Art Basel Miami Beach Nov 30 - Dec 4, 2021
It was great to be back in Miami for Art Basel, the first time since December 2019!
On Monday afternoon, the UNTITLED Opening on Ocean Drive and 12th Street featured 145 exhibitors. Among them, there was a new subsidized section for up and coming galleries. Antonia Wright's latest video “And so with ends comes beginnings” in collaboration with Locust Projects on the water was mesmerizing on Lummus Park Beach. One of the highlights is Raphael Lozano-Hemmer’s new work “ Password Breach” at Bitforms’ booth. “All the passwords extracted from salient historical data breaches are presented as an additive smear on 77 electronic-paper displays which synchronize and reset from time to time. The breaches include the Panama Papers”.
Antonia Wright
The kickoff party at Soho House that evening, hosted by White Cube’s Jay Jopling was exciting, crowded and had Ellie Goulding and Snoop Dogg as well as Sister Sledge performing throughout the evening.
Tuesday morning was the first of the 2 VIP preview days at the Convention Center, including approximately 250 galleries. It required timed-entry reservations and was less crowded and easier to view the fair. Everyone was enthusiastic to be back and to reconnect.
The most exciting addition to Art Basel Miami Beach 2021 is the introduction of the
NFT world and its huge presence throughout the fair and the city.
It was extraordinary to see Tom Sachs “Bird in Hand” rocket, based on his NFT project “Rocket Factory” at Acquavella. This is the work that buyers of his NFTs may choose to obtain after the rockets were launched. Other highlights included Titus Kaphar at Gagosian, Noah Davis at Zwirner, Basquiat drawing at Mnuchin, multi media artist Diablo at Pace, Jason Boyd Kindssella at Perrotin, Rashid Johnson at Hauser & Wirth, Sarah Morris at White Cube, and Marina Adams at Salon 94.
Adam Lindemann’s panel discussion Wednesday afternoon at the Bass Museum hosted Beeple, the visionary digital artist at the forefront of NFTs whose “5,000 days” sold at Christies in March for $69 million, as well as his first ever physical artwork + video NFT, “Human One” which sold at Christies in November for $29 million. Included on the panel was Peter Saul, the 87 year old artist whose paintings satirize American culture. They discussed how Beeple was influenced by the scandalous qualities of Saul’s work.
At the Ice Palace Studios the following day, Nada hosted a panel discussion, “What every artist needs to know about NFTs.” The panel included artists Nancy Baker Cahill and Tiona Nekkia McClodden, moderator, Artists Rights Society VP Katarina Feder, writer, dealer, and collector Adam Lindemann, and art lawyer Sarah Odenkirk.
Continuing my NFT education, for the first time at Art Basel, Tezos, the open source blockchain hosted an interactive exhibit “Humans + Machines: NFT’s and the Ever-Evolving World of Art”, which allowed visitors to create an AI self portrait of themselves. The virtual Speaker Series included Kevin Abosch, Mario Klingemann and many others.
Mario Klingemann
Friday afternoon, we walked to the Flamingo Park Baseball Field on Michigan Avenue where Tom Sachs was launching 76 rockets. It was a thrilling experience to see the launch. Buyers of the NFTs will receive a model of their rocket which was displayed at the Acquavella galleries in the main fair.
The last stop was the exhibit, at “The Digital” on Lincoln Road,“A Generative Art Salon and Auction” where 20 emerging generative artists were on view. It is supported by Art Blocks founder and CEO Snowfro who was at the exhibition. A work of his “10 Unminted Chromie Squiggles is being offered at Sotheby’s from December 6 - 13, 2021.
Snowfro
It was a challenge to enter the NFT world at Art Basel and a fascinating week in Miami!
