Welcome to Anna Sherrill's ultimate guide to Miami Art Week! Our three-part series takes a dive into the best restaurants, must-visit galleries, and the exclusive celebrations taking place in the Magic City throughout the week.
Art Basel Miami, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year since launching in Miami, opens December 1st through 3rd, with invite-only preview days on November 29th and 30th. Still, the festivities start well in advance with the opening of satellite fairs and a flurry of events as more galleries, luxury brands and nonprofits make the most of our lively city.
Below are our top 10 tips on the must-see art fairs and exhibits.
Art Basel Miami Beach 2022
A sign that the art world is booming, the 20th annual Art Basel Miami Beach presents over 280 galleries for its largest fair to date. Half hail from the Americas, while 26 are making their debut, including Bridget Donahue (NY), Rolf Art (Buenos Aires) and Stars (LA) (I’m confused, all these are in the Americas, so we need to feature some not from the Americas). Formerly with Sotheby’s, Noah Horowitz succeeds Marc Spiegler as CEO.
Design Miami/
Design Miami/ celebrates a creative vision of tomorrow through its 18th edition theme, “The Golden Age: Looking to the Future.” Fifty galleries and curios include the Haas Brothers’ solo show, recycled bronze furnishings inspired by African ritual masks, and monumental versions of Kim Simonsson’s Moss People. Pride Park at Convention Center Drive and 19th Street.
NADA Miami
Just like Art Basel Miami Beach, the New Art Dealers Alliance and its NADA Miami fair turn 20 this year. Thirty-seven first-time exhibitors are among the approximately 145 galleries, art spaces and nonprofits from 40 cities worldwide at Ice Palace Studios. Jack Shainman Gallery director Joeonna Bellorado-Samuels curates eight solo shows for the Curated Spotlight section.
Untitled Art
More than stellar contemporary art, Untitled Art is one of the more popular fairs for its natural light-filled tent located on the beach at 12th Street. The 11th edition’s 140 galleries from 31 countries promise to be it’s most international to date. The VIP Lounge exhibits American painter Angela Fraleigh’s “The Raving Ones.”
Art Miami
Long before Art Basel, Art Miami was the Magic City’s first contemporary art fair. Over 155 galleries from 17 countries will exhibit works at its 32nd edition alongside sister fair Context in bayside pavilions on the mainland at One Herald Plaza (NE 14th Street). Sponder Gallery hosts activist and photography project collaborator Gloria Steinem on December 2nd.
Scope Art Show
Miami art week’s original satellite fair has grown from its initial boutique hotel location with 27 galleries to a massive white tent on the beach at 8th Street with over 130 international galleries. The 21st edition features its most ambitious New Contemporary program ever; the platform frees artists to explore hot topics like technology, politics and inclusivity.
Gagosian & Jeffrey Deitch
Powerhouse galleries Gagosian and Jeffrey Deitch collaborate for a seventh group show. For their Miami Art Week pop-up at the Miami Design District’s historic Buick Building, “100 Years” delves into contemporary artists’ response to interplay of past, present and future. View works by artists Urs Fischer, Theaster Gates and Taryn Simon, among several participants.
Saatchi Yates
Founded by Phoebe Saatchi Yates and Arthur Yates in London two years ago, Saatchi Yates gallery pops up in the Miami Design District (35 NE 40th Street) from November 22nd to December 20th. Germany-based Ethiopian artist Tesfaye Urgessa’s solo show of new large-scale paintings coincides with his presentation at Rubell Museum opening on November 28th.
Superblue Miami x BMW
Superblue and BMW present Mexican-Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s “Pulse Topology” from November 17th to August 2023. The biometric work’s 3,000 suspended light bulbs interact with and link viewers’ heartbeats, voices and breaths as a metaphor for human connection. On display during art week only, the first fully electric BMW i7 sedan sports the same digital effect
Faena Art
In collaboration with Aorist, Faena Art commissioned “Living Room” by the post-digital art group Random International. Viewers enter the immersive installation featuring sound, light and fog erected on the beach to visualize their unique data and make an NFT. The winning proposal for the inaugural Faena Prize for the Arts ($100,000) also will be announced.