Photographer:

The Miami Creative Movement - From "Miami Creative: A Decade of Transformation" (Photo by Barry Fellman)

Irene Sperber, Art Critic at Large

Miami Art Week is the ultimate art market, gathering a panoply of “A” list contemporary world players into one close encounter (hence the extra dollop of traffic headaches). No slouch in the style and celeb category… it’s a see-and-be-seen moment whether you have an extensive art background or merely insist on being where you should be for maximum exposure.

Heads are flying off hinges with a cornucopia of information flooding inboxes. High-brow events, champagne-soaked parties, exclusive and underground art presentations are coming to a venue near you, ready or not. Think of those multiple-page restaurant menus awash in offerings and you get the picture. Oh. You want help. I’ll toss a few snippets of info on the page…see what sticks. Tuesday, Nov 29 and Wednesday, 30 will be largely private, VIP and Press viewings. Thursday, Dec. 1, Friday, Dec. 2, and Saturday, Dec. 3, Art Basel is open to the public, with some fairs open through Sunday, Dec 4.

Photographer:

Juana Vald, Colored Bone China Rag (Photo courtesy of Spinello Projects)

Whats up? Last year (2021) NFT’s were a hot topic and continue to nudge deeper into the market. Looking at the first part of the year, art auction transactions are rising to record numbers, with younger artists continuing to command prices previously reserved for those more seasoned. The phrase “Ultra Contemporary Art” (now a new art market report category), is separate from the Contemporary Art category. Ultra Contemporary is artists under 40, a new trend which refers to both physical and digital art. Female artists are noticeably more dominant, African Art is garnering major auction house attention. There's a full menu to digest during this mind bending week.

Main Courses

Art Miami was the first entree on Miami’s bill of “fair,” opening its doors 32 years ago. Year after year, Art Miami has been a central component of Miami Art Week. A VIP preview benefits the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM).

I asked Nick Korniloff, Executive Director and Vice President of Art Miami and CONTEXT” : “As much as Art Miami and its sister shows create a grand week in Miami, it is first and foremost a marketing venture for curators, gallerists and collectors from around the globe. Since Art Miami has been on scene, how has it circumnavigated the roiling waters in tone, staying relevant?”

Photographer:

Jewish Museum of Florida- Lady Liberty by Bonnie Lautenberg (Photo courtesy of the museum)

Korniloff: ”While the art market is ever-evolving, year over year Art Miami remains an industry-leading fair. Through our vast international gallery partnerships - this year's Art Miami and sister fair CONTEXT Art Miami will feature more than 215 galleries from over 20 countries, spanning North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia - we continue to provide a platform for collectors and art enthusiasts to be introduced to groundbreaking artists and artworks.”

Sperber: “What has been the major update in approaching the art market from then til now?”

NK: “Adapting to an increasingly technology-driven world, some updates to Art Miami in recent years include switching to digital tickets for entry. Exhibiting galleries have also adapted, and we've seen an increase in tech-related artworks on display. In our over three decades of Art Miami, we've seen the city become the most important marketplace globally for collecting art in conjunction with art fairs. While trends change, fine artworks remain steadily in-demand as investments, and people continue to flock to Art Miami each year to collect new, relevant and iconic pieces.”

Art Basel Miami Beach (ABMB) will unveil its 20th season containing 282 leading galleries from 38 countries and territories. It’s the largest ABMB to grace the convention center to date. Miami artists continue to rise in stature along with their town. Miami gallery returnees to one of the grand poohbahs of art fairs include Fredric Snitzer Gallery, David Castillo Gallery and Spinello Projects (in ABMB Nova Section).

“Leading galleries from five continents” exhibiting masters of Modern and Contemporary art, as well as a new generation of Ultra Contemporary are on hand. The riveting “Conversations” series returns with nine panels (35 speakers) to get up to speed. Find the appropriate Art Basel app for your device and glue it into your phone now to pre plan and keep in the loop during show days.

RELATED: See miamiartzine.com's Editor's Guide to Art Basel.

Photographer:

Design Miami - Ricochet by Etienne Moyat (Photo courtesy of Galerie Negropontes)

Design Miami

The 18th edition of DM is again located in a large tent next to Pride Park across from the Miami Beach Convention Center. This year's theme is The Golden Age: Looking to the Future. (personally I’m a little afraid to look). 50 exhibitors will be in this long respected fair, running Wednesday, Nov. 30 to Sunday, Dec. 4, Preview Day is Tuesday, Nov. 29.

The theme: “refers to a metaphorical concept shared across cultures through time and space” (both past and future) sez the DM team. The fair offers “hope for the future, lighting the path towards our highest aspirations. The Golden Age: Looking to the Future will celebrate a tomorrow of our own creation.” Well. While you ponder that I will hope for it with every morsel of my being. I look forward to the inspiration. Etienne Moyat is one offering to intrique. He is “a monumental wood sculptor whose decorative panels immerse viewers in a dreamlike universe.” For some reason a dreamlike universe is appealing to me about now.

Miami’s long-respected Mindy Solomon Gallery will appear in DM to help us on our journey. Toss in bespoke furniture and accessories from Moniomi/Miami for more familiar touches.

Side Dishes

It seems appropriate to take this moment to draw a line from Miami’s art awakening on into a giant of the International cultural calendar, honoring those who drove the bus from point “A” to the now.

"The Miami Creative Movement,” exhibition and book launch, complementing Art Week main courses, fills in gaps. Myriad esteemed Miami artists exhibit strong new works: Carlos Betancourt, Edouard Duval-Carrie, Mira Lehr, Robert Thiele, John Bailly, Jacqueline Gopie, Karen Rifas, David Marsh, Paola Gracey, Asser Saint-Val, Robert McKnight, Gustavo Oviedo, Regina Jestrow, Pablo Contriciani, Walter Darby Bannard, Lynne Gelfman…a potpourri on the roster of locally stationed artists who earned an upper rung of the coveted ladder.

RELATED: FilmGate Interactive Festival During Art Week

Opening Saturday, Nov. 19 to  Wednesday, March 15, Miami Creative Movement is located at the Center for Visual Communication, Wynwood (541 Northwest 27th St.). Curated by artist and photographer Barry Fellman, the exhibition accompanies his sumptuous new book "Miami Creative: A Decade of Transformation." Fellman was there, he was everywhere, to visually document Miami’s road to here, augmented with essays by Alberto Ibargüen (Pres/ CEO of the Knight Foundation) and arts writer Jordan Levin. Art historian Dr. Carol Damian contributes. Meet the artists during art week 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov 30, Saturday, Dec 1 and Sunday, Dec. 2. RSVP /Tickets www.visual.org/miami-creative/Art Basel added the rocket launching booster to push Miami to the top of the heap, but Miami turned the Kleig light on itself first.

While you’re out walking around in the sunshine, stop by the Jewish Museum of Florida (1001 Washington Ave, Miami Beach). Donated to FIU in 1997, it continues to explore our history this season with Bonnie Lautenberg, artist, photographer, writer (widow of the late Senator Frank Lautenberg), seizing the moment to exhibit “Lady Liberty - A Bonnie Lautenberg Retrospective” (Wednesday, Nov. 16 through Sunday, March 26) honoring women’s strength and perseverance. As the topic of freedoms and the political climate swirls, obscuring light like dust devils around lives, Lautenberg recognizes the past influence of Harriet Tubman, abolitionists, freedom fighters and Suffragettes as heroes of a fight for equality and the rights of all people. Currently the landscape offers a bumpy ride as our goals vacillate wildly in tone…tensions ratchet up higher and tighter. Lautenberg was recently appointed by the President to the White House Advisory Committee on the Arts.

Dessert

Photographer:

Design Miami, Chaise Lounge, 1960 by Joaquim Tenreiro at the Diletante 42 gallery (Photo courtesy of the artist)

Did you know there are myriad satellite shows strewn around town? Don’t take those shoes off quite yet or you’ll miss ‘em: Ink Miami, Satellite Art Show, SCOPE Miami Beach, Untitled, Miami River Art Fair, PINTA Miami, Prizm, Red Dot Miami, Spectrum Miami…and you have about 4 days to cover all this…and more.

Spend time on various fair websites and apps to keep up to date on talks, events and presentations beforehand so you don’t miss anything life changing.

Practical Information

Art Miami and CONTEXT
www.artmiami.com/
1 Herald Plaza
Miami, FL 33132.

Art Basel Miami Beach
www.artbasel.com/miami-beach/at-the-show
Miami Beach Convention Center
1901 Convention Center Drive
Miami Beach 33139

Design Miami
www.designmiami.com/
Pride Park
Convention Center Drive/19th Street
Miami Beach, 33139

Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau gives a comprehensive overviewwww.miamiandbeaches.com.