Miami Beach's 16th annual Art Basel festival kicks off this Wednesday, with the public opening set for tomorrow.
Art Basel stages the world's premier Modern and contemporary art fairs, exhibitors, and presenters. The festival aims to connect leading art patrons and galleries across the country -- putting an emphasis on the principle that galleries play an essential role in the development and production of visual arts.
This years festival will feature 268 leading international galleries, drawn from 32 countries across North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa.
In addition to showing premier artworks ranging from Modern masters to the latest contemporary pieces across five gallery sectors, many galleries will present works in Art Basel’s project-based sectors and host a daily conversation series.
When it comes to hosting the event in Miami Beach, Mayor Dan Gelber believes Art Basel streamlines our city's rich, diverse culture. "Our city, decades ago did not really have any kind of cultural, critical mass," says Gelber. "But now, because of Art Basel, we have attracted a profile that is truly an international arts destination. That is a wonderful thing for us..."
Heading out to Art Basel? Here's are some of the events to look forward to this weekend:
- CIFO | ‘Triángulo’
- Wed 06 Dec
- 9am - 3pm
- CIFO Art Space, Miami
- Rubell Family Collection | ‘Still Human' and 'Allison Zuckerman: Stranger in Paradise'
- Wed 06 Dec
- 9am - 6pm
- Rubell Family Collection, Miami
- Art Basel | Public Sector Special Performance
- A special evening performance featuring Jim Shaw and the band D'red D'warf
- Wed 06 Dec
- 8pm - 9pm
- SoundScape Park, Miami Beach
- The Margulies Collection at the Warehouse
- Thu 07 Dec
- 9am - 6pm
- The Margulies Collection at the Warehouse, Miami
- Artworld Talk | Is Culture in the Americas in Big Trouble?
- Jordan Casteel, Anne Pasternak, Bill Arning, and Teju Cole
- Thu 07 Dec
- 6pm - 7pm
- Miami Beach Botanical Garden, Miami Beach
- Art Basel | Film | Special Screening
- Sara Driver: Boom for Real - The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat (2017)
- Fri 08 Dec
- 8:30pm - 10pm
- Colony Theatre, Miami Beach
- Artist Studio Visits
- Sat 09 Dec
- 9am - 12 noon
- Miami and Miami Beach
- Highlights from the Art in Public Places Collection + Visit to the Underline
- VIP
- Sat 09 Dec
- 9:30am - 11:30am
- Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Beach
- Frost Art Museum | Breakfast in the Park
- Sun 10 Dec
- 9:30am - 12 noon
- Frost Art Museum, Miami
That's just a taste of what's coming to Miami Beach. For a complete list of events, click here. For ticket information, click here.