By: Claire Breukel By: Claire Breukel | November 30, 2023 | People, Events, Art,
Vincenzo de Bellis shares his creative vision for the 21st edition of Art Basel Miami Beach.
Visitors attend Art Basel Miami Beach 2022 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. PHOTO COURTESY OF ART BASEL MIAMI BEACH
In 2022, Vincenzo de Bellis was appointed Art Basel Director of Fairs and Exhibition Platforms to lead the global vision for the Basel, Hong Kong, Miami, and the newly established Paris fair editions. De Bellis’ European and American experience as curator and associate director of programs at Walker Art Center and as artistic director of Milan International Fair of Modern and Contemporary Art proved advantageous. De Bellis has been a constant during Art Basel’s global growth, which saw the hiring of individual directors to lead each fair. Th is year, de Bellis spearheads Art Basel Miami Beach, shadowed by incoming Director Bridget Finn, who will define 2024’s iteration. Miami magazine speaks to de Bellis about his vision for the world’s most exuberant art fair. Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Ctr Dr, Miami Beach, artbasel.com/miami-beach
Each year, the Convention Center attracts art admirers and connoisseurs from all over the world to take in the latest exhibitions. PHOTO COURTESY OF ART BASEL MIAMI BEACH
How is 2023 Art Basel Miami Beach unique?
Visitors will be met with an expanded platform for discovering diverse artistic voices and perspectives. With 277 premier galleries, including 25 new participants from Egypt, Mexico, Poland, The Netherlands and beyond, freshness is injected into the fair. Magalí Arriola, Director of Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporaneo in Mexico City, curated our Meridians sector. It is as ambitious as ever, showcasing 19 large-scale projects that transcend the traditional art fair booth.
Vincenzo de Bellis PHOTO COURTESY OF ART BASEL MIAMI BEACH
How do you ensure “Global South” inclusion?
This year, Art Basel Miami Beach brings together galleries from 34 countries and territories across North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Asian Pacific. As our fair is in the Americas, we have a strong presence of galleries from Latin America—Mexico to Puerto Rico, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Peru and Uruguay— and focus presentations on Latin American and Caribbean artists. I am looking forward to Galerie Minsky and Weinstein Gallery’s joint solo booth presentation of Argentine-Italian surrealist artist Leonor Fini, as well as the tribute presentation to Argentine artist Liliana Maresca by Rolf Art.
We cultivate relationships with galleries, collectors and institutions across the Global South. With our Selection Committee, we have also revised our eligibility criteria for gallery participation, which has opened our fair’s doors to many young galleries and those outside of traditional art world ‘hotspots’.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ART BASEL MIAMI BEACH
How is Miami’s growth informing the fair? The local cultural scene is alive and utterly unique—movers and shakers from across the art world are drawn to Miami by its geography, people and incredible cultural venues and institutions. Our Miami Beach community includes galleries, collectors, institutional and cultural partners, and beyond—whom we have worked with for over 20 years—continues to anchor and evolve our show in new and exciting ways.
Photography by: Photo Courtesy: Art Basel Miami Beach