Reaching its 10th edition, Miami Art Basel is considered the most prestigious art show in the Americas. Over the past few days, more than 260 leading galleries from North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa took part, showcasing works by
Reaching its 10th edition, Miami Art Basel is considered the most prestigious art show in the Americas. Over the past few days, more than 260 leading galleries from North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa took part, showcasing works by more than 2,000 artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. The range and standard of work on display at the main fair is quite astonishing; one walks around Miro sculptures to a selection of busts from Vanessa Beecroft’s celebrated VB MARMI project, standing under Ai Weiwei's enormous Tree, one turns a corner to examine a small print of Robert Frank’s enigmatic Elevator Girl. Galeriea Helga de Alvear’s playful offering from Elmgreen and Dragset is Amigos, an installation that reproduces the interior room of an idealised gay sauna, whilst at Gallery 303 visitors can view Hans-Peter Feldmann’s solo exhibition for Art Kabinett where various mundane objects such as lighters, pencils and scissors are sardonically presented on museum style plinths made of cardboard – infusing the banal with a poetic quality.
Alongside these goliaths there were lesser-known works to be discovered at smaller galleries and fairs, such as at NADA, where the world’s youngest and most promising galleries dealing with emerging Contemporary Art were presented. Here we found Alan Reid’s beautiful pastel portrait of a Fitzgeraldean woman gazing louchely, glasses clipped to her blouse at Lisa Cooley gallery and Dan Miko & Tom Thayer’s stunning video projection layering images of enamel, ink and lacquer on aluminium at Eleven Rivington.
Other highlights included a visit to the Rubell Family Collection where NOWNESS hosted a special preview on Tuesday morning. Throughout the week, guests are invited to take a pot of yoghurt from Jennifer Rubell’s Incubation installation; a sterile, glass fronted cube attended by nurses, and to anoint it with honey falling like a shaft of light from above. Following brunch, we were there privy to a private viewing of the collection’s latest exhibition – American Exuberance. Featuring work by the likes of Richard Prince, Frank Benson and Ryan Trecartin amongst 61 others, it portrays the complex and multiple narratives of contemporary America. There was also plenty of presence from leading fashion brands, Dior and Pringle both opening pop-up shops, an exhibition by Maison Martin Margiela entitled Love, etc. and a collaborative project between Bally and artist Olaf Breuning. Taking inspiration from some of Bally's vintage advertising posters combined with Breuning's own original artwork Marilyns created in 2010, he took five naked models then covered them with paint & accessorised them with shoes, bags, wigs and gloves made from masking tape whilst featuring his signature use of bright colours.
Text by Caroline Lever
