Celebration of art - ‘Miami Art week’

For one week in early December, the entire city of Miami is buzzing with art lovers - celebrities, collectors and practically everyone in the arts business. This is Miami Art week, a week long celebration of the arts with more than 10 different art fairs happening simultaneously, which was held from Dec 5 - 10. Each fair has their own mission as well as aesthetic, you can experience art from emerging artists and blue-chip artists who have reached iconic status…all during this week.

This week is truly a celebration of the arts, not just visual art but also music, design and fashion. Fashion houses host launch parties (Jimmy Choo, Marni, Louis Vuitton’s collaboration with Frank Gehry, to name a few) and galleries host intimate dinners for celebrities and collectors. The museums also put up world class exhibitions. This year, Tribeca festival partnered with Art Basel to host live musical performances to entertain VIPs after the fairs close. High-Net-Worth individuals (HNWI) arrive to buy art for their private collections and also party and be seen.

The original fair was Art Miami which was held here over 30 years back, but it was the entry of the prestigious Art Basel Miami that ‘Miami Art week’ was on the radar of art lovers, not just from North America but from the world over. Art Basel was looking to grow its reach outside of Europe and attract the Americas market and in 2002, it started its Miami edition.

Since art is the primary focus of this week (with lots of people watching too), here is a list of art fairs that I recommend you attend. The art fairs are spreadout in downtown Miami and Miami beach, and a bit of planning is required to efficiently plan your time so you are not stuck in traffic. Also, try to get to the fairs when they open as the crowds grow later in the day.

1. Art Basel Miami - This is the most prestigious and luxurious fair held at the Miami convention center. Acceptance of a gallery to the fair is determined by a selection jury and only about 275 galleries are accepted…being part of the fair is a pretty big deal. Once a gallery is accepted, the location of your booth is also important since the mega-galleries with renowned artists are placed at the center, while the newer and smaller galleries are on the periphery and may not get as much foot traffic. The vibe at this fair a bit serious and some might call it stuffy… political or art with a message is usually shown.

This fair is open to anyone willing to buy a ticket, but you may not see celebrities on the public days. VIP and first choice tickets are only available to a select few and this is when the HNWI shop for art. But do not despair, the beauty of this fair is that you will find art from 20th century masters like Picasso, Bacon, Matisse, Warhol, Alice Neel, Joan Mitchell; as well as contemporary artists all under one giant roof. You may discover many artists whose works you will fall in love with and take with you…maybe digitally since photography is highly encouraged. What I love about this fair is that you will be able to look at art up close without barriers (unlike at museums), allowing you to fully appreciate the artist’s hand and take in the colors and immerse in it.

The scale of the works at Art Basel is mostly large. Paintings selected to be displayed in booths pack a punch…not just for the composition but also for their price tag. You will rarely find original works for less than $30,000 for a relatively new artist and can go upto seven digits. Galleries are very transparent about the prices and casually quote prices that you could buy a house with. Marlene Dumas’s The Schoolboys (1986–87) sold for $9 million. See this report by Artsy to get an idea of what other works sold this year.

Touring the fair will take at least 4+ hrs so comfortable footwear is essential, many serious fair goers wear sneakers. This year, I visited the fair 3 days since the galleries remove displayed art that are sold and put up new works, giving people a chance to appreciate and buy more art.

The fair also showcases new galleries and includes a curated section that contains very large scale works and installations called Meridians. This is a very large fair so be sure to grab a floor plan so you can get your bearings since it is a labyrinth and easy to get lost.

2. Art Miami + Context - This is the oldest fair and located by the water in downtown miami. It has a smaller footprint than Art Basel and next door is its sister fair Context. The vibe is more relaxed and fun. I felt that the art at this fair were more tongue-in-cheek, or aesthetically beautiful. You will find lots of prints and originals from Miro, Warhol, Banksy, Botero, Frank Stella, Kusama, Harland Miller along with insta-worthy bright paintings and sculptures. The price point for the works range from about $2,000 upwards and the art is more varied and doesn’t really follow a specific categorization.

The galleries tend to also bring works that will appeal to the South American or Latino buyers. This year, some galleries showcased works from the Colombian artist Fernando Botero Angulo, who passed away in September. He has a distinct style known as "Boterismo" which shows his models with rounded proportions, often commenting on the excesses of the elite society.

The fair is hosted under a large temporary tent structure with a low roof and because of the proximity of the booths, it can seem crowded and a bit claustrophobic.

3. Untitled - Located along the beach, this fair mainly showcases emerging artists and a few established artists. The esthetics of the fair is very clean with white floors, white roof- even the lighting is blueish-white.

Nine prizes were awarded to artists, galleries and non-profits to promote gender equality and the prize money totaled $150,000. The fair also awards an artists in residency award in Mallorca, Spain so there is lots of incentive to bring good art. I love this fair since I find innovative and interesting works in each booth.

This year, Resty and AmEx partnered to bring a private lounge for customers featuring an open bar serving Pommery champagne and special cocktail along with small bites. This is a good stopping place to rest ones eyes and legs overlooking the beach, it does requires an advance reservation and is open only to AmEx card holders.

4. Scope - Located a short walk away from Untitled, Scope is also located on the beach. Its mission is ‘to provide a platform for experiential innovation and discovery’. As you walk past the gates of the fair, a large vertical screen displays digital art. Inside the main area, there are about 110 galleries, displaying art from mainly emerging artists and some prints from established artists. The price point is affordable and you might find something interesting for your home or office. The fair also offers events like yoga in the morning, talks in the afternoon and music performances at sunset.

5. Design Miami - This is conveniently located across from Art Basel. It showcases beautiful objects of design like furniture, watches and jewellery. You can easily pair this fair with Art Basel and get a sense of the design trends from around the world.

6. NADA - Located in Ice palace studios downtown Miami, New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) is a not-for-profit collective that supports new voices in contemporary art. The fair has 140 participating galleries who are all members of NADA. I saw some really interesting works and many were large in scale. Works are generally priced between $5,000 for small works and probably under $80,000.

7. Aqua - This fair is located in a two story Miami motel with each gallery housed in a room. The price point of this fair is very affordable and it is mostly artist run. The works are not very innovative but you might find a few gems. This is a fun fair with a DJ playing music in the courtyard so you can have a drink on the rooftop, and maybe find some christmas gifts for friends and family.

Last year, there was a performance artist who painted a portrait of a girl. The artist made the entire painting using different types of blow torches to control the width of each line. The outcome was a beautiful portrait in varying shades of brown.

Museums - Apart from these fairs, I was also able to fit museums into my itinerary - Rubell museum (2 Kusama infinity rooms, Nick cave sound suits), Perez museum (1 Kusama infinity room, Gary Simmons exhibit) and Superblue which offers 4 immersive experience exhibits.

I had a super packed six days of art in Miami and I captured so much good art in my mind and heart and digitally…my iphone is almost out of memory. If you love art, I would highly recommend at least two day at Miami Art week but do plan ahead since it’s one of the busiest weeks in the city. It’s a great way to see world class art in close proximity to each other and discover some new talent. Each year’s offering is different and I can’t wait for next year’s edition of the fairs.