Art Basel Miami Beach: December 2018
Once again, Art Basel/Miami Beach, 2018 offered more art, openings and parties than anyone could possibly absorb … since I’ve replaced FOMO (fear of missing out), with JOMO (the joy of missing out), my schedule proved easier to follow, with no regrets! Tuesday evening kicked off with Jay Joplin’s (White Cube) party on the beach at Soho House with Neneh Cherry singing into the wee hours.
Wednesday morning, we arrived early at the VIP opening at the Convention Center. Surprisingly, there were no lines to enter. It felt more like the old VIP days when one was able to actually see the works on view and converse with the gallerists. Might this be due to the big sell-off in the stock market on Tuesday?Exceptional gallery booths included Gagosian (Andy Warhol Jackie (13 portraits), Pace, (James Turrell), Kordansky, (Huma Bhabha) , Pilar Corrias, (Christina Quarles), Washburn (Doug Ohlson), Gladstone (Keith Haring), Sperone Westwater (Bruce Nauman), Salon 94 (Judy Chicago).“The Haas Brothers “Ferngully” opened at the Bass Museum later that evening. Nikolai and his twin brother Simon were in attendance and mingled with the guests. They are unique artists as their work crosses between the worlds of art and design.Continuing on to Wynwood, we viewed Craig Robbins collection including works by Abraham Cruzvillegas whose installation and performance in the Grand Ballroom of the Convention Center “Autoconstruccion” was sponsored by Art Basel and The Kitchen. Works by Urs Fischer, John Ahearn, Christina Quarles and Njideka Akunyili Crosby were also on view.
Purvis Young, a Miami based artist was the focus of the Rubell Family Collection. This retrospective was long overdue and documents the social issues and struggles of the artist’s community. 
For the third year, the mega dealers Larry Gagosian and Jeffrey Deitch collaborated in the Moore Building to present “Pop Minimalism and Minimalist Pop”. It outlines the seemingly opposing esthetics of the Pop artists and the Minimalist artists in the 1960’s and 1970’s with many similarities. Also on view at the Moore building were the works offered online for the charity “RED” auction. The proceeds going towards AIDS research. The ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami) featured Judy Chicago’s exhibition “A Reckoning”, which is a major survey by this pioneering feminist artist. Alongside her paintings are a wall of drawings showing a personal insight into her practice.
Larry Bell’s “Time Machines” is his first major survey in four decades. He is one of the leading California artists to emerge in the 1960’s. His choice of using transparent glass cubes to explore light and space set him apart from his colleagues to this day. 
Also seen at the ICA is Manuel Solano, a artist based in Mexico City. The exhibit, “I don’t wanna wait for our lives to be over “ deals with identity, gender issues, perception, and memory. It is their first US museum solo show. As a result of a HIV-related illness in 2014 at age 26, they became blind and had to readapt their practice. Currently Solano works with an assistant to express their ideas through painting, photography, video and installation. To see a video of the artist describing their work click HERE.The choice of organizing an exhibition by three pioneering artists who challenge traditional modes of thinking is a tribute to the vision of Alex Gartenfeld, artistic director and chief curator of ICA and Jean Moreno, curator of programs.
