miami art week 2024
In a coconut shell: Miami Art Week, here we go—
What did I expect from Miami (Art Scene) as a first-time visitor?
A glittering, ultra-capitalist stronghold of hedonism—maybe even a bit trashy—with a layer of fake friendliness on top. A mix of ultra-materialism paired with a laid-back, “hang loose” attitude driven by the warm weather and proximity to the sea: yoga, mindfulness, that kind of vibe, as I recently concluded in a conversation. An art scene that mirrors all this? Different kind of players: more impulsive, unafraid of big numbers, and drawn to big names. And, of course, absolutely essential: the influence of Caribbean and Latin American culture.
What was I told about Miami Art Week beforehand?
I was advised to RSVP for events well in advance because, apparently, doors in Miami aren’t as easy as they are in Basel. In recent years, the fair has supposedly shifted focus—becoming more about the parties than the art. Everything has changed, and not for the better, according to some. Yet, with a hint of “oh, too bad I won’t be there” in their eyes, they were still eager to hear what the stories would be like this year. Pace yourself with the alcohol, they said. Don’t party too much.
What were we (two friends—a gallery director, an artist—and me) going to Miami for?
The plan was clear from the start: Art Basel, NADA, Untitled, ICA, PAMM, Rubell, Margulies were all on the list. And, of course, a few beach events and a boat partie had to be included. One absolute must? A visit to Joe’s Stone Crab Restaurant. And the dress code? Bikini + blazer—the perfect outfit for every day. Naturally, a few gallery previews had been scoped out in advance, and a couple of meetings were lined up as well.
What did we end up doing?
1. Monday
we arrived, freshened up at the Airbnb, and went straight to Katharina Caserman’s opening at MAP (Marquez Art Projects). Great abstract paintings, plus an impressive display of Marquez’s permanent collection. I fell in love with a painting by Sayre Gomez that they had up. Next stop: Pummarola (Pizza Napoletana)—needless to say, we were starving by then. Still, or maybe because of it, it was the best Italian food we had during our entire stay. Probably in the top 3 overall. I’ll get to 1 and 2 later.
2. Tuesday
the Art Fair Previews started and I decided to kick things off with some chicken and waffles (this combo? Brilliant). Due to unforeseen circumstances, though, we arrived late to our first preview at Untitled Art Fair and had to rush through. Still, we managed to check out a few standouts: Gretchen Andrew’s new „Universal Beauty“ series of Facetune Portraits at Tender, some Von Wolfe portraits at Richard Heller’s booth, and Vickie Vainionpää at Patrick Mikhail. Afterward, we tried to catch a quick glimpse at the NADA (New Art Dealers Alliance) preview but ended up seeing… nada. Instead, we found ourselves in the strangest traffic jam situation for more than 1 hour, were almost kidnapped by the Uber driver—who claimed he mainly flew private jets but was doing Uber „FOR FUN“). We got off the Uber, changed plans, and decided tacos in the Design District were the best way to recover from our PTSD. Once restored, we headed to the ICA and Rubell openings. I don’t have much to say about the exhibitions at the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art Miami). Marguerite Humeau’s presentation stood out imo, but the crowd made it hard to fully experience. The Rubell Collection, however, was incredibly satisfying. The Rashid Johnson room was a highlight, showcasing not just his famous paintings but a stunning series of three-dimensional wall works.
3. Wednesday
was the big Basel Preview day, followed by an opening reception at The Bass Museum of Art, which was fun. What is there to say about Art Basel Miami Beach? Yes, Leonardo DiCaprio was there this year, too.
According to The Art Newspaper: Despite a weaker global market in 2024, sales are back but still somewhat slow, with collectors hesitant or „taking their time“. Highlighted seven-figure opening day deals included: „as of Wednesday afternoon, Hauser & Wirth had reported the fair’s most valuable work sold, with an untitled 2014 tarpaulin painting by David Hammons selling for $4.75m“; Thaddeus Ropac selling a Baselitz sculpture for €2.5m; Zwirner selling a Kusama painting for $3.5m and a Noah Davis work for $2m.
According to Artsy: „Art Basel Miami Beach 2024 yielded a strong depth of sales, albeit with fewer seven- and eight-figure transactions seen in previous editions.“ Hauser & Wirth led with the Hammons sale and reportedly made several other seven-figure deals during the fair. Other galleries reporting seven-figure sales included Zwirner, Ropac, White Cube, Pace, Kasmin, Mennour, Almine Rech, and Mai 36 ($1m).
According to me: I liked it. I enjoyed the mix of proposals and the various focus points in the different sections. That said, I wasn’t blown away by the “Meridians” section, which seemed like it was aiming to be a mini-Unlimited. The talks and conversations program, however, was intriguing. I am sure this feedback was incredibly helpful. You’re welcome 🙂
4. Thursday:
A nice catch-up at NADA. Fun booths, some daring positions, and a relaxed setting. I overheard two people at the outside lounge debating trends in painting. They discussed how there was a big boom in (naive) figuration a few years ago, and how it then shifted toward abstraction, as it was seen as less political and thus more universally accessible. According to the woman speaking, she’d noticed a renewed focus on more political art at these art fairs. I wonder if this ties in with what Jerry Saltz has said about the trend he’s been observing at Miami Art Week 2024: a movement away from plain canvases and a rediscovery of exciting and different materials and techniques for working in 2D.
After NADA we took a second round at Art Basel and later headed to the opening at PAMM (Pérez Art Museum Miami), where we admired, among other great works, José Parlá’s large-scale abstract paintings. We left the event shortly before it ended, as, considering the time it took us to get to the museum from South Beach, the stop-and-go traffic outside, and all the other people trying to order an Uber at the same time, we were already afraid we wouldn’t make it back. Then, a miracle happened: a bus (probably the last one of the night) stopped right in front of us, and without charging, took us back to Miami Beach for a quick after-work pick-me-up at Deuce (apparently an infamous ’70s strip club turned dive bar), followed by an after-after-work put-me-back at the Sandwichería next door. The tip we wish we’d known: take the bus, girls, it seems to have its own lane. The 100 line changed our lives, especially after spending just 10 minutes on it from Downtown Miami to Miami Beach. The euphoria you feel when you rattle across the bridge for the first time? Priceless. But why didn’t anyone tell us? We complained to so many people about the traffic, yet no one ever replied: „Girls, just take the bus!“ Anyhow: it was still damn cold on the bus. Whose lungs, for heaven’s sake, can survive Miami’s AC habits? Ours sure couldn’t. We caught a cold a few days later.
5. From Friday on,
the days started to feel a bit more relaxed, like swimming through a well-tempered pool of dinner meetings, business lunches by the beach, and occasional exhibition visits. The Margulies Collection was definitely a highlight! Great curation, great works, and impressive Anselm Kiefer rooms. When it comes to culinary experiences, I’d say the Cuban restaurant Puerto Sagua was my absolute favorite by far. Joe’s Crab would be a close second for me, but Bethenny Frankel (if you don’t know her yet, you’re probably not on TikTok enough) would probably argue: JOE’S BEFORE HOES!
What did we miss?
Oh, so many things. But here’s what we learned by around the second day of our stay: First of all, don’t try to control Miami. We tried at first, but after an evacuation due to a fire emergency in our apartment, the kidnapping situation that almost landed us god knows where, and a little drink-throwing incident in a scumbag’s face, we resigned. The city didn’t just look like GTA (as a friend in Berlin commented on the pictures I was sending her)—GTA was probably inspired by it. Another comparison I liked came from my Russian friend while walking around Flamingo, South Beach. She said it looked like Moscow with Palms. Two: Get used to traffic. Three: Turn off your FOMO. Four: Beware the AC. Five: „Miami made me do it“ is a valid excuse in more situations than it should be.
What did I say when I was asked if I liked Miami?
I’ll probably stick to my first impressions and repeat that if I had to describe the city in one word—for better or for worse—I’d choose the word „absurd.“ In both the positive and negative sense of the meaning. The city is as much a scam (surprised they didn’t charge us for the air we were breathing) as it is a crazy, adventurous, and fun place full of opportunities. Energy is currency, and you have to choose wisely what to spend it on.
With all that being said…
STAY SALTY!
Truly,
Your Miami Mami