The countdown to the most anticipated week of art, culture and design in South Florida is finally over.
With a robust roster of satellite fairs, Art Basel, Miami Art Week and Design Miami kick off with a host of carefully curated exhibitions and dramatic installations across Miami Beach and the surrounding areas.
Whether you’re looking to indulge in museum-worthy displays featuring the latest in furnishings and lighting, or appreciate art alongside oceanfront vistas, here are some noteworthy events that run before and after Basel’s official Dec. 7 launch date.
PHOTO COURTESY ART BASEL
IMPRESSIVE INSTALLATIONS
“A Dangerous Game” by Lorenzo Quinn
Months after making waves at the Venice Biennale, Italian artist Lorenzo Quinn heads to Wynwood with his latest sculpture, “A Dangerous Game,” which highlights the threat of nuclear war and destruction. The piece is imagined as a giant hand holding a missile as a dart and taking aim at the United Nations flag. The sculpture is a follow-up to his hit public artwork addressing climate change. Titled “Support,” the installation featured two hands rising out of the Grand Canal in Venice, seemingly propping up the side a building.
PHOTO COURTESY LORENZO QUINN
“120 Degree Arc East-Southeast” by Phillip K. Smith III
Envision a half-dome of reflective pillars that seem to hold the ocean and reflect the clouds passing overhead. That’s what contemporary artist Phillip K. Smith III has created with a reimagining of his memorable installation, “The Circle of Land and Sky,” presented at the inaugural Desert X biennial earlier this year. The Miami version, on view starting Dec. 4, is stationed beachfront at the Faena Hotel.
PHOTO VIA INSTAGRAM/@PHILLIPKSMITH3
“New Spring” by COS/Studio Swine
Housed in the Art Deco-style Temple House built by architect Lawrence Murray Dixon, this interactive installation features a tree-like sculpture that produces special mist-filled “blossoms” that disappear when they come into contact with skin, but maintain their form when held using special gloves. Considered a satellite of Design Miami — which runs alongside Basel and Miami Art Week — “New Spring” is a collaboration between the forward-thinking COS fashion brand and London design duo Studio Swine, made up of Japanese architect Azusa Murakami and British artist Alexander Groves.
PHOTO VIA INSTAGRAM/@DESIGNMIAMI
FOR THE ART & CULTURE ENTHUSIASTS
Pop Art Exhibit at Margulies Collection
Get your art history lesson during the final days of this exhibition at the Margulies Collection at the Warehouse in Miami’s Wynwood Art District. Featuring works by Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Tom Wesselmann and more, “Pop Art” walks viewers through the rarely seen works of these legends, with pieces pulled from the private collection of Martin Z. Margulies. The showcase, which opened Oct. 25, closes Dec. 10.
PHOTO VIA MARGULIESWAREHOUSE.COM
Wynwood Walls
Artists from all over the world will take part in this year’s Art Basel program at the Wynwood Arts District. With the theme of “humanKIND” as inspiration, artists including Seth Globepainter (France), Lady Pink (USA), Martin Watson (Norway) and Bordalo II (Portugal) will use the Wynwood Walls as their canvas to spark conversation about compassion and empathy in today’s world. The 12 new murals will be on view to the public Dec. 7 through Dec. 10.
PHOTO COURTESY GOLDMAN PROPERTIES
Art of Black Miami
Celebrating art, culture and diversity, this satellite fair includes more than 30 events that span Miami Art Week and beyond. (See full list here.) Panels, exhibitions and displays will address such issues as race, class and gender. Art Africa Miami Art, considered among the most popular events, will present “Back To Black: No On And Off Ramps,” exploring the idea of “diaspora literacy” proposed by scholar and author Veve Clark, plus an essay by Heather Russell.
PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK/VISIT MIAMI
Fair
This all-women satellite art fair bills itself as an alternative, noncommercial event that serves as a platform for speaking out against gender inequality in the art world. Located at Brickell City Centre, Fair will include performances and displays, including Yoko Ono’s “Wish Tree for Peace,” interactions with feminist activist artists Guerrilla Girls and audio work by Cara Despain titled “22% More Free! 22% OFF!” that addresses the wage gap. Admission is free.
PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK/GUERRILLA GIRLS
FOR THE DESIGN AFICIONADOS
Design Miami
Running alongside Art Basel and Miami Art Week, Design Miami brings together collectors, designers, curators and critics for a display of the latest in high-end furniture, lighting and art. Public show days are from Dec. 6 through Dec. 10. Design Miami is located next to the Miami Beach Convention Center.
PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK/DESIGN MIAMI
Cascaor Miami
After 30 years of success in Latin America, Casacor is making its stateside debut with an international experiential showcase at Rise Brickell City Centre. The event, which centers around the urban living experience, will feature designs by 20-plus industry professionals, including Fernando Wong, Suchi Reddy, Guilherme Torres and Frida Baranek. Art from Carola Bravo, Flora + Form Studio and Joan Hall and more will dot apartments, hallways and connectors throughout the show space. Casacor Miami debuted Dec. 1 and will run through Dec. 18.
PHOTO OF SUCHI REDDY ROOM BY KRIS TAMBURELLO
Alejandro Estrada at Artefacto Home
Contemporary furnishings brand Artefacto welcomes Brazilian artist Alejandro Estrada to its Aventura showroom for an Art Basel exhibition that includes installations made from recycled woods and cardboard. You may have seen Estrada’s work on the big screen in such movies as “Passengers,” as well as in offices of Fortune 500 companies like Google. Many past pieces, which are 3D printed, will also be on display.
PHOTO COURTESY ALEJANDRO ESTRADA
DURING BASEL BEYOND
ICA Miami
The Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami has opened just in time for Art Basel. Designed by Spanish firm Aranguren & Gallegos Arquitectos, the museum welcomes visitors with its inaugural exhibition, “The Everywhere Studio,” featuring artists like Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso. Admission is free, and you can reserve tickets online. ICA Miami is located at 61 NE 41st St. in the Miami Design District.
PHOTO BY IWAN BAAN
Museum Of Ice Cream
The fourth iteration of the Museum of Ice Cream has made its way to Miami’s Faena District. The Instagram-perfect showcase doesn’t officially open until Dec. 13, but locals and visitors alike can get a sneak preview of the space — and its impressive hanging popsicle installation — during Art Basel week. Limited tickets are available for Dec. 6-Dec. 11. The exhibition will run through Jan. 22.
