A Visit to Art Basel Miami Beach 2016

December 3, 2016

If you're ever in the Florida area this time of year, I highly recommend you visit Art Basel Miami, North America’s foremost international modern and contemporary art fair.

Earlier this week, I attended the 15^th edition of Art Basel, which is the sister event to Art Basel held each June in Basel, Switzerland. Art Basel Miami contains more than 225 prominent galleries taking part from 29 different countries, including North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa. This art fair exhibits the work of more than 2,000 artists of the 20^th and 21^st centuries. Most of the show is held at the Miami Beach Convention Center, but many other art events occur throughout the city. The event runs through tomorrow, December 4th.

Here are some of my photos - enjoy.

: The Art Basel Miami show has been running since 2001. It receives lots of press and coverage each year.

: Here, attendees line up at the entrance of the Miami Beach Convention Center’s Hall D which was quite crowded and lively.

: More than 225 galleries are represented at this year’s event. This work is part of the Paul Kasmin gallery booth.

: This fun exhibit is courtesy of the Beyeler Foundation or Foundation Beyeler, which owns and oversees the art collection of Hildy and Ernst Beyeler.

: Some pieces very geometric in style.

: This is called Temple of the World, 1954 from the Mary-Anne Martin Fine Art gallery.

: This untitled painted sheet metal and wire mobile is by artist Alexander Calder, 1960.

: The show is very well set up and art is well displayed. Most of the business takes place in the first five hours of the first day of the show.

: This view is of the piece “Diamond (Blue),” by artist Jeff Koons.

: The PixCell-Red Deer by Kohei Nawa is covered in crystal balls of all sizes. There is actually a taxidermy deer beneath the glass orbs.

: Here is a closer look at all the crystal that was used to create this piece.

: Others were created using interesting materials.

: This is another piece showing a simple design using straight lines and metallic color.

: Some pieces were made of glass.

: A Chair Not a Chair (Cube Variations I, II, III, IV) by Mateo Lopez

: Barre Rose, 2016 – Bortolami by Ann Veronica Janssens

: This is called Bobcat Kitten, by Sean Landers.

: Sean Landers had several pieces of art at the show – this is one of a fox.

: There were dealers from everywhere displaying all sorts of art – paintings, sculptures, installations video, fiber-optics, etc.

: There were also many paintings that were created using only graphics.

: Some paintings with their simple straight lines were very interesting.

: Here is a view of the piece Pumpkin, 2016, by artist Yayoi Kusama,

: This is by Keiichi Tanaami, an artist who is known for representing Japanese psychedelic and neo pop style since the 1960s.

: This is by artist Kaspar Mueller.

: This was a very eye-catching installation using tires.

: This is a large gold bag showing lots texture and metallic color.

: I loved these botanical prints by Suzanne Treister called The Gardener, 2014.

: Some of the works are have very political themes. Here is a text-based triptych by Rirkrit Tiravanija in the Gavin Brown booth. This three-panel collage shows the entire issue of The New York Times published the day after Donald Trump was elected President.