Design Miami/Podium
Art Basel 2020 is officially canceled, but Miami's artistic community thrives regardless.
From sunny skies to muraled walls, the Magic City stays picturesque 365 days a year. One can always take a stroll through the street art mecca of Wynwood's art district, but most of Miami's homegrown museums are open and exhibiting, too. There are even a few major art shows that pivoted to digital or socially-distanced events.
If you're a local looking to take advantage of an Art Week with less tourists, or a visitor who braved the trip who wants to make every second count, the city won't disappoint. From graffiti history to surrealist commentary, fashion, technology and more, these are the Miami Art Week events that 2020 couldn't cancel.
See also: Design Miami/ is Back! And This Year's Theme is America(s)
Design Miami/Podium
Jason Jacques Gallery "Simonsson Bubblegum Girl 2" by Maty Sall-Lewis
191 NE 40th St, Miami / Website
What has become one of Art Week's biggest shows returns to its original home in Miami's Design District. The Design Miami/Podium creates a temporary home in front of the Moore Building, creating both a physical exhibit and a digital fair. The virtual component features more than 240 shoppable works, representing 11 international galleries and three unique Curio presentations. The event runs until Dec. 6.
alt-B Art + Fashion Show
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Flagler Street (NE 1st & 2nd Avenue)
This open-air fair celebrates art and fashion in the heart of Downtown. Sunday, Dec. 6, the street will be shut down to cars but open to the public with restaurants and bars and a theatrical runway experience courtesy of luxury fashion brand The Blonds. Models will walk from the beautiful Olympia Theater down a whole block on a transformed piece of Flagler Street. A strict seating limit will be adhered to for COVID safety, so get there early for the 6 p.m. welcome and VIP registration.
"Dreaming With Lions" Installation at the Faena
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3201 Collins Ave, Miami Beach / Website
This luxury hotel has always had a soft spot for great art, and to keep the spirit of Art Week alive, it commissioned a giant installation by Cuban artist Alexandre Arrechea. "Dreaming With Lions" was inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. It's constructed on the sandy beach directly in front of the Hotel entrance and will stand until Dec. 6. To Arrechea, it stands as a monument to the indestructible will of the human spirit. “It’s important for me to integrate the spirit and energy of the city by identifying an object that forms part of its real cultural identity,” he says. “In a time where culture is trivialized and our symbols as we know them are being devalued, we require a gesture of greater faith, “Dreaming with Lions” proposes action and reflection. That we reflect upon coherence and respect of oneself and others, and that we continue to invent ways to confront our destiny while maintaining integrity and grandeur.”
Scope | Immersive Miami Beach
Marianne Sucre, LACK OF EXIST, 36x110cm, Digital Print on Metallic Paper, 2020 | Courtesy of AC Contemporary Art
While the annual exhibit won't physically pop-up on the South Beach sands, Scope is celebrating with a fully-digital experience running Dec. 1 to 6. The program features 34 exhibitors, including galleries from London, New York, Seoul, San Francisco, Paris, LA, Amsterdam and more. Beyond the art, there are wellness programs, talks and artist activations, even an after-hours nightlife experience. No registration is necessary, and it's free to browse.
"The Real Surreal" Salvador Dalí Pop-Up
"Dance of Time II" Sculpture by Salvador Dali
4041 Collins Ave, Miami Beach / Website
Curated by Miamian art dealer Marcel Katz (aka "The Art Plug"), this pop-up exhibit of the famous Spanish surrealist's works features statues, sculptures, drawings and water colors. "Dali’s influence on surrealism and culture has shown me that the creative spirit is what influences a generation of young people,” Katz says in a press release. “Nothing is out of reach. Let your imagination show you the realities of life. If you can think it, you can do it." It's on display now through Jan. 17 at The Confidante Miami Beach, but you can view the collection from anywhere in the world with a virtual tour for $5.
Beyond the Streets
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A strictly digital event, Beyond The Streets brings more than 50 of the world's greatest street artists together for a streamed exclusively on the NETWRK app. Curated by graffiti historian Roger Gastman, the show features works by contemporary icons Shepard Fairey, Mr. Cartoon, Felipe Pantone, Kenny Scharf, Shantell Martin and more, from paintings to sculptures, editioned prints, skate decks, drawings and more. The virtual art fair runs Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 5 and 6, and everything is for sale.
Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami
770 NE 125th St, North Miami / Website
The MOCA is one of Miami's most beloved museums, and it's current exhibit from Mexican-born artist Raúl De Nieves is on display for physical visitors and via virtual tour. Eternal Return & The Obsidian Heart and Life and Spirituality in Haitian Art shines a light on the artist's roots in punk music and devotional ritual with a side of celebratory queerness. De Nieves worked with the curator to create an immersive experience, composed of sculptures, installations and audio performances.
Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami
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61 NE 41st St. / Website
Besides the stunning current exhibit on Cuban painter Tomás Esson, the ICA has a few Art Week talks and panels for physical and virtual guests to enjoy. "Tomás Esson: THE GOAT" is the artist's first solo exhibition. The vibrant, poetic works showcase his growth throughout the years, with particular interest paid to the freedom he won since leaving his censored homeland. Esson's show runs through May 2, but Wednesday brings the first Art Week talks. At 11 a.m., there will be a chat between London-based artist Jadé Fadojutimi and ICA director Alex Gartenfeld, and at 11:30 a.m., the UNTITLED, ART Panel Discussion: Collecting and Contributing in Miami. On Friday at 2 p.m., there's Cultural Memory and Contemporary Upheavals: A Conversation Between Lyle Ashton Harris and Gean Moreno.
Rubell Museum
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1100 NW 23rd St. / Website
This Miami art staple has a host of monumental works currently on exhibit, from Japanese conceptualist Yayoi Kusama's 700 mirror balls to Brooklyn-based and current artist in residence Genesis Tramaine's vibrant and linear graphic paintings. Miami's own Hernan Bas has a few richly-detailed pieces on display you'll have to see to believe.
The Museum of Graffiti
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299 NW 25th St / Website
Celebrating its one-year anniversary in style, the Wynwood hot spot teamed with local artist Ahol Sniffs Glue on a "Biscayne World" exhibit. The graffiti king's signature droopy eyes and sedated street characters are fond favorites of the 305. Also on display is the "Style Masters" exhibit, which features tags and graffiti works on paper from foundational artists dating as far back as the 1970s.
Photography by: Kris Tamburello
