TAKEAWAYS FROM MIAMI ART WEEK 2024

TAKEAWAYS FROM MIAMI ART WEEK 2024
By Wendy Windercal Dec 18, 2024

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The highly anticipated Art Basel Miami descended once again, transforming the city into a vibrant celebration of artistic expression and creativity. World-class art was presented at the main fair and satellite shows, as well as in galleries, museums, public installations, and art institutions throughout Greater Miami and Miami Beach. These are our takeaways from this exceptional week.

 

Alcova

 

Alcova returned for its second edition to the historic River Inn, Miami’s oldest hotel, located in East Little Havana. Built as a boarding house in the early 1900s, its vernacular architecture was turned into site-specific installation rooms. Over forty emerging artists presented their designs, combining their vision with the indoor structures and the outdoor lush vegetation of this distinctive location.

 

Upon our arrival to Alcova, we were greeted with chocolate tangerines in the pool area. The rotating vessels inside the pool displayed these candied treats on large tableware objects. “1,033 Tangerines” is a multisensory edible piece produced by the food art studio Ananas Ananas. Their works have been known for creating experiences that elevate the consciousness against food waste on an individual and collective level. The River Inn’s pool represents the amount of water wasted to produce this edible. It took over 17,572.84 gallons of water to produce 200 pounds of tangerines, which came out to 1,033 pieces.

 

Make_Good_Design and the Center for Subtropical Affairs collaborated on “Outside/In,” an immersive installation that merged nature, design, and sound. Exotic and native Everglades plant species brought from The Miami Tropical Botanic Garden were arranged in a horticultural aesthetic design. The self-watering planters had electrocardiogram sensors attached to their leaves that recorded their electric impulses and made tones. This particular sound was converted into Epiphytic Music and played in this microcosm installation. Plants react favorably to these frequencies, which help them grow and thrive harmoniously. The objective of this project is to facilitate these practices and sustain the existence of the three-acre urban garden.

 

Other works that we thoroughly enjoyed at the fair included Panorammma's furniture design laboratory, based in Mexico City. The hand-linked steel ring pieces suggested entertaining fantasies, but also proved to be suitable for everyday use. In addition, Studio HAOS's design of "Room for Reverie" created a space that welcomed the viewer to enter the private realm of the individual who occupied this space, who is out of sight. The designs were cleverly crafted, using humble materials in a non-pretentious way. Furthermore, the “Nice Cock…” by Kevin Quale is a surrealist ceramic table installation that evokes the still-life paintings of the Dutch Golden Age. The exotic food luxuries depicted in these paintings have been substituted by contemporary gay culture icons such as poppers and chicken nuggets. This messy banquet is a representation of an extravagant gay after-party held in a Miami hotel room.

 

1,033 Tangerines, Ananas Ananas

 

 

 

Studio HAOS, Room for Reverie

 

Kevin Quale, Nice Cock...

 

The Bass

 

The work that captivated us the most throughout the week was XI by the Franco-Brazilian artist collective assume vivid astro focus (avaf). The extensive multimedia experience comprises a modular stage, tapestry, multicolored seating, painting, sculpture, and wallpaper, as well as a video projection that commemorates local drag performers and iconic LGBTQ figures. This artwork combines psychedelic imagery with an explosion of bright colors that surrounds the whole space - floor, walls, and ceiling. The installation invites the viewer to partake of this energetic and animated celebration of inclusivity and liberation. Their work is known for exploring the themes of gender identity, free speech, and civil rights.

 

 

NADA

 

The NADA fair was held at its usual venue, the Ice Palace, showcasing both established and emerging talent. This year, the booth that stood out the most was Sargents Daughters, which featured the works of Yaron Michael Hakim. The Colombian artist from Los Angeles is known for combining his multicultural upbringing with his ethnic heritage. The recurring theme of his work is the flora and fauna of South America. He juxtaposes his facial features with the native birds, resulting in a surreal transformation of identities on sailcloth portraits. This was one of the few solo artist shows we saw during the fair. Other noteworthy artists with a shared space were Gabrielle Garland, Tomona Matsukawa, Aineki Traverso, and Kati Henning.

 

Yaron Michael Hakim, Self-Portrait as a Pink Fan Santa Marta Ara Rubrogenys, 2023

 

Gabrielle Garland, Untitled, 2024

 

Tomona Matsukawa, At that time 3, 2024

 

Aineki Traverso, Casita, 2023

 

Kati Henning works at dieFirma's booth

 

Untitled Art

 

Untitled Art returned this year on the sands of Miami Beach with the theme "East Meets West," connecting galleries from Asia to this side of the world. This concept, curated by Kathy Huang and Jungmin Cho, was aimed at increasing market diversity and inclusivity. For example, the Nest sector, which provides subsidized space to emerging galleries, featured the Rajiv Menon Contemporary gallery. This space has been a beacon of creative talent from South Asian regions, and their diasporas. It showcased the work of two thriving artists from India, Viraj Khanna and Tarini Sethi.

 

Left: Viraj Khanna, Why am I even buying this, 2024

Right: Viraj Khanna, Garden area of Michelin star restaurant, 2024

 

Dai Ying, No Dust to be Wiped, 2023

 

Vita Kari, Another Video Without Captions, 2024

 

Carlos Sagrera, Ancestry, 2024

 

Alex Anderson works at Superposition Gallery booth

 

Art Basel

 

Art Basel Miami Beach celebrated its 22nd edition under the new directorship of Bridget Finn. This year, 286 galleries from 38 countries displayed their works, including 34 newcomers. A recent feature to the fair was a new entry-level booth system, which made it easier for smaller galleries to secure their space. This year, there were no viral stories like Maurizio Cattelan's banana duck-taped to a wall or any trolling stunt pieces. Surprisingly, there was also a lesser presence of political art.

 

Martha Edelheit, View of Empire State Building from Sheep Meadow, 1970-72

 

Hernan Bas, Vampire (photobooth), 2024

 

Lousia Gagliardi, Unlimited Access, 2023

 

Rinus Van De Velde, And when the cigarette smoke slowly but surely drifts away,..., 2024

 

 

Design Miami

 

The adjacent fair, Design Miami, returned for its 20th edition with the theme "Blue Sky." Curated by Glenn Adamson, it brought 45 galleries showcasing innovative high-end furniture, light, ceramic, and jewelry, with an optimistic outlook for the future.

 

Roham Shamekh, Pharrell's Echoes

 

Marc Fish, Ethereal Bed, 2024

 

Mathieu Lehanneur, Flowers Season

 

One of the biggest wins of the week was the incorporation of complimentary water taxis that facilitated the connection between the bay side of Miami Beach and downtown. It offered rides every 15 minutes, which greatly expedited the east-west route. We anticipate that this service will be available for the upcoming editions.

 

Cover photo: Nicholas Galanin, Seletega

 

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