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A Recap of Art Week Miami 2019
A brief history of art fairs, murals by the “Michelangelo of Faena,” a loofah painted with the help of cochineal insects, a withering banana, and the bones of a wooly mammoth covered in 24k gold – everything you need to know about Art Basel Miami 2019 and other Miami satellite fairs
Upon his visit to Art Basel Miami 2019, he has prepared a short guide on the modern systems of the establishment, notable names, and the iconic works held within the international art fair.
Art Basel was founded in the 1970s by true art connoisseurs: dealer Ernst and his wife Hildy Beyeler, gallerist Trudl Bruckner, and collector Balz Hilt.
Art Basel was founded in the 1970s by true art connoisseurs: dealer Ernst and his wife Hildy Beyeler, gallerist Trudl Bruckner, and collector Balz Hilt.
First edition in 1970 in Basel, Switzerland. Image courtesy of: CASACOR
Ernst and Hildy Beyeler. Image courtesy of: Niggi Bräuning
Balz Hilt
Trudl Bruckner. Image courtesy of: by Kurt Wyss
A BRIEF HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE ART FESTIVAL:
The Cologne Art Market is an alma mater of sorts, being one of the first collective platforms for the sale of fine art pieces, created through the Association of Progressive German Art Dealers (Federal Association of Progressive German Art Dealers BVDG). The tradition of art fairs originates from a brand with an extensive history - Kunstmarkt Köln, first introduced in 1967 (today known as Art Cologne
Art Cologne
Kunstmarkt Köln, 1967
Thanks to the initiatives of art dealer Hein Stünke and his wife, art historian Eva Stünke, together they founded Der Spiegel, a contemporary art gallery in 1945. Specialized in classical modernism, in its early years, the gallery suffered suppression at the hand of Nazi propaganda deeming the featured works "degenerate art.” Having supported the surviving artists of the Cologne and Dusseldorf neighborhoods, the Stünke’s promoted young talents at that time, establishing a provisional cultural center. Another innovative figure, is art dealer Rudolf Zwirner. Together with his wife, artist, and graphic expert Ursula Reppin debuted the first gallery hall in Essen, moving to Cologne later in 1963, showing the first solo exhibition of the Belgian surrealist René Magritte in Germany in 1965.
Der Spiegel
Rudolf and Ursula Zwirner with Francis Picabia’s La nuit espagnole (1922). Image courtesy of: Rheinisches Bildarchiv Köln.
As visitors of Kunstmarkt Köln ’67, Swiss dealers Ernst and Hildy Beyeler, Trudl Bruckner, and Balz Hilt paid close attention to the developing trend and potential of the art industry, later creating their ideal art trade center under the new brand name Art Basel in 1970.
The progressive dynamics of market development and a thriving new buyer class in a post-war consumerist society contributed to the innovative design behind their community. In 1973, the new venue held its first special exhibition – American Art after Jackson Pollock, followed by a series of “one-country” exhibitions, with the participation of artists from Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France, Austria, Holland, Belgium, Great Britain, Spain and Israel. In 1989, the Art Basel team made strides as the world celebrated the 150th anniversary of 1st photographic image. Focusing on this topic, the founders spoke to the promotion of photography, presenting the works of 16 galleries from the Association of International Dealers of Photography, covering the entire history of the rising medium. After five subsequent thematic Art exhibitions, Art Basel became one of the leading venues for photo art promotion. With the help of Lorenzo Rudolf, the director of Art Basel 1991-2000, the art fair distinguished itself from other competitive venues, enlisting the support of the largest Swiss financial holding company UBS Group AG in 1994; later initiating the Art Video Forum in 1995. By 1999, thanks to the approach of forward-looking visionaries, Art Basel acquired a new Art Film sector at the cinema house Stadtkino Basel, where art related films and its producers are presented, taking a step into a new direction.
The progressive dynamics of market development and a thriving new buyer class in a post-war consumerist society contributed to the innovative design behind their community. In 1973, the new venue held its first special exhibition – American Art after Jackson Pollock, followed by a series of “one-country” exhibitions, with the participation of artists from Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France, Austria, Holland, Belgium, Great Britain, Spain and Israel. In 1989, the Art Basel team made strides as the world celebrated the 150th anniversary of 1st photographic image. Focusing on this topic, the founders spoke to the promotion of photography, presenting the works of 16 galleries from the Association of International Dealers of Photography, covering the entire history of the rising medium. After five subsequent thematic Art exhibitions, Art Basel became one of the leading venues for photo art promotion. With the help of Lorenzo Rudolf, the director of Art Basel 1991-2000, the art fair distinguished itself from other competitive venues, enlisting the support of the largest Swiss financial holding company UBS Group AG in 1994; later initiating the Art Video Forum in 1995. By 1999, thanks to the approach of forward-looking visionaries, Art Basel acquired a new Art Film sector at the cinema house Stadtkino Basel, where art related films and its producers are presented, taking a step into a new direction.
UBS Group AG
Art Basel, 1973 Image courtesy of: Art Basel archive
Art Basel celebrate the 150th anniversary of photography, 1989 Image courtesy of: Art Basel archive
The Art Film sector, debuts at the Stadtkino Basel, 1995 Image courtesy of: Art Basel archive
Press conference, with Rosina Gómez-Baeza, Arco, Madrid; Thomas Blackman, Art Chicago, Chicago; Lorenzo Rudolf, Art Basel, Basel; Marwan Hoss, FIAC, Paris; G. F. Reinz, Art Cologne, Cologne, 1996 Image courtesy of: Art Basel archive
Pipilotti Rist and Enrique Fontanilles are the first recipients of the video art prize endowed by the main sponsor, the Swiss Bank Corporation – which later merged with the Union Bank of Switzerland to become UBS, 1994 Image courtesy of: Art Basel archive
At the end of the twentieth century, with the appointment of Sam Keller, came the formation of the platform Art Unlimited under the auspices of various types of contemporary art. Those works include large-scale paintings, monumental sculptures, installations, video art, and performance. Following Art Unlimited was the launch of Art Basel Conversations, a discussion-based panel for collectors, museum directors, curators, artists, and art critics. The idea was crafted by integrating different types of art dialogs under one conversation, becoming the next breakthrough for the organization, garnering approval from fellow patrons.
Sam Keller
Sam-Keller Image courtesy of: The Peak Singapore
Art Basel Conversations 2018 Image courtesy of: Tweaklab
Art Basel Unlimited, 2018 Image courtesy of: VernissageTV
Recognizing the active developments of the contemporary art market, it is worth mentioning the joint partnerships with Art Basel and its many collaborators. Such as the project between Basel and the German multinational auto manufacture BMW titled the BMW Art Journey. This initiative supports young artists, expanding their worldview by sending the selected winners on journeys of creative discovery. By sponsoring their travels, this remarkable opportunity opens up new horizons of creation for these ambitious young talents, making such far-reaching projects more accessible and forward-looking, which clearly foresees a large number of innovative solutions aimed at promoting, popularizing and selling such diverse and often contradictory art forms under its own leadership.
BMW Art Journey
Diagram illustrating one cycle of the BMW Art Journey, 2015 Image courtesy of: BMW GROUP Corporate Communications
Signal Path II Sinister Resonance by Samson Young, BMW Art Journey, 2015 Image courtesy of: BMW GROUP Corporate Communications
Today, a visit to the four branded Art fairs: European Fine Art Foundation Fair in Maastricht, Frieze Art Fair in London, Art Basel in Basel Switzerland, and Art Basel Miami Beach in Miami, Florida - is mandatory in the pilgrimage for collectors, art dealers, curators, auction house specialists, art critics and representatives of the profile press.
European Fine Art Foundation Fair
Frieze Art Fair
Art Basel
Art Basel Miami Beach
ART BASEL MIAMI 2019:
The topic of Art Basel has become a cherished dream and an elusive goal of the young artists from all over the world. While maintaining а 17-year history of developments outside Switzerland, the famed art fair continues to grow. Thanks to the efforts of Samuel Keller, who had been running the main venue since 1994 in Basel, expanded the scope of the event, heading the Art Basel Miami branch in 2002.
Art Basel Miami is a set of clusters united by a single motif. On 5-8 December 2019, 269 leading international galleries representing 4,000 artists at the acclaimed Miami Beach Convention Center were distinguished between seven sectors: Edition, Galleries, Kabinett, Meridians, Nova, Positions, and Survey.
Art Basel Miami is a set of clusters united by a single motif. On 5-8 December 2019, 269 leading international galleries representing 4,000 artists at the acclaimed Miami Beach Convention Center were distinguished between seven sectors: Edition, Galleries, Kabinett, Meridians, Nova, Positions, and Survey.
Art Basel Miami Beach, Convention Center Image courtesy of: Art Basel
Meanwhile, hundreds of galleries not included in the main five-day program presented the works of their artists at satellite fairs: ArtMiami, Context ArtMiami, Aqua Art Miami, Untitled ArtMiami Beach, Nada Miami, Pulse Miami Beach, Scope Miami, Red Dot Miami, Spectrum Miami and alternative Design Miami.
Among the participants of the base location of the Miami Beach Convention Center, located on the second floor in the Meridians section, is one of the most impressive works of the evening curated by Art Director Magali Arriola of the Museum of International Contemporary Art, Museo Tamayo in Mexico City, Mexico. The installation featured the works of American conceptual sculpture, Tom Friedman of Stephen Friedman Gallery and Luhring Augustine, whose work, titled Cocktail Party (2015), embodies that of a cartoon installation. Presenting for the first time in the US, Friedman’s Cocktail Party featured twenty-six lifesize human figures, mirroring the pseudo-reality of the term "human being.”
Magali Arriola
Museo Tamayo
Stephen Friedman Gallery and Luhring Augustine
Cocktail Party
Magali Arriola Image courtesy of: Art Basel
Stephen Friedman Gallery and Luhring Augustine, Tom Friedman Cocktail Party, 2015 Image courtesy of: Stephen Friedman Gallery and Luhring Augustine
Roberta Smith, contemporary art lecturer, and chief art critic at The New York Times, noted - “…unusual clarity in the interaction of materials and thought. In fact, he connects the two in such a lean, linear fashion as to be called narrow-minded.” Even Friedman himself characterized his work with a brief but ambiguous phrase – "living cartoon,” which allows each viewer to lay down his own perception of what is happening, immersing fully to the eternal act of art.
The thought-provoking work of Friedman combines the directions of installation, painting, and performance art all at once. The piece, crafted with techniques like mixed media, uses different materials such as clay and hand-cut styrofoam, providing each figure with individuality. Also implemented was yarn and pillow filler imitating the hair of the participants of the displayed "party"; the vintage clothes purchased by the author are from thrift stores.
Under the auspices of Art Basel Miami, there is a wide range of methods to exploring art throughout a variety of venues of the contemporary art fair’s territory, helping artists to competently operate with ideas to create art objects for the benefit of changing the world and transforming society. It is worth noting the works of 2019 are aimed at understanding the inner world of a person, reducing the degree of misunderstanding, rethinking the established dogmas of modernity.
For example, the artist Marcus Brutus, an autodidact whose works presented by the East Hampton Gallery - Harper's Gallery in the Untitled Art Miami Beach pavilion, explored the topic of institutional racism, combining both past and present events among the black population.
The thought-provoking work of Friedman combines the directions of installation, painting, and performance art all at once. The piece, crafted with techniques like mixed media, uses different materials such as clay and hand-cut styrofoam, providing each figure with individuality. Also implemented was yarn and pillow filler imitating the hair of the participants of the displayed "party"; the vintage clothes purchased by the author are from thrift stores.
Under the auspices of Art Basel Miami, there is a wide range of methods to exploring art throughout a variety of venues of the contemporary art fair’s territory, helping artists to competently operate with ideas to create art objects for the benefit of changing the world and transforming society. It is worth noting the works of 2019 are aimed at understanding the inner world of a person, reducing the degree of misunderstanding, rethinking the established dogmas of modernity.
For example, the artist Marcus Brutus, an autodidact whose works presented by the East Hampton Gallery - Harper's Gallery in the Untitled Art Miami Beach pavilion, explored the topic of institutional racism, combining both past and present events among the black population.
Roberta Smith
Marcus Brutus
Harper's Gallery
Untitled Art Miami Beach
East Hampton Gallery - Harper's Gallery, Marcus Brutus, Untitled Art Miami Beach pavilion, 2019 Image courtesy of: mjbrutus.com
East Hampton Gallery - Harper's Gallery, Marcus Brutus, Say You, Say Me, 2019. Image courtesy of: mjbrutus.com
Artist Amoako Boafo also addressed polarizing topics of toxic masculinity and racism. Boafo believes that his paintings "speak" for those who do not have the opportunity to speak for themselves. The technique of painting with just his fingers has become a signature and distinct feature of Amaoko’s art. The intensity of color and the thickening of textures reflect the emotional background of the artist while he paints a picture that allows you to understand his works more accurately. After debuting at Art Basel Miami 2019, the study of the author's worldview has drawn attention. Later, in February 2020, his work, The Lemon Bathing Suit (2019) was sold at Phillips auction for an astonishing £675,000 with an original estimated price of only £30,000 - £50,000.
Amoako Boafo
The Lemon Bathing Suit
Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, Amoako Boafo, Art Basel Miami Beach 2019 Image courtesy of: Mariane Ibrahim Gallery
Amoako Boafo, The Lemon Bathing Suit, 2019 Image courtesy of: Phillips
A stand that was the subject of numerous disputes and criticism from professionals was that of Perrotin Gallery. Featuring the controversial Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan who confirmed the relevance of aphorism in art as "the simplicity of genius" with the help of his ironically titled work, Comedian (2019). Without concealing surprise, the main connoisseurs of the art world, marveled at what was attached to the wall with duct tape — a banana. Visitors lined up in droves to see such a work that created so much "informational noise.” Due to the large flow of traffic to the gallery’s stand, fair administration had no choice but to ask the gallery representatives to remove the work as restless guests interfered with the activities of neighboring stands. Despite the fact that such manipulations to a perishable food product are not long-term, this did not prevent the object from being sold at $120,000, much higher than estimated.
Perrotin Gallery
Maurizio Cattelan
Perrotin Galerie, Maurizio Cattelan "Comedian", Art Basel Miami Beach, 2019 Image courtesy of: Jessica Klingelfuss
In the Nova sector, at the stand of the François Ghebaly Gallery, artist Neil Beloufa reflects on the digitalization of society through the installation The Moral of the Story (2019). Showcasing a series of abstractly painted wooden panels resembling artifacts, the author projected images atop the pieces, telling a story within its harmony. The “screens,” as the artist calls them, seemed to look into the soul, creating the impression that the dark rectangles aren't an exhibit at all but the viewers themselves, dancing between the tangible and intangible. Beloufa, successfully going against the stream of modernity, tries to prevent mistakes of universal proportions by highlighting the duality of class and access.
François Ghebaly Gallery
Neil Beloufa
François Ghebaly Gallery, Nova Sector, Neil Beloufa The Moral of the Story, 2019 Image courtesy of: Art Basel
Serbian artist Aleksandar Todorovic, also represented at the Untitled Art Miami Beach, is a creative contrarian to the powers that be. At stand Dio Horia, Todorovic outlines the crux of what plagues society by combining the motivations of pop culture and iconography, showing caricature images of leaders whose actions influence the course of world history. A striking manifestation of this composition is displayed in the works Religion Remastered (2019), equipped with colorful religious details with images of idols of modernity.
Untitled Art Miami Beach
Dio Horia
Religion Remastered
Aleksandar Todorovic Image courtesy of: Marijana Jankovic
Exploring one of the satellite fairs, Scope Miami Beach — it was nice to visiting the stand of the Moscow’s Askeri Gallery. Young but successfully proven, gallery owner Polina Askeri Belotcerkovskaya represented artists Romain Froquet, Daniel Zakh, and Peter Opheim.
Askeri Gallery
Romain Froquet
Daniel Zakh
Peter Opheim
Askeri Gallery Scope Miami Beach 2019, Romain Froquet, Rational Culture (2019), Daniel Zakh, Inflow I and Inflow III (2019), Peter Opheim, Oppenheim Sunday, Brother and Mother (2019). Image courtesy of: press office Polina Askeri Belotcerkovskaya – FprBuro Communication Agency
On the canvas of French artist Romain Froquet, turquoise and orange-peach shades collided. The abstract painting Rational Culture (2019) evokes thoughts regarding the diffusion and dissolution of textures, inducing a desire to follow the airy-like patterns that envelop the viewer into the Zen Japanese martial artist state, Mushin.
The abstract sculptures Inflow I and Inflow III (2019) by Daniel Zach are far from standard forms. Designed through algorithmic shaping, his works of art are fascinating, simulating the influence of force onto matter. Surprisingly, the massive elements do not overwhelm the viewer, but on the contrary, have a life-giving and energy-enriching effect.
The unusual portraits of Peter Ophiem portray the fictional characters of Oppenheim Sunday, Brother and Mother (2019). Like a childish imagination constructed out of plasticine, his works illustrate a world of adolescent dreams, fears, and fantasies, an unusual and provocative style for a man with over 60-years of experience. Through Opheim’s paintings comes the opportunity to peer back in time and feel what it’s like to be a child once again.
The abstract sculptures Inflow I and Inflow III (2019) by Daniel Zach are far from standard forms. Designed through algorithmic shaping, his works of art are fascinating, simulating the influence of force onto matter. Surprisingly, the massive elements do not overwhelm the viewer, but on the contrary, have a life-giving and energy-enriching effect.
The unusual portraits of Peter Ophiem portray the fictional characters of Oppenheim Sunday, Brother and Mother (2019). Like a childish imagination constructed out of plasticine, his works illustrate a world of adolescent dreams, fears, and fantasies, an unusual and provocative style for a man with over 60-years of experience. Through Opheim’s paintings comes the opportunity to peer back in time and feel what it’s like to be a child once again.
Askeri Gallery Scope Miami Beach 2019, Romain Froquet, Rational Culture (2019), Daniel Zakh, Inflow I and Inflow III (2019), Peter Opheim, Oppenheim Sunday, Brother and Mother (2019). Image courtesy of: press office Polina Askeri Belotcerkovskaya – FprBuro Communication Agency
An unconventional view of the world by Molly Gambardella, a young artist from New Haven was presented by Gallery Labs with 2D and 3D illustrations and meticulously constructed pencil sculptures. The idea is to confront optimism juxtaposed with the tragedies of the world.
"I knew I was a three-dimensional person. This work is a study. Hence, I didn't expect perfection. When you do this kind of work, you don't have to think about anything," says Molly.
"I knew I was a three-dimensional person. This work is a study. Hence, I didn't expect perfection. When you do this kind of work, you don't have to think about anything," says Molly.
Molly Gambardella
Gallery Labs
Gallery Labs, Molly Gambardella, Lichen 45 Image courtesy of: Gallery Labs
Works dedicated to environmental pollution problems, for obvious reasons, found a response among visitors to Art Basel Miami 2019.
Designer Fernando Laposse in collaboration with textile designer Angela Dammann, presented the Pink Beasts (2019) installation at Design Miami. Fernando and Angela, turning to traditionally used materials before the invention of plastic, enacted a a kind of retrospective reference to the past.
Designer Fernando Laposse in collaboration with textile designer Angela Dammann, presented the Pink Beasts (2019) installation at Design Miami. Fernando and Angela, turning to traditionally used materials before the invention of plastic, enacted a a kind of retrospective reference to the past.
Fernando Laposse
Angela Dammann
Design Miami
Fernando Laposse Angela Dammann the Pink Beasts (2019) installation at Design Miami Image courtesy of: Frame
For other works exhibited, Laposse used sisal fiber, corn cob leaves, and luffa - herbaceous lianas native to Africa and India, which are the starting materials for cylindrical washcloths. The motive of the artist was the decoration of key venues of the festival, creating installations made of agave fibers painted with a colored substance produced by cochineal insects.
Fernando Laposse Angela Dammann the Pink Beasts (2019) installation at Design Miami Image courtesy of: Karen LeBlanc
The alliance formed by Balenciaga and Crosby studios influenced a new approach to solving the environmental crisis by turning to recycled materials left by the fashion house after creating collections. Harry Nuriev, designer and founder of Crosby Studios, created a unique interior furniture piece, imitating the technique of patchwork with the help of colored garments, transparent cases, and covers, unveiling a Balenciaga Sofa - which reminded visitors of the importance of organic consumption.
Crosby studios
Balenciaga Sofa Harry Nuriev, Crosby Studios Image courtesy of: Balenciaga And Crosby Studios
UNOFFICIAL VS OFFICIAL EVENTS:
In addition to the Art Basel Miami Beach Convention Center and the adjoining satellite fairs, those galleries that did not pass under the terms of participation like age, financial performance, requirements of authorship, and freight, found their independent activities elsewhere in places like fashionable boutiques and hotels. Throughout the Miami Art Week period, every corner of Miami is transformed into the inexhaustible energy of art. Young artists, gallerists, art critics, and other members of the art industry join together in creating their interests, which fits well into the aesthetic atmosphere of Miami’s DNA.
During the Art Basel Miami period, the southeastern part of Florida turns into the confluence of representatives from different clusters, forming the "Mecca of Art". Such a gathering certainly encourages the mastodon developers of the hotel business to attract the attention of potential clients like those arriving by private jet from around the world. To quench their desire for new works, young, rare, and seasoned authors are displayed to acquire such sought-after contacts. This tradition of garnering attention has been successfully executed by strategic-thinking hoteliers and PR departments, creating unique events during the Art Basel Miami period. One of the most striking examples is the independent art festival presented by Faena Art. As a non-profit organization, Faena demonstrates innovation by implementing exciting and creative practices that attract connoisseurs of luxury services into the scope of newfound talent, providing development opportunities. The founder and president of Faena Group, Alan Faena, set high standards for this mission. Together, with his partner of Ukrainian origin, American and British industrialist, entrepreneur and philanthropist Leonard Blavatnik, the pair combines the fields of design, architecture, fashion and art, located in the territory of the unique spaces Faena, Faena Casa, Faena Bazaar, Faena Forum - a building designed by Rem Koolhaas and his studio OMA.
During the Art Basel Miami period, the southeastern part of Florida turns into the confluence of representatives from different clusters, forming the "Mecca of Art". Such a gathering certainly encourages the mastodon developers of the hotel business to attract the attention of potential clients like those arriving by private jet from around the world. To quench their desire for new works, young, rare, and seasoned authors are displayed to acquire such sought-after contacts. This tradition of garnering attention has been successfully executed by strategic-thinking hoteliers and PR departments, creating unique events during the Art Basel Miami period. One of the most striking examples is the independent art festival presented by Faena Art. As a non-profit organization, Faena demonstrates innovation by implementing exciting and creative practices that attract connoisseurs of luxury services into the scope of newfound talent, providing development opportunities. The founder and president of Faena Group, Alan Faena, set high standards for this mission. Together, with his partner of Ukrainian origin, American and British industrialist, entrepreneur and philanthropist Leonard Blavatnik, the pair combines the fields of design, architecture, fashion and art, located in the territory of the unique spaces Faena, Faena Casa, Faena Bazaar, Faena Forum - a building designed by Rem Koolhaas and his studio OMA.
Faena
OMA
Alan Faena Image courtesy of: Forbes, RAFA OLARRA
Upon entering the lobby of The Faena hotel, guests are greeted by site-specific murals, combining mythological and religious iconography painted in 23-carat gold leaf by the Argentine artist Juan Gatti. Alan dubbed the author as the “Michelangelo of Faena,” comparing his works to those of the Sistine Chapel. Faena is voted #1 as the best hotel in Miami, the 2nd in the United States of America, and the 12th hotel in the world, according to Conde Nast Traveler Reader's Choice Awards 2020.
Lobby of The Faena hotel, murals by Juan Gatti Image courtesy of: Faena
Located in the garden lies the installation of Damien Hirst, Gone but not Forgotten (2014), making no less of an impression on vacationers. The piece, made of an ancient artifact, is a mammoth skeleton processed with formalin and covered with 24k gold, symbolizing the revival of a new “golden age.” The remains were acquired by Alan's partner, Len Blavatnik in Cannes 2014, at a charity auction for $15 million.
Damien Hirst
Gone but not Forgotten (2014), Damien Hirst, Faena Image courtesy of: Faena
The event of The Faena Festival presents works by artists from one of the invited galleries, which are selected once every three months by the Faena Art team.
During the second annual art festival: “The Last Supper,” on the sands of the South Beach coast, the modern Chinese artist Zhang Huan presented the installation Miami Buddha, to the public, consisting of two sculptures of Buddhas located opposite each other. One is formed of aluminum, while the other is made of compressed incense ash cultivated from Buddhist temples. His work embodies the idea of the cyclicity of everything in life, and the sculptures themselves, taken separately, are the embodiment of eternity and the transience of time. Attentive viewers could notice a swastika on the chest of the metal Buddha, which, contrary to the negative association with the Nazi movement in of the twentieth century, is an ancient symbol widely used in China, Tibet and India. The true meaning of the swastika promises good luck, prosperity, abundance, and eternity.
During the second annual art festival: “The Last Supper,” on the sands of the South Beach coast, the modern Chinese artist Zhang Huan presented the installation Miami Buddha, to the public, consisting of two sculptures of Buddhas located opposite each other. One is formed of aluminum, while the other is made of compressed incense ash cultivated from Buddhist temples. His work embodies the idea of the cyclicity of everything in life, and the sculptures themselves, taken separately, are the embodiment of eternity and the transience of time. Attentive viewers could notice a swastika on the chest of the metal Buddha, which, contrary to the negative association with the Nazi movement in of the twentieth century, is an ancient symbol widely used in China, Tibet and India. The true meaning of the swastika promises good luck, prosperity, abundance, and eternity.
Miami Buddha, Zhang Huan, Faena Beach Image courtesy of: Faena
LGBT community doesn't shy away from the arts either during the festivities of Art Basel Miami. “The Gayest hotel in Miami,” Hôtel Gaythering, hosts Art Gaysel, a cultural life festival secretly referred to as the Gay Art Basel. Here, organizers introduce visitors to new names of the gay art world every year. Open to the public, the rooms of the boutique hotel showcase creative workspaces for both professional artists and aspiring authors. Their main goal is to draw attention to taboo topics like the cult of male nudity exhibited during the event.
Hôtel Gaythering
Hôtel Gaythering Image courtesy of: Adam Dupuis
The expression of this can be observed in the paintings of the British artist Manual Nanouris. As a focal-point of some of his works, the author uses non-standard materials, painted condoms in particular, creating provocative images of men. Manuel strips down the stereotype of nudity being obscene, allowing his works to resonate not only among representatives of LGBT culture but also among the heterosexual society.
Manual Nanouri
Condom male portrait artwork, Collage (2019), Manual Nanouris Image courtesy of: Artfinder
A similar mission was undertaken by the Spanish artist Juan Carlos Puerto. His paintings are born of the process of introspection and selfimmersion, providing the viewer with a sense of familiarity leaving behind the mundane. The Triton Devotion series of paintings work as a guide between harsh realities and peace.
Juan Carlos Puerto
The Triton Devotion
Juan Carlos Puerto, The Triton Devotion III Image courtesy of: Juan Carlos Puerto
New York artists, couple Serge Strosberg and David Mandel, resorted to an unusual format: the symbiosis between Flemish detail and the gloss of German portraiture, perfectly coping with the task of reflecting light and darkness in the souls of people. However, this is not the only aspect that attracts attention. The artists incorporate fabric, stones, costume jewelry, and other materials used in the production of fashion design, with which they decorate portraits previously painted in oil and enamel. This unusual decision became the signature for this union of artists and evokes their creative ascetic - the spirituality of reality and the fragility of life.
Serge Strosberg
David Mandel
Cher (2018), StrosbergMandel Image courtesy of: 1stDibs
Among the participants of Gaysel, many of the young talents are posed the question "Do you plan to participate in the main Art Basel program?" they unanimously answer that they plan to as soon as they meet a worthy patron.
Each year the scope of the fair increases, covering a large variety of modern subjects, including those in the latent phase. Through symbiotic examples, collectors, museum directors, biennale curators, artists, art historians, architects, and all those whose art sparks the desire to explore the importance of life and the questions of humanity can, like under a microscope, review the current world through an artistic lens. All this is why Art Basel Miami has an impressive past and sets itself for a prosperous future.
Each year the scope of the fair increases, covering a large variety of modern subjects, including those in the latent phase. Through symbiotic examples, collectors, museum directors, biennale curators, artists, art historians, architects, and all those whose art sparks the desire to explore the importance of life and the questions of humanity can, like under a microscope, review the current world through an artistic lens. All this is why Art Basel Miami has an impressive past and sets itself for a prosperous future.