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Good Vibes: Highlights from Miami Art Week 2024

Good Vibes: Highlights from Miami Art Week 2024

Tsipi Ben Haim

With something for everyone—regardless of age or taste—Miami Art Week’s December fairs cater to casual visitors and serious collectors alike. Overall, slogans, paintings, photographs, and sculptures exuded creativity and inspiration. Standing out were Art Basel and Art Miami, setting benchmarks for Miami-based and international art dealers and artists to follow. Collaboration emerged as a heartwarming theme. Galleries sharing booths fostered camaraderie, with exhibitors at Art Basel assisting one another through shipping delays—a rare and uplifting gesture in such a competitive environment. And, through partnerships and innovative collaboration events and activations brought more joy after visiting the fairs.

Art Basel Highlights

For those seeking high-value artwork, Art Basel is the destination. The caliber of galleries showcasing spectacular works is unparalleled, with my personal favorites including Sperone Westwater, Marianne Goodman, Bortolami, Andrew Edlin, Sean Kelly, Sikkema Jenkins, and Berry Campbell.

Yayoi Kusama at Victoria Miro Art Basel Miami 2024
Yayoi Kusama at Victoria Miro. All photographs courtesy of and taken by the writer. 
Yayoi Kusama at Victoria Miro

Strolling through the Art Basel’s vibrant aisles, I overheard a delightful Russian phrase: “Ja Lublu Kusama” (“I Love Kusama”)—it was a visitor’s reaction to Yayoi Kusama’s works at Victoria Miro, where her large-scale, mirror-polished stainless steel pumpkin sculpture—painted with purple dots—captivated audiences. (Kusama’s magic also extended to the Rubell Museum, where three delightful installations continued to enchant).

Vik Muniz at Sikkema Jenkins Art Basel Miami
Vik Muniz at Sikkema Jenkins.
Vik Muniz at Sikkema Jenkins and Gerhard Richter, various galleries

Vik Muniz imaginative photographs based on his original collages from his private collection on view at Sikkema Jenkins. Gerhard Richter’s pieces appeared across several galleries, offering a fascinating glimpse into the breadth of his oeuvre and the varied excitement—and pricing—it inspires.

Idris Khan at Sean Kelly. Art Basel Miami
Idris Khan at Sean Kelly.
Idris Khan at Sean Kelly

Sean Kelly’s booth showcased Idris Khan’s The World Still Turns (2023), a thought-provoking piece combining ultramarine ink-stamped glass sheets, aluminum, and rubber. Positioned prominently at the entrance, it drew curious eyes and sparked conversations.

Virginia Overton at Bortolami. Art Basel Miami
Virginia Overton at Bortolami.
Sperone Westwater and Virginia Overtone at Bortolami Who Shared  a Booth with Thomas Dane Gallery

Sperone Westwater also stood out with a harmonious installation celebrating individuality by presenting a robust selection of her artists. They are very diverse, yet they come together in a beautiful installation, like old friends. Bortolami Gallery collaborated with Thomas Dane Gallery and split their booth. It only enhanced both of their presentations. But you could not avoid seeing the most significant installation by Virginia Overtone, untitled (2024), this poetic still sculpture that barely made it under the pavilion’s ceiling.

With friends in Christo and Jeanne Claude’s couch by Parley for the Oceans at UBS Collectors Lounge. Courtesy of writer.
Tsipi Inberg Ben-Haim with Chiquita’s Banana. Courtesy of the writer. 
Meridians, UBS Lounge, and Another Smash Banana

Art Basel’s Meridians sector, curated by Yasmil Raymond, spotlighted monumental works by artists at the peak of their careers. A standout was Alice Aycock’s swirling sculpture, Goya, evoking tornado-like energy and created specifically for the show. At the UBS Collectors Lounge, a long-time Art Basel partner known for sparking conversations, visitors admired a statement piece by Christo and Jeanne-Claude: a red Chirac Sofa made from iconic polypropylene ropes from their L’Arc de Triomphe project. Presented by Parley for the Oceans, it served as a striking reminder of the beauty and fragility of our oceans.

Bringing a decidedly fun Hispanic flair and perhaps nodding to Maurizio Cattelan’s smash-hit banana, Comedian (2019), Chiquita set up a whimsical booth outside of the convention center. (Comedian was the banana artwork duct-taped to a wall at Gagosian’s booth in 2019 and re-sold for $6.2 million in November 2024). Visitors enjoyed free bananas and posed with a playful oversized sculpture reminiscent of Claus Oldenburg’s crayon and watercolor drawing Banana (1966) or oversize banana peel sculpture Floating Peel.  “We wanted to bring light-spirited fun and good nutrition to the fair,” said Juliana Furlan, Chiquita’s head of marketing for North America.

KwangHo Shin’s paintings at Unix and Leonovich
KwangHo Shin at UNIX and Leonovich.
Notes from Art Miami and Other Art Week Events

UNTITLED Art Fair was impressive with thoughtfully curated installations from various galleries. Bienvenu Steinberg & C’s beautiful group exhibition, showing among others Swedish artist Mia Enell, was particularly notable, earning UNTITLED my second must-see spot after Art Basel. At Art Miami, the overall quality varied, however, UNIX in collaboration with Leonovich Gallery drew attention with striking oil portraits of a man and a woman, both selling immediately after the fair opened. There the scene felt alive with visitors dressed to impress, sometimes becoming as much a spectacle as the art itself—a unique charm of Art Miami.

Juana Martin Dinner of the Year
Juana Martin runway show at Dinner of the Year.

The art fair extravaganzas extended into unforgettable evenings, including the much-anticipated Dinner of the Year. This collaboration between Artedefashion and The Experience Club delivered on its promise of innovation meeting luxury. Guests enjoyed signature drinks, gourmet hors d’oeuvres, and an exquisite fashion show by Juana Martin, celebrating 20 years of couture—a spectacle worthy of the Metropolitan Costume Institute. The evening was generously sponsored by Safra National Bank, adding a touch of philanthropy to the celebration.

From groundbreaking art to innovative collaborations, this year’s Miami Art Week was a love letter to creativity and connection, leaving an unforgettable mark on all who attended.

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