Art Basel Miami: Inspiration Rocket Fuel
I love spreading awareness and practicality so everyone can live their best high vibe life. Have you heard of Art Basel or been before? If not, you’re welcome. In case you’re living under a rock, Art Basel in Miami Beach is one of the most prestigious art fairs in the world, held annually in Miami Beach, Florida, typically in early December and is amazing for any art enthusiast or anyone looking to experience a vibrant cultural event. I finally had a chance to do Art Basel for the first time this past December, I can attest that it's an experience that deserves a prominent place on your radar. I dive in specifics what I wish I knew below.
The event attracts a diverse audience, including artists, celebrities, and interesting, high vibe, high impact people making it a melting pot of creativity, innovation, and cultural exchange. It showcases a diverse selection of contemporary, modern and provocative artworks, including paintings, sculptures, installations, photographs, films, and more. Renowned galleries from around the world converge to showcase works by both established and emerging artists. But Art Basel isn't just confined to the main fair; it's a city-wide celebration of art and culture, with countless satellite events, exhibits, dope brand activations, augmented reality, panel discussions, gallery openings, neat public art installations, museum exhibitions, parties and performances happening all across Miami Beach.
Whether you're an avid art collector or simply someone who appreciates creativity in all its forms, Art Basel offers something for everyone.
Here's a glimpse into my experience and some practical tips for your own Art Basel adventure.
Where To Stay
Getting centrally located accommodations in the heart of South Beach or by the Design District is the move. There is the Airbnb route which works totally fine, as for South Beach hotels, my faves are the 1 Hotel, W, Faena, Fontainebleau and SLS. Many high profile events grant complimentary access with a room key
How to Plan/What to Do/Hot Tips
If you care to see cool art, look into events happening throughout the city and plan your itinerary/flex any connections accordingly, get those restaurant reservations a few weeks out and definitely leave room for spontaneity. Many events are exclusive, many are also open to the public, some are free and a decent amount of options are affordable as well as pricey. You pick and choose. The main Art Basel event is at the Miami Convention Center but truly not necessary, there’s plenty else to see
A few recommended art week galleries: Context, Red Dot, Scope, Spectrum, Museum of Graffiti for a slice of the price of actual Art Basel
The luxury hotels along Collin’s Avenue is where it’s at. Most of them had something interesting and worth-while going on, you can spend an entire day zig zagging the streets following your charm
The Design District is also where it’s at for chic luxury
Wynwood Walls is also where it’s at for provocative graffiti art
I really enjoyed going off the beaten path to some unique galleries in Little Haiti
Keep an eye out for installations on Miami Beach and plan ahead for club parties if dancing and raging are your scene
Again, some are free, some you pay, some you need a reservation for, some you can walk in
Be open! Be present to appreciate the art. And do you! Some situations have long lines and heavy traffic. You never know who you will meet or run into. Don’t wait too long on other people or you might miss out on something you actually want to see. Enjoy yourself
How to Get Around
Uber
Where We Ate (mainly clubstaurants)
Swan, Casadonna, Komodo, Contessa, Watr, all I highly recommend
What to Wear
Let your style shine. It wouldn’t be Art Basel Miami Beach without the fashions. You do you honey, trendy looks are the vibe
My Art Basel experience was a total blast, leaving me an inspired and better human. Below are some of the things I actually did. Whether you're a seasoned art aficionado or a first-time visitor, Art Basel is a high vibe adventure in creativity and culture, would definitely do it again.
There is A LOT happening at Wynwood Walls this year, with most of the hoopla happening in the days leading up to Basel. From November 21st through December 4th, there will be sculpture unveilings by Dan Lam and Ron English, talks with prominent figures in the art world, a solo exhibition inside the GGA Annex Gallery by international artist Kai, and the launch of Street Sessions, which are 30-minute "Watch & Learn" session with artists as they paint new murals inside the Walls. During Art Week proper (December 5-Sunday, December 10), there will be daily events at the Wynwood Walls Shop. As for the reclaimed subway car, they've transported it 1000 miles from Virginia (because apparently that's where subway cars go to die?) and will feature it as a permanent installation within The Walls furthermore.
Literally asked the Uber to pull over for me to jump out of the car and snap this lol.
LVMH Culture House is a five-day gallery pop-up where art, culture and luxury converge to highlight artists of color, women and those with disabilities. As a salon for dialogue, Culture House will host a series of panel discussions that cover a range of topics that focus on diversity and inclusion, from art and tech (Web3, blockchains, etc.) to modern entrepreneurship. Two events of note include “Diversity as a Business Driver" (Dec 8, 2-3pm) with LVMH Maison Presidents Valerie Leon from Givenchy, Natacha Lamour from Hublot, and Herve Perrot from Bulgari, and a conversation with Lenny S. from Roc Nation on how hip hop, diversity and culture impact the world and drive engagement in entertainment and business (Dec 9, 1-2pm).
Watched 30 fucking outstanding innovative pitch presentations by entrepreneurs of color. Blown away. Over free caviar and a Moet Hennessey Open Bar. No prior reservation, just walked in and enjoyed.
Always celebrating DE&I.
Branded Art Week events inch out to Little Haiti with Let Me Know When You Land, an exhibit of art by Eri Wakiyama merging art and technology. The New York-based artist’s showcase, being held at HUB Miami in Little Haiti, features original artworks and hand-painted Samsung Galaxy devices exploring themes of Galaxy, Existentialism, and A Bright Future.
Artist Marco Cochrane’s 45-foot-tall, 32,000-pound female silhouette pays a visit to Lincoln Road after premiering at Burning Man in 2015. She glows in the sun, lights up at night and has 16 motors in her chest to simulate breathing, but perhaps what’s more impressive than her sheer stature is the way Cochrane built her by hand using a medieval enlargement tool called a pantograph. She’s stunning, but try not to get all hot and heavy; the point of the installation is to see past her “sexual charge.”
Mazes are usually designed to get you lost, only this one is designed to help you find yourself. MAZE: Journey Through the Algorithmic Self (2023) is an actual maze on Faena Beach by artist Sebastian Errazuriz. It was designed using AI platforms and to navigate it properly, you're encouraged to download his book, AI MAZE, accessible via QR codes within the maze's walls. The artist will also be unveiling a sculpture, Battle of the Corporate Nations, at Faena Cathedral. This, along with Kelly Breeze's exhibit listed below is a part of their larger Art Week programming, 'Spaces of Influence: Shaping Community in the Modern World.
Design District: “Thank You Virgil.”
The Design District always delivers whimsical and fun installations during Basel, so you might say the work of this year’s Annual Design Commission winner mushrooms across the neighborhood. Lara Bohinc’s ‘Utopia’ calls us to reimagine a city where nature thrives in harmony with human presence, and so she’s created these funky bulbous forms out of cork that you could interact with like furniture pieces. There will also be 900 egg-shaped bird houses hung around the District’s tree-lined streets, which you know the local parrots are going to LOVE.
