| Next week, the art world converges on Miami, where from December 2 to 5, Art Basel Miami Beach, celebrating its ninth year, anchors a week of happenings, which include satellite fairs (Design Miami, NADA, Scope and Art Miami, among others), splashy museum exhibitions (Jonathan Meese at MOCA; Susan Rothenberg at MAM; “Art and Design in the Modern Age” at the Wolfsonian) and, of course, parties (Larry Gagosian and Dasha Zhukova’s dinner; Vanity Fair’s ITALICS do at MOCA Miami, to name just two of too many to even think about).
Another draw is the special programming at Miami’s famed private collections, among them de la Cruz, which this year has a show inspired by a Salvador Dali portrait of Carlos de la Cruz’s mother, and Rubell, which will stage two exhibitions: “How Soon Now,” featuring recently acquired works by Cecily Brown, Kaari Upson and Ryan Trecartin, among others, and “Time Capsule: Age 13 to 21,” a re-creation of Jason Rubell’s 1991 college thesis show.
Despite a near-decade of art madness in December, there’s always something new to look forward to in Miami: Last year Art Basel Miami Beach (ABMB) launched a new Oceanfront section in partnership with the New York not-for-profit Creative Time; Self Roaming, a colorful cityscape by the artist Pae White filled a beachside park a few blocks east of the convention center. This year’s Oceanfront is a series of events, opening at 6pm each night and featuring film, music and performance that represents the emerging-art scenes of Detroit, Mexico City, Berlin and Glasgow.
In other changes, Design Miami, long held in the city’s design district, has moved into a tent across the street from the convention center. “With the way the Miami traffic is, it used to take 45 minutes to get into the design district, which was a lot of time if you’re trying to get to all the fairs,” says Zesty Meyers, of R20th Century, about the new location.
To help you navigate your journey among all the fairs, we’ve turned to a bunch of veterans and pros for their thoughts and advice.
What's the general mood heading into the fair?
It will be a great fair, for sure. There is so much excitement in the art world right now and I believe collectors will come with their purses full. —Jane Cohan of James Cohan Gallery, at ABMB
The prediction is solid, and I am very happy and excited to be part of a very vibrant and supportive community of galleries. —Augusto Arbizo of Eleven Rivington, at NADA
The mood is good, I think. The fall auctions were strong and people seem to be interested in buying art, and we’re happy. Having a good booth helps, so that’s been our main priority. —Eleanor Acquavella of Acquavella Galleries, at ABMB
I don’t ever judge a fair before I do it. I have done more than enough of them. The opportunity is going to be completely different for us this year. We’re at the convention center, in the parking lot, 200 feet away, we cannot notITALICS be seen. —Zesty Myers of R20th Century, at Design Miami
I went to Miami in 2007, which was very “Last Days of Disco.” I missed the doom and gloom of 2008 and went back in 2009 when fun was back to being genuine and attention was somewhat shifted back on the art. This year can be nothing but a step up from the last. —Carol Cohen of UNTITLED, at ABMB
What are you bringing?
We are bringing two new pieces – one from Enoc Perez, one from Damian Loeb. We are also bringing some of our modern stuff: Picasso, a Matisse drawing, Miro, Diebenkorn, Dubuffet, Fontana. —Eleanor Acquavella
New works by Jeronimo Elespe, Michael DeLucia and Volker Hueller. —Augusto Arbizo
We will be doing a solo presentation with young LA-based artist Phil Wagner at Art Positions. Phil's work lives on the border between painting and sculpture and acknowledges the influence of artists from the past, while creating a completely idiosyncratic language. He was one of the artists in the inaugural show at UNTITLED and will have a solo show with us in New York in January. —Carol Cohen
We are bringing a focused selection of works by gallery artists, we will have works by Christopher Wool, Albert Oehlen, Luisa Lambri and Ed Paschke. —Natalia Sacasa of Luhring Augustine, at ABMB
We are creating a complex booth where there are separate rooms each featuring a single artist's work. One will focus on Yinka Shonibare, where we will install a series of photoworks entitled “Sleep of Reason” based on Goya's eponymous print. In the center of the space will be a sculpture called Food Faerie ITAL, which explores issues of climate change and food production with Shonobare's signature wit and slight of hand. There will be a special installation of Bill Viola with three video works, and Roxy Paine sculptures and drawings. —Jane Cohan
We will be bringing spectacular works by Ron Arad, Wendell Castle, Ingrid Donat and Nendo along with design objects by Yoichi Ohira, Michael Glancey, Hervé Wahlen and the Garridos. —Barry Friedman of Barry Friedman Gallery, at Design Miami
Two vintage Wendell Castle pieces from the late ’60s/early ’70s, and two pieces from the estate of Poul Kjaerholm, which are exceptionally rare: his own desk and a flat file that his son made and he designed. It’s the only cabinet he ever designed. —Zesty Myers
Whose booths do you look forward to seeing this year? Why?
It is difficult to get away from our booth, but when can I enjoy looking at what the South American galleries bring to the fair. —Jane Cohan
I always look forward to the Art Position booths at ABMB, as they are a great opportunity to view a solo show by a single emerging artist. —Augusto Arbizo
I always like Eva Presenhuber and Neuger Riemschneider — they are highly creative with their booths, often devoting them entirely to a single artist’s installations. —Natalia Sacasa
Mine. On paper it looks great and I am curious to know what it looks like in reality. —Barry Friedman
What fairs besides the one you participate in do you visit?
NADA was really strong last year and we look forward to visiting it this time around as well. —Carol Cohen
I love to wander the containers on the beach. Anything to smell the sea air after a day in the convention center. —Jane Cohan
As Eleven Rivington is a young gallery, we participate in the NADA fair at the Deauville. But of course the main event is ABMB at the Convention Center. — Augusto Arbizo
I only go to NADA. They have the best international fair second to ABMB. —Natalia Sacasa
What is your favorite Miami hotel, and why?
The Shore Club, I love those big beds by the pool. —Jane Cohan
Collins Avenue blends into one huge hotel at 3 o’clock in the morning. —Carol Cohen
The Albion, because it’s quiet and relaxed with a private pool, and off the main drag. —Augusto Arbizo
The Mandarin Oriental for its comfort, service and spectacular views. —Barry Friedman
I have favorite Miami hotels, but not during Art Basel. In Miami, when I need to go to bed, I need to go to bed. I might be out until whatever hour in the morning and then have a breakfast meeting a few hours later. —Zesty Myers
What Miami restaurant has the best food? What about the best scene?
Escopazzo for amazing organic Italian food, and for local flavor Puerta Sagua, a very old-school Cuban restaurant. Alas, I wish I could enjoy the many scenes, but I don’t go down there to have fun…it’s work after all. But one manages to squeeze in some poolside drinks. —Augusto Arbizo
Casa Tua. The best part is you go upstairs and the nightclub is there. I’m there without my kids, so what the heck, you know? –Eleanor Acquavella
I love Vita, where we always host dinners for collectors and curators. I love to be able to eat outdoors after spending all day at the convention center. –Jane Cohan
We love, love, love Casa Tua, which is hard enough to get into… I won’t tell you our other favorite because we want to keep it easy to get into. —Natalia Sacasa
Azul in the Mandarin Oriental, Nemo for the best and most diverse brunch you can imagine, Garcia’s for seafood. —Barry Friedman
One of my favorite things to do while in Miami is to sit outside on the patio of the Raleigh hotel looking at one of the most beautiful pools in the world and enjoying a Nicoise salad and a glass of Sancerre. It is elegant, beautiful, and abounds with its original character. —Angela Westwater
What are you looking forward to beyond the fairs and client dinners?
Always the parties, if I am not collapsed on my bed. —Jane Cohan
I love visiting the Rubell and de la Cruz collections. —Augusto Arbizo
Sam and Aby Rosen are having a small dinner one night we’ll be going to. We make the rounds. —Eleanor Acquavella
We’re booked. Calendar’s full. Friends having parties, institutions hosting events, clients dropping by for cocktails. —Zesty Myers
Last year's visit to the new de la Cruz space was an absolute delight, and the Rubells always put on interesting shows that capture the collecting zeitgeist. Time is tight but these at least will not be missed. —Carol Cohen
We are doing a breakfast at the Bass Museum, they are helping us launch a book on Renata Miller. —Zesty Myers
At the time of the fair, the Miami Art Museum will be presenting a survey exhibition of paintings by Susan Rothenberg entitled Susan Rothenberg: Moving in Place. The show will feature a select group of 25 paintings ranging from Rothenberg’s early horse paintings of the mid-1970s to her most recent body of work. The show was organized by the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth in Texas, and has toured to the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I am very much looking forward to seeing the exhibition in the Miami Art Museum galleries. —Angela Westwater
The Miami fairs have gained a reputation for being as much about the scene as they are about the art. Pluses and minuses?
I think the galleries take the fair very seriously and always work hard to put on a great show. The fairs are too expensive to take them lightly. There are always serious collectors present. But it is fun on the Saturday to look at all of the girls with long legs and the short dresses! —Jane Cohan
For me it’s really an opportunity to meet people, old friends, and clients, and to feel the pulse of the art world. Of course, nothing beats experiencing a sense of discovery when one sees a great new artist for the first time. This is very rare, but when it happens, it is very special. You have a pure sense of wonder! It’s happened to me a few times, and I keep hoping for those kinds of moments. —Augusto Arbizo
The only good thing about the recession year was that the fashion magazines had no money to throw parties… now that we’re crawling back out, the fashionista party scene might take over the hotels again. —Natalia Sacasa
I’m fine with that. The more the merrier. The more it seems like a destination for people, the better. —Eleanor Acquavella
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