For the twelfth year in a row, the international art elite and their admirers will converge on their decided winter meeting place — beautiful Miami Beach. Art Basel in Miami Beach will be held from Thursday, December 5 to Sunday, December 8.
Born out of the original Art Basel exposition in Switzerland, held each June, the December festival has been a hit in south Florida since 2002. Over 250 art galleries from nearly every continent send works from master talent and emerging stars alike. One of the key principles of Art Basel is that galleries hold a responsibility to promote its art and to allow for many unique opportunities for people to see it. The organizers and galleries do not disappoint the public; last year alone 50,000 people were estimated to have been part of the crowds.
Many artists will have their works shown at private galleries in the Design District or in the Arts District, but the main centerpiece of the week, a large-scale art show, will be held at the Miami Beach Convention Center (1901 Convention Center Drive) from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. from Thursday, December 5 to Saturday, December 7, and then from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, December 8.
To attend the main art show, as well as some other events, you must purchase tickets. Free events will be noted throughout this article. A daytime ticket (one day admission) costs $42, an evening ticket (after 4 p.m.) costs $32, and a permanent all-inclusive pass costs $90. You can buy the tickets at the venue or online at artbasel.com/en/Miami-Beach.
Here’s a rundown of where you can see art on display by LGBT artists, and some Art Basel-sponsored highlights.
LGBT Artists
- Felix Gonzalez Torres, a Cuban-American artist skilled in minimal conceptual art, will have his work shown as part of the de la Cruz Collection, starting at 9 a.m. on Thursday, December 5 and Friday, December 6. This viewing will be free to the public on both days and will be housed at 23 NE 41st Street in Miami’s Design District.
- Sammy Cucher and Anthony Aziz, a couple based in New York City, routinely focus their works on identity and the loss of it in a world that is heavily politicized. Their personal backgrounds (Jewish and Arab), war and conflict, are also popular themes in their work. This viewing will be on display at The Screening Room, 2626 NW 2nd Avenue in the Wynwood Arts District.
- Hernan Bas, a Miami native, will be exhibiting some pieces that carry lustful overtones with
a combined background of peace and melancholy. His works will be on display at the Fredric Snitzer Gallery, 2247 NW 1st Place.
Art Basel Week Highlights
- Doug Aitken, artist, and Michelle Kuo, editor at Artforum, will
speak at the premiere of Aiken’s project “Station to Station,” a nomadic train journey across the United States. This is a one hour panel discussion followed by a 30-minute Q&A. Thursday, December 5, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Convention Center, Hall C Auditorium, free admission. - Olafur Eliasson, artist, in conversation with Klaus Biesenbach, chief curator for the Museum
of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. Thursday, December 5, 3 p.m. – 4 p.m., Convention Center, Hall C Auditorium, tickets needed. - An evening film program featuring Dara Birnbaum’s “Arabesque” and Joan Jonas’s “Reanimation,” shown outside on a projection wall. Curated by David Gryn of Artprojx, London. Thursday, December 5, 10 p.m. – 11 p.m., Soundscape Park, 500 17th Street, free admission.
- The United States premiere of the film “Nan Goldin – I Remember Your Face,” with Nan Goldin in attendance. The film is a biography of the photographer’s life, and will include a Q&A with the artist and film director afterward. Film selected for viewing by This Brunner, curator of Art Basel Miami Beach. Friday, December 6, 8:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m., Colony Theatre, 1040 Lincoln Road, free admission (limited seating).
- An evening film program called “Farewell to the Past” by Yinka Shonibare, MBE. His film set focuses on the aspects of cultural identity in the worlds of colonialism and post-colonialism, set to music and dance. Curated by David Gryn of Artprojx, London. Friday, December 6, 9 p.m. – 10 p.m., Soundscape Park, 500 17th Street, free admission.
- An evening film program, in which the soundtrack links a string of various films by different artists together, called “Fantasia for Dissonant Harmonies.” Curated by David Gryn of Artprojx, London. Saturday, December 7, 10 p.m. – 11 p.m., Soundscape Park, 500 17th Street, free admission.
- A panel discussion regarding technology and today’s digital world as contributing forces in art, and whether the proliferation of digital systems in our everyday lives can change how people see art. Also to be discussed: how technology and new media can serve as catalysts for creativity to artists. A 30-minute Q&A session follows the discussion. Participating in the discussion: Artists Cory Arcangel, Cecile Evans, Camille Henrot, Robert Whitman. Moderator: Hans Ulrich Obrist, co-director of London’s Serpentine Gallery. Sunday, December 8, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Convention Center, Hall C Auditorium, free admission.
