Sunday, December 7, 2008

Art Basel Miami Beach


Like whoever stuck this on the sidewalk near the Miami Beach Convention Center, some may be cynical about Art Basel, but you know what? I loved every minutiae down to the shades of pink on the ticket and the font used to brand the show.


YEAH!

Art Basel Miami Beach is the most important art show in the United States, a cultural and social highlight for the Americas. As the sister event of Switzerland's Art Basel, the most prestigious art show worldwide for the past 39 years, Art Basel Miami Beach combines an international selection of top galleries with an exciting program of special exhibitions, parties and crossover events featuring music, film, architecture and design. ~www.artbaselmiamibeach.com

Art Basel Miami Beach was fantastic. The art was beautiful. The people were beautiful. I snuck my camera in, took lots of pics, got busted and was told to check my camera. For the love of Blog! So I checked the empty camera case (haha), snuck the camera back in, and kept shooting away.

The first thing that really caught my eye was this:






I was struck by how similar it is to the painting style of my nephew Andrew, who is self taught and has never taken an art history class. I wanted to tell him about the artist because of the similarities, so when I went over to find out who it was, I was shocked to discover that it was none other than . . .



There was so much great art that I didn't have time to see it all. In order to really appreciate the entire show, I believe it would take me the entire four days that Art Basel is open. But here are some pieces that I found particularly good. Enjoy.


The gold leaf on the tire reads "GOD."


I dug this 3D motocross bike piece. So funny.


An art-appreciating Botero!






This laser-cut stainless steel sculpture was one of the most impressive pieces there. It's repped by the Sperone Westwater Gallery on W. 13th Street in NYC. The artist is Wim Delvoye, and its title is D-11 Scale Model 2.0 (2008).


Chelsea's David Zwirner gallery on West 19th repped this Chinese artist Yan Pei-Ming. Nice portrait.


This gold-plated chain-link fence by Aaron Young was a big hit, blocking off the "Art Nova" booth of Chelsea's Bortolami Gallery . The art dealers behind it appeared hipper than thou, and only the most serious art appreciators squeezed through breaks in the fence to enter.


This sculpture was as tall as I. Feel like playing God? Click on the photo to enlarge and you will see that the buttons give you choices of:
  • star falling
  • sun eclipse
  • revolution
  • epidemic
  • migration
  • flood
  • war
  • storm
  • earthquake
  • temperature
. . . which can effect either
  • humans
  • animals, or
  • plants.

Great stuff.




"Lotus"


This painting of the foundering psychedelic schooner was one of my top favorites. The detail work was amazing. I wish I'd documented the artist but the gallerista noticed my camera so I bolted.


And what is with these knives? This . . .




This painting was pretty cool, titled "Hippie Artist," (2008) by Sigrid Holwood. The subject's body was covered in gold leaf, which this photo does not do justice.


He's omnipotent. No matter what museum, gallery or boutique you venture into, there he is.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Wow the show looks awesome!

thanks for sneaking in your camera ;)