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Can I tell you…about Miami Art Basel. Ever since it’s launch in 2002, this four day convergence has gained quite a reputation for being the most important art fair in the country and one that throws the best parties! This past December, I took the plunge and joined hundreds of New Yorkers on their pilgrimage to South Beach. This year MAB’s organizers pulled out all the stops with art on the beach, over the top parties, lavish dinners and live performances by emerging artists. There was so much to see and do that it was overwhelming, but that’s part of the fun. At the airport taxi line, I bumped into my girlfriend Teresa Herrera who, like me, also came to take it all in for the first time. We were Basel Virgins!
I stayed with my BFF Peter Som who was conveniently booked at the Shoreclub, a hop and skip away from the Convention Center. Location is everything especially for a huge fair like this.
Walking through the Convention Center was daunting with over 250 prestigious galleries from 33 countries and over 2,000 artists showing everything from paintings, fine art photography, sculpture, drawings, installations and videos. Even Sylvester Stallone exhibited his work. Who knew he was an ‘artist’?!
I enjoyed the other satellite fairs like Pulse, Art Asia and Scope over at the Wynwood district, where you could find new artists and perhaps some affordable pieces.
We did our share of shin-digging too. There was the Francois Nars’ party at the Standard where we bumped into Lorenzo Martone showing off his tattoos to his friends. As we were leaving, Francois and Naomi Campbell were just arriving fashionably very late for their own event. We rushed over to Nadia Swarovski’s rooftop cocktail at the W then downstairs for another party by the pool where I bumped into Teresa Herrera with Filipino Art Collector Marcel Krespo and the boys from Cool Hunting Josh Rubin and Evan Orenstein. We caught a live performance by Santigold at the Raleigh right after David Zwirner Gallery’s intimate dinner.
We tagged along with LACMA curator and our girlfriend Christine Y. Kim and her associates to see some of the leading private collections in Miami – among them the Margulies Collection, the Rubell Family Collection, the de la Cruz Collection, the Mora Collection, the Scholl Collection, and the Dacra Collection. During the fair, they open their homes and warehouses to guests of the show. I especially love seeing art in homes, especially art of this caliber. There’s an aspirational aspect to it that I’m sure you can relate to.
After four days we had art coming out of our ears and had had enough of the big extravaganzas. We were aching for something low key. Fortunately, our dear friend and super talented Interior Designer D.B. Kim was celebrating his birthday party in South Beach.
The party was held in stylist Ron Laxamana’s quaint apartment compound that faintly evokes the set of 90’s TV hit Melrose Place. It was a fun intimate affair and a perfect way to end a rather hectic and art-filled week. I’ll be back…same time next year!
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