A WEEK MOST ARTFUL
The Low-Down on High-Class Happenings For Art Week
Although Art Basel Miami Beach proper is gracing our shores a bit later this year (Dec. 7-10), the satellite events and festivals kick into high-gear weeks before. And for good reason — there’s so much going on! We know the feeling: You’re approaching this year’s festivities with high spirits, certain you’ll finally be able to organize and execute an itinerary that’ll leave friends and frienemies alike gasping in envy at your social media accounts. But how could one possibly even begin to enjoy all the chicly curated events scattered across our city limits? It’s with this confusion in mind that we’ve organized a quick guide for our FOMO-inclined citizenry so they don’t miss the IG posts of a lifetime. First, a notable change: A healthful sign of growth, annual extravaganzas Art Miami and CONTEXT will be moving seaside for this and all foreseeable Art Week seasons, occupying the former The Miami Herald building at 1 Herald Plaza, a move Fair Director Nick Korniloff hopes will appease a growing fan and artist base. Now, the real question is how to get to where you’re going. We highly recommend using the Art Express, a free shuttle that zips from every estimable location this creative portion of the calendar offers. Water Taxis, which provide the only transportation system sincerely unaffected by titanic traffic jams, and UberBOAT and UberSEAPLANE are other wise (albeit more expensive) options, unless of course, you have bought into one of the many VIP packages being offered. And, while surge pricing continues to be a concern, rideshare services are still infinitely more affable than driving yourself, finding parking and paying astronomical rates. With a season sure to be the largest Art Week ever, there will be global networking opportunities galore in every corner of our fair city — make sure your business cards an elevator pitches are as attention-grabbing as the works on display. — Photos by World Red Eye & Getty Images
SATELLITE SAVINGS
Free Fairs To Fit Any Budget
From getting there to sips and snacks, pop-up shop blowouts and perhaps even a piece of art to add to your collection, Art Week tends to take a toll on any eccentric’s budget, and dangerously close to the holiday season. This is precisely why a number of our favorite fairs and showings are entirely FREE to the public. Ink Miami Art Fair, Art Beat Miami Art Fair, Art Of Black Miami, HIVE Pop-Up Art Village & Lounge and the Miami River Art Fair are all completely gratis to the public — and to many of the aritsts exhibiting. Spend at least one day exploring these awesome artistic spaces. Your soul — and wallet — will thank you.
FLY AWAY
A New Art Airline Is Propelled By Creativity
Have high-roller friends trying to hitch a ride down to Miami for this year’s Art Basel? You might want to let them know that a historic arrival of a lifetime is right on the horizon. The maiden flight of Angelhaha Airline is set to land at MIA on Dec. 6 just in time for the pre-Basel VIP lineup. The world’s first art-enthusiast airline, the brainchild of Chinese-American Artist & Choreographer Qinmin Liu, will carry passengers on a one-way trip to art events around the world — with ticket prices ranging from $300 to $3,000, depending on the itinerary. Liu says she will serve as the CEO, Spokesperson & Chief Flight Attendant for her new airline and will offer customers an immersive choreographed experience that’s based on the company’s slogan: “Fly with Angelhaha. Fly with Happiness.”; AngelhahaAirline.com.
HOT COMMODITY
Exactly What Makes Art So Pricey?
It’s an age-old question that’s haunted art dealers since tint was first applied to cave walls: How do you place a value on something as ephemeral as art? There are many factors at play here. 1.) The popularity of a piece, as well as the artist’s name, can increase the price of a work simply due to notoriety. 2.) Galleries may only sell pieces at a certain pricepoint or above in order to establish prestige. 3.) There’s even a possibility that a modern reference to an older artist can cause a surge in prices simply because that artist is rediscovered. Pop artists such as Jay-Z, Rick Ross and Macklemore have referenced the late artist Jean-Michel Basquiat in their music, causing a bump in the value of his works. Last year, a piece by Basquiat sold for a record-breaking $57 million. The artist’s works continue to rise in value at auctions. The fact that an artist can no longer paint obviously increases the value of their works, but the truth is that art is initially priced just like most things: Relative to comparable pieces. The ability to predict whether a piece will increase its value is perhaps better left to an expert, however, a pricetag should ultimately not change the owner’s opinion of a work. After all, art is only as valuable as the feeling it conveys to its beholder.
PUBESCENT PRODIGY
Another Art Week Record-Setter
World-renowned arts sensation. Lecturer for such notable institutions as Harvard and The Vatican. Philanthropist extraordinaire. And just 16 years old. That’s right, a peerless prodigy whose works sold for $100,000 at the tender age of 8, Autumn De Forest has spent her (relatively) short life ensuring the arts are well-celebrated in our culture, and this Art Week will see some of her best works to date. Hailed as a “genius” by Walt Disney Corporation and Discovery Channel, how exactly does De Forest feel about her still expansive career? “This year marks my 10th year as a professional artist, and I have had an incredible journey thus far,” she says. “As I look back on my work, I’ve always made sure that I’m able to paint from my unconscious. I leave a trail of breadcrumbs that leads me back to that part of my mind — the December events in Miami are always so exciting, and I love the way art envelops the entire city!” You can see an invigorating array of De Forest’s works at this year’s AQUA Art Miami; AutumnDeForest.com.
A-LIST ITINERARY
Top Picks for Art Week Events
Dec. 1
Institute Of Contemporary Art Opening
ICA Miami, 61 NE 41st St.
Although technically pre-Basel, no selection of art-themed events would be complete without a mention of the ICA’s entirely FREE Grand Opening in the heart of the Miami Design District. Show up at 12 p.m. for a ribbon-cutting and to rub shoulders with some of our city’s top civic and philanthropic leaders; ICAMiami.org.
Dec. 5
Elisabetta Fantone
1677 Collins Ave.
Actress, Artist & Model Elisabetta Fantone will partner with the devastatingly deco National Hotel for a modish makeover. Enhancements will include installing moving projections at the front of the gallery, showcasing art pieces from her newest collection and designing a dedicated suite thematically enhanced to her exacting specifications. Open to the public; NationalHotel.com.
Dec. 6 & 7
Live Tattoo Art
1530 Collins Ave.
A world-renowned inkist whose works exhibit a moving, Monet-esque quality, Tattoo Artist Thea Duskin will be offering single-session skin art on a first-come, first-serve basis at AQUA this year. Priced at $500, these sincerely unique pieces are, in our opinion, worth far more than the pricepoint; AQUAArtMiami.com.
Dec. 7
Superfine! Art Fair
56 NE 29th St.
A fair designed to markedly alter the art world as it’s traditionally thought of, Superfine’s hallmark is its ceaseless commitment to transparency, ensuring that the artworks that catch your eye are priced at some of the most favorable pricepoints around. A record 70% of the works featured range from a modest $200-$4,000; Superfine.world.
Dec. 8
As Far As My Fingertips Take Me
500 17th St.
A seriously sensual experience (in the original sense of the word), Tania El Khoury’s As Far As My Fingertips Take Me is an interactive art experience that engrosses guests in the stories, songs and sense-memories of a contemporary refugee. Part of a Miami-Dade College program that focuses on the artistic efforts of Muslims worldwide; MDC.edu.
Dec. 9
Patricia Field Fashion Show
2245 NW 2nd Ave.
Featuring the latest works by Style Icon & Chic Costumer Patricia Field, Dec. 9 will see a fashion show perfectly cementing the bonds between art and fashion. Hosted by Wynwood’s White Dot Gallery, the Artfashion Collection will forecast some ferocious trends for the coming season and beyond with lots of style, sass and creativity mixed in; PatriciaField.com.
