Once again, Miami Art Week returns this December, and once again, you’re about to face an impossible task: Deciding what to see.
Thousands of people and even more artworks descend on the city during Art Basel Miami Beach, and among the hundreds of art shows, fairs, concerts, and “activations” that come and go with the massive art marketplace, it can be hard to know what’s worthwhile. The following list of recommendations represents a fraction of what will be on display during Art Week – due to publication deadlines, this list was compiled in mid-October, meaning quite a lot had yet to be announced – but rest assured, it’s all good stuff. Dive in below.
BIGGER IS BETTER
(Courtesy of the artist and Ruth Benzacar Galería de Arte)
Chiachio & Giannone, Detail of La Famille dans la Joyeuse Verdure, 2013-2019.
Art Basel Miami Beach itself can be a daunting experience, given the sheer amount of art on view. So, you’re best off making a beeline for the biggest stuff – the Meridians section, home of major (and frequently massive) works of installation art by some of the world’s most renowned contemporary artists. Eighteen artworks in total will be on view from the likes of Zhu Jinshi, Franz West, Danh Vo, and Alice Aycock. Rachel Feinstein and José Parlá, two locally-rooted artists with major museum shows at the Bass and PAMM, respectively, will show work in the section. Elsewhere at the convention center, you’ll find female surrealists at multiple galleries, including rare paintings by Remedios Varo at Gallery Weni Norris, and unseen works by abstract-expressionist Franz Kline at Hirschl & Adler Modern. Art Basel Miami Beach runs from Dec. 6-8, with VIP days on Dec. 4-5. Purchase tickets at ArtBasel.com/Miami-Beach
EASTERN PROMISES
(Courtesy Nikita Kadan and Voloshyn Gallery)
Ukrainian artist Nikita Kadan will be shown at Voloshyn Gallery in Allapattah during Miami Art Week
Is Miami finally making a pivot to Asia? At Untitled Art Fair, one of the largest “satellite” art fairs during Miami Art Week, “East Meets West” is the theme, with guest curators Kathy Huang and Jungmin Cho inviting more galleries from Eastern Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, and the Middle East. Exhibitors from Istanbul, Casablanca, Tehran, Ho Chi Minh City, and other areas around the globe will show at the fair’s oceanside tent. The fair runs from Dec. 4-8; purchase tickets at UntitledArtFairs.com
Elsewhere, galleries and museums have also embraced Asian artists. David Castillo Gallery in the Design District is mounting an ambitious survey of over 30 AAPI artists, set to open during Miami Art Week.
DIVINE DESIGN
Design Miami may still be the biggest name on the block when it comes to Art Week’s design-focused fairs – being across the street from Art Basel Miami Beach certainly helps. But Milan-based fair Alcova is certainly giving it a run for its money in terms of creativity. The Italians set up shop last year at the Selena Gold Dust Motel to show off a plethora of weird and wild design concepts, including fiberglass chairs that resembled crumpled-up paper and a room covered in space-age Mylar fabric. This year they’re moving to the River Inn in Little Havana, but you can expect much of the same visionary ideas. The fair runs from Dec. 3-8; purchase tickets at Alcova.xyz
(Courtesy Jaime Hayon and Mindy Solomon)
Mindy Solomon gallery in Allapattah will dedicate their entire space to Spanish artist Jaime Hayon, a first for the gallery.
ART-APATTAH
Looking to get away from the fairs and dive into a few galleries? Allapattah is the place to be, especially on Sunday, Dec. 2, when a few of the district’s best art spaces open up for Progressive Art Brunch – it’s a perfect, low-key way to get into the Art Week swing. Two galleries are featuring veterans of the Venice Biennale: Miami natives KDR will show a film installation from queer performance artist ELYLA, who represented Nicaragua at this year’s Biennale. Meanwhile, Voloshyn will stage a show from their Ukrainian countryman Nikita Kadan. Andrew Reed gallery has a show for Lisbon native Gonçalo Preto, while Mindy Solomon will give their cavernous space over to a single artist for the first time with their presentation of Spaniard Jaime Hayon. All four galleries are located on NW 22nd St. between NW 10th Ave. and US 441, and are free to enter.
Nearby, the Rubell Museum at NW 24th St. and NW 12th Ave. will also open its annual rehang, featuring newly acquired works from cutting-edge contemporary artists and a show for their 2024 artist-in-residence, Vanessa Raw. Tickets are available at RubellMuseum.org
(Courtesy of the artist and Nanzuka, Tokyo.)
Keiichi Tanaami, "Love High Hill," 1973.
THE SHOCK OF THE NEW
The Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami has had a mixed year. After weathering a censorship scandal back in March, the Design District museum announced it would purchase the nearby, now-empty de la Cruz Collection building for $25 million, doubling its exhibition space. It’ll be some time before we see the results of that acquisition, although the museum plans to use the space this season before beginning a major renovation. Nevertheless, ICA’s slate of Basel shows looks promising. It’s anchored by a retrospective of influential Japanese pop artist Keiichi Tanami, who passed away recently. It’ll open alongside the first museum survey of Brazilian modernist painter Rubem Valentim on Nov. 23. Meanwhile, the museum will open shows for three emerging artists – American Lucy Bull, Frenchwoman Marguerite Humeau, and Ding Shilun of China – on Dec. 3. Admission to ICA Miami is free with RSVP at ICAMiami.org).
(Courtesy NANZUKA)
Hajime Sorayama, "Untitled," 2019/©Hajime Sorayama.
MUSEUM OF WHAT?!?
No, this is not some cheap, tawdry joke – there really is a Museum of Sex, and it really is opening up in time for Miami Art Week. The New York institution is a fun, yet informative romp through the annals of human sexuality, with exhibits on topics such as sex work, LGBTQIA+ culture, and more. They’re even dedicating a platform to erotic art with a show by renowned Japanese illustrator Hajime Sorayama, famous for his sexy robots that explore our relationship with machines. The Museum of Sex opened on Oct. 31; purchase tickets at MuseumOfSex.com
Nearby, some slightly less scintillating art is on display at El Espacio 23, with a show focusing on figurative art featuring works by Jared McGriff, Shirin Neshat, Anselm Kiefer, Carrie Mae Weems, and more. “Mirror of the Mind” is on view from Nov. 7 onward. Admission is free.
MUSICAL MOMENTS
Expensive paintings aren’t the only kind of art on display during Art Week – plenty of all-star musicians head down to Miami to entertain the artsy crowd. One of the highlights this year will be a set from Miami-raised singer-songwriter Helado Negro, whose beguiling, bilingual approach to alternative pop music has earned him considerable acclaim. He’ll be playing at the buzzy Little Haiti venue ZeyZey on Wednesday, Dec. 4; tickets are available at Shotgun.live.
The club has also secured the annual A-Trak & Friends party on Friday, Nov. 6, hosted by the legendary DJ and Fool’s Gold Records head. Relocating this year from Wynwood, the party has yet to announce a lineup, but past performers have included house music legends like Todd Edwards and Danny Tenaglia, club music heroes such as Carl Craig, Boys Noize, and Felix da Housecat, and local favorites like Danny Daze and Berrakka.
Tickets for each event are available at Shotgun.live