Taplin. If you are part of the International Collector’s Circle ($5,000), then you will gain entrance to Art Basel Miami Beach on Wednesday, hours before Vernissage, the ultimate honor.

Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation
(1018 North Miami Ave. / 305.455.3338)
Cultural Founders ($1,500) receive tickets to CIFO events throughout the year, which includes CIFO’s extraordinary brunch during Art Basel.

Lowe Art Museum
(1301 Stanford Dr., Coral Gables / (305.284.3535)
Members of The Lowe Art Museum’s Directors Circle receive an exclusive invitation to the Annual Art Basel Champagne Brunch, which is taking place this year on Sunday, December 6.

Special Exhibits

The Art of Progress
Audi returns as this year’s sponsor for Art Basel Miami Beach and Design Miami/. The Art Week will coincide with the unveiling of the all-new Audi A8, taking place at the Audi Pavilion, a temporary museum structure close to the Fontainebleau. Dubbed The Art of Progress, the exhibit brings together new works from British design superstar Tom Dixon and masterpieces on loan from the Rubell Family Collection. After Collector’s Days on Monday and Tuesday, The Art of Progress will open to the public on Wednesday. Following the fair, the space that once housed the pavilion will be turned into a playground donated by Audi.

Wolfsonian-FIU
(1001 Washington Ave. / 305.531.1001)
Todd Oldham’s presence is felt all over the Beach; he is the mastermind behind the designs at Goldman Properties’ iconic The Hotel, which is known for its color palette that mirrors Miami’s glowing sunsets. The Hotel just added 20 new oceanfront rooms to its portfolio, and once again tapped Oldham to do the interiors. He is quite the busy man; Oldham also is curator of the New Voices, New Works exhibition at the Wolfsonian. The museum will begin selling original, signed, limited-edition welcome mats created by Oldham and contributing artists Megan Whitmarsh, Wayne White, and Brock Shorno. The mats, priced at $250, go on sale at The Dynamo Museum Shop on December 1.

Master’s Mystery Art Show
The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach hosts its sixth edition of the Master’s Mystery Art Show, which will open on Wednesday, December 2, with a private cocktail reception, before opening to the public for one day only on December 3. One of the most innovative shows during Art Basel, all of the works of art are on 6” x 9” canvases, and all sell for $50. The mystery is that the artist is only revealed after the piece is purchased. Past artists have included John Legend, Gloria Estefan, Jon Secada, Carlos Santana, and others, and this year, the focus is on fashion designers like Carlos Falchi, Michal Vollbracht, and Angel Sanchez.