Each December, Art Basel Miami Beach transcends the typical art fair experience, igniting a city-wide extravaganza of artistic celebration. Artwork adorns gallery walls and bold sculptures fill the Miami Beach Convention Center (1901 Convention Center Drive), but the celebration extends well beyond these spaces, enveloping Miami Beach in artistic expression. The event, featuring over 250 galleries from 35 countries and the works of more than 4,000 artists, cements Miami’s status as a hub of global creativity.
The ‘Meridians’ sector stands out as a highlight of this year’s Art Basel Miami Beach, featuring nineteen ambitious installations, including Ja’Tovia Gary’s moving piece inspired by Toni Morrison’s novel The Bluest Eye and Hew Locke’s shimmering yet unsettling “Gilt” sculptures, which subvert hierarchies through the language of opulence. Creating hybrid royal portraits from costume jewelry, toys and ornaments, Locke’s work upends the visual tokens of empire.
At Art Basel Miami Beach, an electrifying atmosphere prevails, where the hushed tones of dealings between galleries and collectors blend seamlessly into the vibrant nightlife. In Miami, a city brimming with creative energy, Art Basel represents the ever-evolving landscape of art, where digital innovations like NFTs coexist with traditional mediums like oil paintings.
The event also hosts dynamic discussions among thought leaders, highlighting cultural diversity. The Conversations program features panels on significant art and culture topics, including tributes to artists like María Magdalena Campos-Pons and dialogues with art industry experts.
Extending beyond the confines of the fair, Art Basel partners with leading institutions like ICA Miami and Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) for a broader cultural program across the city. At ICA Miami, Charles Gaines’ exhibition brings together over 70 works from 1992 to today, including the monumental “Greenhouse” (2003–2023), a 12 by 16-foot sculptural enclosure conflating climate data with atmospheric simulations. Another large-scale sculpture, “Falling Rock” (2000–2023), features a 65-lb chunk of granite dropping in random fashion, creating unexpected outcomes. These works exemplify Gaines’ practice of translating images and documents into diverse systems and notations.
Meanwhile at PAMM, Gary Simmons covers 30 years of conceptual work in his career-spanning exhibition. For decades, Simmons has introduced language and systems into artistic production, from a boxing ring underscoring commodified Black entertainment to searing indictments of pop culture history. PAMM also commissioned a towering 29-by-30-foot mural directly on the project gallery walls, manifesting Simmons’ ephemeral painting practice. Between Gaines and Simmons’ presentations, these prominent Miami institutions showcase Art Basel’s integration with impactful and culturally resonant contemporary art.
In Miami Beach, where art is deeply ingrained and luxury thrives, Art Basel stands as a vivid celebration of creative life. Onda Residences offers a unique opportunity to be at the heart of it all.
