There is nothing quite like Art Basel Miami Beach, one of the leading art shows in the world. Now in its eleventh incarnation, this year’s show is set to be one of the biggest ever, buoyed by an insatiable appetite for modern and contemporary art (just see the latest results from Sotheby’s and Christie’s as an example of this).
It is not just about Basel though. Inspired and influenced by the contemporary art fair, others have, over the years, sprung up, literally transforming Miami into a gigantic open-space for art. Here is a bitesize overview of two expos to check out.
Aqua Art Miami: December 6th-9th
Aqua Art Miami has revealed that it will be launching its eighth consecutive contemporary art fair at Miami Beach this December, which it has dubbed Destination Super Eight.
The expo, which takes place during Art Basel Week in the city, has been commended for the support it has given young dealers and galleries that work with and represent “emerging and early-mid career artists”.
Some of the exhibitors for this year’s event include AWOL Gallery; Circa Gallery; Eleanor Harwood Gallery; Ghostprint Gallery; Mayer Fine Art; Rice Polak Gallery; Valerie Goodman Gallery; Whitespace Gallery; and ZIA Gallery.
Highlights include the non-static work REMIX by Lauri Stallings, a contemporary performance artist and choreographer, and Babel Shield by Jen Pack, who has decided to reach deep into the depth of leftfield art with an immersive installation.
Untitled: December 5th-9th
This year sees the inaugural launch of Untitled, a new art fair that considers itself to be an innovation of the tradition expo model.
“The aim is to offer collectors an alternative viewing experience from the traditional art fair,” explains its artistic director Omar Lopez-Chahoud. “It is about creating a conversation and thereby offering collectors a sense of discovery, diversity, and quality with an international perspective.”
It intends to do this through creating a unique structure that is being designed by K/R Architects. The focus is on highlighting the value of the work through a fluid pathway, placing much more of an emphasis on the entire experience of a show.
Art institutions taking part in this fair include Ada Gallery; Carter & Citizen; Dodge Gallery; Jeff Bailey Gallery; Marine Contemporary; Ochi Gallery; Open Source Gallery; The Hole; Third Streaming; Zing; and 532 Gallery Thomas Jaeckel.
Cadogan Tate, a leader in fine art shipping and storage, will be available for consultation during Art Basel Week.