Art Basel Returns to Miami Beach for Annual Celebration of Art and Culture
Jordan Bailey
It’s about that time of the year again for art connoisseurs to prepare for Art Basel’s tropical series known as Art Basel Miami Beach. From Dec. 7-10, the streets, parks and galleries of this contemporary seaside city will once again focus its attention on the ever-growing art world. Over 250 galleries from around the world will decend on Miami Beach with the Miami Beach Convention Center playing host to hundreds of national and international artists whose works range from sculptures and paintings to film and large scale installations.
Despite the recent arrival of Hurricane Irma which devastated much of the shores of Miami Beach, Art Basel plans to proceed with its 2017 event. Not only will the city be recovering from the hurricane during this time, but this year’s event will land right in the middle of the Miami Beach Convention Center’s $615 million renovation and expansion. Nonetheless, organizers have confirmed the show will go on as planned.
Like year’s past, Art Basel will be split up into various exhibit categories. Galleries, one of the main sections, will feature over 200 galleries from around the world showcasing thousands of artists’ work including paintings, sculptures, photography, visual and digital art. 2017 will see 20 new galleries setup at ABMB. The Public sector is one of the most buzzed about each year as it tends to be the most grandiose in scale. Put together by former MOCA Los Angles senior curator Philip Kaiser, Public will feature a slew of yet-to-be-announced sculptures and installations in Collins Park. The Film portion will also take place outside, this time at SoundScape Park, with projections being shown on the outside wall of the Frank Gehry-designed New World Center. Others exhibits will include Positions will thrust artists into the spotlight with one majorly ambitious project, whereas Edition will show rare prints and editioned works. Historical works by way of Survey, editorial aesthetics through Magazines and fresh pieces from new artists will be showcased in Nova.
Also joining the fun this year for lll Points’ annual Art Basel Concert Series is Björk. This will mark the first time the legendary Icelandic artist will perform in Florida during her extensive career. Her DJ set on Dec. 5 will take place at Mana Wynwood, a 100,000 square foot space curated entirely by Björk herself. To add to the music lineup Cut Copy will playing Dec. 6 at the North Beach Bandshell and Wu-Tang Clan will perform Dec. 9 at at Mana Wynwood.
Miami Beach is already a bustling time, and during ABMB, even more so. Therefore, booking your accommodations ahead of time is already recommended. The Albion in the heart of South Beach is a great spot to compliment your tastes if you’re already in love with the colors of Miami. Another great South Beach hotspot is The Betsy. Luxurious, with a focus on wellness by way of their Ocean Deck Spa, will set you up nicely for a long day of walking the grounds of the convention center. Ian Schrager’s stunning Edition Hotels have been making a splash around in the news lately, and his Miami Beach Edition is no exception. Sitting on over three acres of Miami Beach real estate, this modern boutique is super luxurious with views of both the city and beach.
Art Basel Miami Beach will take place from Dec. 6-10. Invite-only access is Dec. 6, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Dec. 7, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. After 3 p.m. on Dec. 7 through Dec. 10 is open to the public. Passes can be purchased here.