Image via Complex Original
Art Basel Miami Beach 2014 kicks off next week, and as always, there's a lot more to see than just the main fair. Last year, we saw Jeff Koons' explosive Art Car, witnessed a poolside performance piece by Matthew Stone, and talked to FriendsWithYou about their iridescent, inflatable installation. This year, everyone, from Snarkitecture to the Marina Abramovic Institute, is gearing up for a slew of incredible must-see events. Sure, we expect to see some of the tired trends that dominate art fairs years after year, but 2014 also means a week of interviews, performances, exhibitions, and installations that stretch the boundaries of Art Basel. Check out our list of 20 Things to Look Forward to at Art Basel Miami Beach 2014.
Design Miami/
Dates: Dec. 3 - 7
Location: Meridian Ave. and 19th St., Miami Beach, Fla. 33139
Price: $25
The “global forum for design,” which brings together designers, collectors, and curators from around the world, is once again opening its much-anticipated fair at Miami Beach. Of the many galleries that will be exhibiting this year, the list includes Galerie Jacques Lacoste, Ornamentum, and Antonella Villanova.
Art Basel Miami Beach
Dates: Dec. 4 - 7
Location: 300 W 41st St. #214, Miami Beach, Fla. 33140
Price: $45 for day pass
If the previous Art Basel fairs are any indication, this year's main fair will surely deliver. One event in particular seems particularly attractive: the chance to sunbathe with giant arthropod sculptures created by Dutch artist Theo Jansen. Called Strandbeests, these sculptures are made from materials like water bottles and PVC tubes, and “are able to respond to environmental conditions by storing wind power, changing direction when they sense water and anchoring themselves during storms,” according to the press release.
NADA
Dates: Dec. 4 - 7
Location: The Deauville Beach Resort, 6701 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, Fla. 33141
Price: Free
Each year, the NADA art fair focuses on giving underexposed artists the spotlight. Some of the up-and-coming exhibitors this year will include Mika Tajima and Sara VanDerBeek.
PULSE
Dates: Dec. 4 - 7
Location: Indian Beach Park, 4601 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, Fla. 33140
Price: $20
PULSE has moved to the more convenient location of Indian Beach from its longtime home at the Ice Palace Studios. Some must-see PULSE projects include a video installation by Jenna Spevack, titled Birds of Brooklyn, and a large-scale sculpture, called Tangle Wood, by Canadian artist Shayne Dark.
“Love, Strength, & Soul” Exhibition at Yeelen Gallery
Dates: Nov. 22, 2014 - Jan. 10, 2015
Location: Yeelen Gallery, 294 N.W. 54th St., Miami 33127
Price: Free
Canadian painter Tim Okamura will be displaying his works at a solo show at the Yeelen Gallery. Titled “Love, Strength, & Soul,” his exhibit pays homage to African-American women and their struggle for equality, drawing inspiration from graffiti and other elements of Brooklyn, where he is now based.
“Zero Tolerance: Miami” Exhibition at YoungArts
Dates: Dec. 3 - 7
Location: YoungArts Gallery, 2100 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, Fla. 33131
Price: Free
In partnership with MoMa PS1, YoungArts will be presenting "Zero Tolerance: Miami," an exhibition exploring themes like “artistic freedom” and the relationship between art, politics, and society.
Swizz Beatz's “Dean Collection” at SCOPE
Dates: Dec. 3 - 7
Location: SCOPE Pavilion, 910 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139
Price: $30
Swizz Beatz is no stranger to the art world or Art Basel, being an avid art collector himself. His possessions include works by Basquiat, Takashi Murakami, and Andy Warhol, among others. For the first time ever, he will be curating a selection of artists for SCOPE, titled “The Dean Collection.”
"Stolen Kisses" Exhibition at Ghost Room Gallery
Dates: Dec. 5 - 19
Location: Online
Price: Free
Illustrator Hannah Stouffer is collaborating with painter and tattoo artist Johnny Vampotna to present "Stolen Kisses," a series of porcelain sculptures and ethereal watercolor paintings, all in grayscale. The physical location of the gallery will not be disclosed, and the show will be based completely online, staying true to its mysterious and ephemeral narrative.
Concerts at Bardot Miami
Dates: Dec. 3 - 5
Location: 3456 N Miami Ave., Miami, Fla. 33127
Price: $20 - $37
Les Sins (the side project of Chaz Bundick of Toro y Moi), James Murphy, and James Blake's 1-800-Dinosaur are among some of the acts coming to Bardot Miami. The swanky live music bar/lounge is one of the most stylish venues in the Wynwood area, and we'd expect nothing less for Art Basel.
Pop-Up Galleries at EDITION
Dates: Dec. 4 - 6
Location: Miami Beach EDITION Hotel, 2901 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139
Price: Free
The EDITION hotel in Miami is organizing a series of pop-up galleries during Art Basel Miami Beach. Bill Powers is bringing both Half Gallery and Harper's Books, a bookshop and photography gallery located in East Hampton, New York, to Miami. Half Gallery will show works by Genieve Figgis, and Harper's Books will display Enoc Perez pieces. Home Alone 2 Gallery, based in New York's Lower East Side, is also setting up shop in EDITION, as is Fulton Ryder, Richard Prince's rare bookshop, gallery, and publisher. On Dec. 4, New York-based artists Jonah and Justin will give a performance in EDITION's forum space. Additionally, artist-designed bowling balls will go on display in the hotel's basement bowling alley.
SHOWStudio's “In Your Face” Interview Series
Dates: Dec. 4
Location: Miami Beach EDITION Hotel, 2901 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139
Price: Free
Known for pushing the boundaries of communication in the world of fashion, SHOWstudio will be screening a series of interviews titled "In Your Face." As the name might suggest, the series aims to depart from the traditional “coaxing” and “cajoling” nature of the interview process, aiming instead to provide a direct, intense window into the thoughts of “people who hold strong opinions and challenging thoughts,” according to the press release. Some of the people being interviewed include French philosopher Bernard Henri Levy and Yoko Ono.
Advance Screening of Tim Burton's Big Eyes
Dates: Dec. 5
Location: Colony Theatre, 1040 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139
Price: Free
Tim Burton's latest film, titled Big Eyes, will be screening at Art Basel before its national release on Dec. 25. Starring Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz, the film is based on the true story of Walter Keane, one of the biggest plagiarists in the art world.
Snarkitecture and Alchemist's AIRBALL Installation
Dates: Dec. 1 - 7
Location: 1111 Lincoln Road, Carpark Level 5, Miami Beach, Fla. 33139
Price: Free
Fashion retailer Alchemist and designers Snarkitecture will be displaying their collaborative project, titled AIRBALL, a basketball-inspired installation. The space will allow visitors to “shoot around, arcade-style” in an elevated arena while others can relax and watch on bleachers, according to the press release. There will also be a limited number of AIRBALL products, like sneakers and can coolers, sold at the exhibit. All products were designed in collaboration with designers, including Rick Owens and Chrome Hearts.
Ryan McNamara's Performance Piece
Dates: December 3 - 4
Location: Miami Grand Theater at Castle Beach Resort, 5445 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, Fla. 33140
Price: Free
Contemporary artist Ryan McNamara will be showing his award-winning performance, titled MEƎM 4 Miami: A Story Ballet About the Internet, at the Miami Grand Theater (the former Playboy theater). The performance, an interpretation of the chaotic structure of the Internet and its never ending streams of information, incorporates samples and remixes of music both contemporary and classical.
Paula Crown's Site-Specific Installation
Dates: Dec. 1, 2014 - March 2015
Location: Miami Design District
Price: Free
Artist Paula Crown will be debuting an enormous installation that will span half a city block within the Miami Design District, called TRANSPOSITION: Over Many Miles. The installation will feature a 25-foot sculpture made of different materials like Astroturf, sand, and tempered glass. It is the first sculpture fabricated by artist Theaster Gates' studio. After its debut in Miami, Crown's work will be disassembled and permanently reinstalled in a park in Chicago.
Daniel Arsham's "Welcome to the Future" Exhibition at Locust Projects
Dates: Dec. 1 - 6
Location: 3852 North Miami Ave, Miami, Fla. 33127
Price: Free
Locust Projects will be presenting artist Daniel Arsham's "Welcome to the Future," his first exhibit in Miami since 2010. The exhibit will feature a trench in the gallery floor holding “calcified artifacts” like boomboxes, Nintendo controllers, and VHS tapes, according to the press release. The trench and its contents “present the recent past as archeology,” exploring our world's narrative of production and technological obsoleteness.
Mana Miami
Dates: Dec. 3 - 7
Location: 318 NW 23rd St., Miami, Fla. 33127
Price: $20
For its inaugural presentation in Miami, Mana Contemporary will be showcasing three different projects, titled "Mana Monumental," "Dirty Geometry," and "Gary Lichtenstein Editions." The shows will be held on Mana's sprawling Wynwood campus, reflecting the program's overarching themes of community and collaboration.
Bally's "Form Scratch" Architectural Exhibition
Dates: Dec. 4 - 7
Location: 1685 Collins Ave Miami Beach, Fla. 33139
Price: Free
Swiss fashion company Bally draws inspiration from French and Swiss modernist architects and designers with its evolving exhibition, "Form Scratch," which celebrates “modernity, function, and innovation,” according to the press release. The collection will be presented along with a de-mountable house designed by Jean Prouvé (one of the most innovative French architects and colleague of the legendary Le Corbusier), a collection of furniture by Swiss architect Pierre Jeanneret, and a new commission by French art duo Kolkoz.
The Marina Abramovic Institute's Event Series
Dates: Dec. 4 - 7
Location: Various locations
Price: Free
The Marina Abramovic Institute will be presenting a series of collaborative events and installations during Art Basel Miami Beach. At the main Art Basel fair, an interactive public installation designed by Abramovic will invite participants to lie down and sleep without time limits. Other exercises, including Counting the Rice and Slow Motion Walk, will take place at Design Miami/ and the National YoungArts Foundation, respectively.
Baz Luhrmann's “A Kid Could Do It” Exhibition
Dates: Dec. 4 - 7
Location: 300 W 41st St. #214, Miami Beach, Fla. 33140
Price: $45 for day pass
The Great Gatsby director will be collaborating with costume designer Catherine Martin and producer Nellee Hooper to design the booth for Galerie Gmurzynska's exhibit at Art Basel Miami Beach's main fair. Titled “A Kid Could Do It,” the exhibit plays on the oft-heard complaint made towards modern art. One of Luhrmann's contributions will include a reinterpretation of the Jeux d'Enfants ballet using 1930s footage of the performance.
