The 20th edition of Art Basel Miami Beach saw the participation of 292 galleries from all over the world. The Italian exhibition offer was particularly interesting with operators presenting masterpieces of absolute value
by Francesco Michienzi
Art Basel in Miami once again confirms that art has an ontological presence in the albeit variable shapes it manifests itself in. In Florida’s capital, the proposals on show confirmed that a work of art is simply the ability to give shape to an idea, expressing it through an artistic methodology, which effectively translates thought into matter and moves beyond contingencies. What we witnessed at the Convention Centre and surroundings was something impalpable, similar to a daydream that guided visitors towards a new emotional and sensorial state. With the participation of 282 galleries from North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia, this 20th edition was one of the largest editions ever.
«THE FUTURE OF ART BASEL IN MIAMI IS EXTREMELY BRIGHT. THE CITY IS MATURE, IT HAS IMPORTANT MUSEUMS, AND DURING COVID MANY YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS SETTLED DOWN HERE, ATTRACTED BY THE LIFESTYLE, WHICH HAS HELPED REGENERATE THE CITY. THERE ARE MANY ENTREPRENEURS FROM THE TECH INDUSTRY, WHO REPRESENT A NEW YOUNG AUDIENCE FOR US».
NOAH HOROWITZ,
CEO OF THE MIAMI BEACH TRADE FAIRH
The fair recorded positive sales figures, in particular in the high end of the market, but many galleries still fear a recession. Some of the most interesting exhibitors that deserve mention were Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, Pace, Zwirner, Perrotin, Galleria Continua, Thaddaeus Ropac, as well as Lehmann Maupin, Galerie Lelong & Co, Marianne Boesky Gallery, Paula Cooper Gallery. There were numerous Italian participations, including Alfonso Artiaco, Cardi Gallery, Franco Noero, Massimodecarlo, Magazzino, Mazzoleni, and Lia Rumma. Out of the 26 new entries, 11 were part of the Nova section which ranged from local galleries like Spinello Projects to Yavuz Gallery, based in Singapore and Sydney.
SALES WERE REMARKABLE AND PLENTIFUL SINCE THE VERY FIRST DAY
AT ART BASEL MIAMI, ACCORDING TO MANY GALLERIES, ALTHOUGH IT DID SEEM THAT THE FLOW OF PURCHASES PROCEEDED SLIGHTLY SLOWER THAN USUAL, WITH MORE PONDERED AND LESS FRENETIC TRANSACTIONS.
In just twenty years, the market of contemporary art has grown from an overall value of about 100 million dollars to more than 2 billion today. Among the most important deals to highlight in the first days of the event, was a painting by Agnes Martin from 1998 sold for 7 million dollars and a painting by Andy Warhol, Flower from 1964, for 3.8 million dollars sold by Pace; a mixed technique canvas by Mark Bradford sold for 2.5 million dollars and a Philip Guston from 1979 sold for 7 million dollars by Hauser & Wirth.
Sanlorenzo presented the work Deep Sky Dark Bright Black & by American artist Tony Lewis, curated by Flash Art with the kind collaboration of gallery Massimodecarlo, within the space designed by Piero Lissoni. Part of the Sanlorenzo Arts platform, an active and interactive space for projects focused on urgent issues in today’s world, Deep Sky Dark Bright Black & represents the artist’s exploration of design as a means of communication. For Sanlorenzo, Tony Lewis conceived three new works which are a perfect blend of semiotics, abstraction, and design. Lewis uses a graphite pencil and paper as his materials of choice to trace and generate linguistic narratives that reflect on gestural expression. Deep Sky Dark Bright Black & is an original work composed of three separate pieces in graphite and putty on paper, a literal and conceptual foundation in the artist’s work.
Divided into four sections in addition to three collateral exhibitions, the whole fair revolved around the Galleries section, an itinerary of 212 presentations with highlights including the Italian gallery Continua with its reflection on the migration flows investigated by Argentine artist Leandro Erlich and Cuban Yoan Capote, Massimodecarlo who chose a composition by Carla Accardi from 2005, and a Mona Lisa in variations of Prussian blue by Yan Pei-Ming, as well as Tornabuoni with a focus on Alighiero Boetti and one of his less known works entitled Copertine made in 1984.
1. Shara Hughes, Warning Signs, 2022 2. Tina Modotti, Mella’s Typewriter, 1928 3. Richard Diebenkorn, Ocean Park, 1977 4. Geoffrey Holder, Nude on bed with mirror, 1980 5. Sam Gilliam, Butterflies Are, 1976 6. Jasper Johns, White Alphabets, 1968 7. Salman Toor, Veiled Jinah with hat, 2010 8. Shirley Jaffe, Loose Y, 1964 9. Amoako Boafo, Hug from Behind, 2022 10. Hernan Bas, Conceptual Artist #15, 2022 11. Jean-Michel Basquiat, The Ruffians, 1982 12. Michael Armitage, Wait, 2015 13. Wangari Mathenge, The Three Graces (So let it be written…), 2022 14. Fernand Léger, Les femmes à la toilette, 1920.
There were many Italian galleries present at the fair. Among these were Lia Rumma, Alfonso Artiaco, Cardi Gallery, Galleria Continua, Massimodecarlo, Kaufmann Repetto, Magazzino, Victoria Miro, Franco Noero, and Tornabuoni.
Marc Spiegler, Global Director of Art Basel stated that: «It is truly exciting to be able to celebrate our twenty-year-long presence in Miami Beach. Over the past two decades, the fair has not only reinforced its position in the region, by univocally connecting the art scenes of North and South America, Europe, and more but has also played an essential role in the city’s profound cultural transformation. The increasingly diverse range of galleries and artistic voices represented in this fair will more than ever make it a true treasure chest of discoveries».
(Art Basel Miami, giving shape to ideas – Barchemagazine.com – March 2023)
