Art Basel Miami Beach 2023 returns to the Magic City for its 21st edition. The Miami Beach Convention Center is hosting 277 galleries. It's the largest art fair in North America. In the Galleries sector, I see lots of mirrors this year. Take the work "He Ram" by Chilean artist Alfredo Jaar at Goodman Gallery. It’s a reflection on the seven Social Sins outlined by Mahatma Gandhi: “Politics without principles, wealth without toil,’ it’s sold for $2.5m. Or, the double-mirrored work at Gladstone by Thai artist Rirkrit Tiravanija from 2023. Mega-galleries such as David Zwirner, Gagosian, Pace, Hauser & Writh have group presentations, which is always a safe bet. One of the highlights here is painting “Schoolboys” by South African artist Marlene Dumas, which is sold for $9 million! And of course, there is a big presence of Latin American art here. There’s a pair of Brazilian galleries - Mendes Wood DM and Nara Roesler, and a gallery from Mexico, Travesía Cuatro. Claudia Llanza, the gallery director, gives a short introduction to their booth. At the Meridians sector, which is dedicated to large-scale installations, the theme this year is Saving the Planet. There are 19 projects presented. In the VIP lounge, LA-based artist Alex Israel has AI installation called “REMEMBR.” It uses visitors’ smartphone videos to create an immersive experience. The event is sponsored by BMW which presents an all-electric BMW i5. At Casa Dragones, the Mexican tequila brand is hosting cocktail hour in a Tasting Room designed by Gloria Cortina Studio. Who is tending the bar? Artist Miles Greenberg and former director of Art Basel Marc Spiegler. One of the attendees, Danish collector Morten Aagaard, is thrilled to see what has happened to Miami over the past 25 years that he has lived here. Before leaving the venue, check out LVMH’s display in the lobby. A new limited-edition collection of handbags presented here is a collaboration with architect Frank Gehry. And if you are leaving via Collins Avenue, it's hard to miss gigantic sculpture “R-Evolution” by Marco Cochrane which arrived from Burning Man site. The 47-feet-tall, 32,000-pound-sculpture is on view through April 2024. Miami Beach, FL December 7, 2023
Category: art
Paris+ par Art Basel 2023
The second edition of Art Basel Paris takes over the City of Lights October 20-22 with few preview days for collectors. The fair should move to the historic Grand Palais next year, but for now, it still occupies the temporary site, Grand Palais Éphèmère. Out of 154 exhibitors about 40 percent are based in France. One of the highlights of the fair is Rothko's inspired booth at Pace. Several prominent galleries announced sales in the preview days. The French capital hosts multiple art events throughout the city, including the Sites public sector of the fair. Watch my overview of the fair to learn more. Paris October 19, 2023
Design Miami / Paris 2023
The French capital is busy this week of October not just because of the Art Basel. International collectors and art aficionados get to catch several design events in the Left Bank’s tony Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood . Thema is a brand-new design fair housed in a historic Parisian townhouse. The show is small, 11 galleries on two floors featuring mainly up-and-coming artists and designers. According to the founder of the Thema, Michael Hadida, what distinguishes this fair is its commitment to sustainability and inclusivity. The long anticipated launch of Design Miami fair finally happened. The Art Basel's sister show is housed in a 18th century mansion with an interesting history, L'hôtel de Maisons. Many of the 27 participating galleries have to share rooms. Over half of the exhibitors are Paris-based displaying pieces by iconic French designers such as Jean Royère and Jean Prouvé. American galleries are presented here as well. I caught up with two New York galleries, Friedman Benda and Hostler Burrows. Design at Large section features oversized installations and sculptures in the garden in the back. And the icing on the cake are the sweet designs by the Milanese café Cova, which set up a temporary counter here and the deserts look delicious. Paris, October 18, 2023
Frieze London 2023
This year, Frieze London celebrates its 20th-anniversary. Some of the highlights are Yinka Shonibare's works, also new additions, such as Artist-to-Artist initiative at Frieze London, and Modern Women section at Frieze Masters. The fair runs October 11 - 15, 2023.
ICFF 2023
The International Contemporary Furniture Fair brought together over 400 emerging and established design brands to Javits Center in New York. Among my highlights are: the Norway pavilion with the emphasis on sustainability; and original design studio Faina by Victoria Yakusha from Ukraine. The fair program also features students' work. Some brands and artists in the video (no sponsorship*): Michael J. Brolly Moooi Morelato Dounia Lighting Varier HeyMat Yiting Hou Wang Yichu New York, NY May 21-23, 2023
Greaves Productions 