Oh, Miami, sweet Miami! Only a couple of weeks ago, the sun-drenched city became once more the epicentre of one of the craziest, busiest weeks in the art world – and fashion and music too, of course. With the celebration of Art Basel Miami Beach, the city gathered collectors, artists, curators and gallery owners as well as DJs, designers and journalists from all over looking for the most compelling, shocking, remarkable, funny – or, why not, the worst – exhibitions, openings and parties. This year, we also went to soak up the sun, drink champagne and have some fun, and we’re back with a selection of top five things you shouldn’t have missed.
Rubell Museum
“For more than fifty years, we have been on an incredible mission: searching for new art and art that has been overlooked. Now, with the opening of the new Rubell Museum, we will be able to share the remarkable range of art we fell in love with along the way,” states Mera Rubell on the museum’s website. One of the most influential collector couples in the art world, Don and Mera Rubell – aka The Rubells – have every household name you can think of: Cindy Sherman, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami, Anselm Kiefer, Jenny Holzer, Kerry James Marshall, Yayoi Kusama, Paul McCarthy, Maurizio Cattelan…
In the newly opened Rubell Museum in the Allapattah neighbourhood, they hosted a massive group exhibition showcasing a small part of their impressive, almost endless collection – they have over seven thousand artworks. “Rather than presenting a single narrative or survey, we wanted to let the many voices that contribute to contemporary art speak for themselves and with each other”, explains Ms Rubell.
All works courtesy of the museum. @Chi Lam
All works courtesy of the museum. @Chi Lam
All works courtesy of the museum. @Chi Lam
Desigual presentation
Yes, it is called Miami Art Week for a reason, but don’t fashion and art go hand in hand a lot of the time? Indeed. And especially in Desigual’s latest presentation. The Barcelona-based brand went back to the American city after last year’s Color House Project, where they invited a handful of creative forces – like singer Aleesha or artist and influencer Miranda Makaroff – to work on projects like music videos or a capsule collection. This time around, it got bigger (and better).
Under Carlota Guerrero’s creative direction, Desigual unveiled its 2020 collection at the Temple House Miami with a performance full of dancing, eroticism, diversity and, above all, universal love – hence the claim ‘love different’. Starring Lola León, Madonna’s daughter, who proved her dancing and performative skills in front of a very excited audience, the entire performance revolved around a universal sign of love: the kiss.
After some fierce catwalking by models, performers, and brand’s friends alike, they all paired and started kissing and undressing sensually, ending in just nude – every shade of ‘nude’, from pale pink to dark brown – underwear and, as a curious and statement detail, their nipples covered – both men and women because #freethenipple –, and a sort of massive orgy guided by fluid love. The icing on the cake was The Black Madonna’s DJ set to end the night.
Company Gallery’s stand at Art Basel Miami Beach
One of the biggest and more lucrative fairs in the world was taking place. The space is huge and the number of galleries and artists participating is almost uncountable, so naturally, it’s hard to highlight something in particular. We saw Cattelan’s infamous $120,000-worth banana (the ‘original’ before it was eaten), big names like Zanele Muholi and John Giorno, and emerging names we’ll keep an eye on. But it’s hard to forget New York-based Company Gallery’s stand, which featured artists Cajsa von Zeipel and Raúl de Nieves. The floor was covered in pink fluffy material, which matched perfectly the shimmering, crystal-encrusted sculptures by the two artists. Unapologetic and in-your-face, both the pieces and the overall set were some of the most remarkable ones we saw – in addition to very Instagram-friendly.
All photos courtesy of the artists and Company Gallery, New York. © Daniel Terna
All photos courtesy of the artists and Company Gallery, New York. © Daniel Terna
Museum of Graffiti
Another museum opened during the Art Week in addition to Rubell’s. This time though, it wasn’t because of a relocation. The Museum of Graffiti, perfectly situated in the Wynwood district, famously known for its exuberant murals and street art, is the very first of its kind in the world. In it, we can find artworks tracing the young art’s history – from the emerging underground scene in the 1970s to today – as well as archive material like spray cans, markers, intervened clothing, etc. On its opening night, there was a digital screen to paint graffiti without getting splashed by the painting, and the renowned duo Os Gemeos switched the spray cans for the decks and delighted the audience with a vibrant DJ set.
Getty Images for Museum of Graffiti
Elrow’art party
We are familiar with Elrow’s over-the-top, crazy fun parties. They started in Barcelona decades ago, and thanks to their attitude, imagination and creativity, they’re now organizing late-night events throughout the world. At Miami’s Island Gardens, the artistic platform Elrow’art invited artist Okuda San Miguel to decorate the massive space with giant, colourful sculptures of rubber ducks and other figures in addition to the big top and the entertainers’ costumes, all of which was inspired by Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights.
