ART BASEL OR BUST

Attending Art Basel in Miami has been on my bucket list for ages.  This month I was lucky enough to attend with some of my favorite art fanatics and design friends. Art Basel is the largest contemporary art fair in the world consisting of 260 galleries from 30 countries representing over 2000 artists. It has been called the Burning Man Festival for art lovers and it certainly did not disappoint. The whole experience was a work of performance art in and of itself from the people watching and gallery designs, to the music and fashion. Here are some works that will be feature in future blogs...

"Untitled" by Charlotte Park
Oil on Canvas

 

"Les Nympheas" by Ghada Amer
Embroidery and Gel on Canvas



"Red Figure" by Tony Cragg
Painted Wood



"Seated Woman" by Williem De Kooning
Bronze
The Martin Z. Margulies Collection

Everywhere we went, everyone was talking about Nick Cave and his spectacular sound suits. His intricate layered sculptures blend fiber, found objects and artifacts.  His works cross all boundaries from sculpture, installation, performance, video and fashion. The Fendi Casa showroom had this video on display with music by Dr. Dre to watch the sound suits come to life.  Cave was an artist in residence in 2000 at Charlotte's own McColl Center for Visual Art. He is currently the Chairman of the Fashion Department at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.







Once the doors shut at the Art Fairs, the crowds move on to the various parties in full swing all around South Beach. Our biggest regret was that we missed this Andy Warhol-inspired flash mob at The Standard by a couple of hours. A collection of Warhol look-alikes performed to "Walk on the Wild Side" outside by the bay. The party was co-sponsored by Interview magazine and the Andy Warhol Museum.







The Dancing Andies Flash Mob
"Walk on the Wild Side"
Courtesy of the Huffington Post



"Deodorized Center Mass with Satellites"
by Mike Kelley
Mixed Media

Performance Art outside Scope Miami
"We make good team!"
Same time, next year?