Art Basel Miami Beach 2011: Celebrating the 10th Edition

Over the past ten years, Art Basel Miami Beach rapidly developed from a vibrant new-comer on the global art scene to the leading international art show in the Americas. The list of participating galleries, chosen by the Selection Committee, makes Art Basel Miami Beach the most prestigious art show of the Americas, featuring both established and emerging galleries. By redefining and optimizing its sectors, Art Basel Miami Beach has constantly responded to the evolving needs of its galleries. Between 2002 and today,
Art Basel Miami Beach has gradually extended its footprint by over 50 percent, and increased the number of exhibiting galleries from barely 200 galleries in 2002 to more than 260 galleries at this year’s edition. Outside the halls, public art works have repeatedly transformed numerous locations across Miami Beach.

The decade has also marked a time of great transformations in the cultural scene of South Florida and Miami Beach. Major private collections including De la Cruz Collection Contemporary Art Space, CIFO, Rubell Family Collection, World Class Boxing, and the Margulies Collection enlarged their presence in Miami Beach and their reputation across the world. In addition, public institutions such as the Miami Art Museum and MOCA North Miami are extending their scope with new building projects, scheduled for completion in 2013. Many observers have called this decade ‘a cultural renaissance’, that made the Greater Miami area an exciting destination for the international artworld.

The show has likewise helped catalyze the evolution of the Latin American art scene, serving as an annual meeting point for its existing players and its new collectors. The rapid surge in the numbers of collectors from the entire continent – and the steady pace at which they have broadened the scope of their collections – have made the show a true nexus between the art scenes of Europe, North America and Latin America.

Art Galleries
The Art Basel Miami Beach Selection Committee has chosen more than 200 galleries for the main sector of this year’s show. More than half of the exhibitors come from outside the United States, with strong participation from Europe, 26 galleries from Latin America, nine galleries from Asia and two from Africa. The following galleries are exhibiting for the first time in Art Galleries: Galerie Berinson (Berlin), DAN Galeria (São Paulo), Loretta Howard Gallery (New York), Marc Jancou Contemporary (New York), Long March Space (Beijing), McCaffrey Fine Art (New York), Galería Sur (Montevideo), and Richard Telles (Los Angeles). The following galleries are returning to the show after a short hiatus: Air de Paris (Paris), Alexander and Bonin (New York), Galería Helga de Alvear (Madrid), Gavin Brown’s enterprise (New York), China Art Objects (Los Angeles), Sadie Coles HQ (London), Galerie Eigen+Art (Berlin), Alison Jacques Gallery (London), Galerie Peter Kilchmann (Zurich), Galerie nächst St. Stephan (Vienna), SCAI The Bathhouse (Tokyo), and Silverstein (New York). The full list of exhibitors can be found at artbasel.com/sectors.

Art Kabinett
In Art Kabinett, galleries selected for the Art Galleries sector will present more than 20 curated exhibitions in a separately delineated space within their booth. The curatorial concepts for Art Kabinett are diverse, including thematic group exhibitions, art-historical showcases and solo shows for rising stars. Details on the Art Kabinett sector will be announced in October and will be available at artbasel.com/kabinett.

Art Nova
In this year’s Art Nova sector, 42 emerging and established galleries from 17 countries are presenting new works by either two or three artists. In all, recent works by 109 artists will be on display, providing visitors with an opportunity to see pieces fresh from studios around the globe – and making the sector an ideal opportunity to discover the newest artistic tendencies. Further details on Art Nova will be announced in September and will be available at artbasel.com/nova.

Art Positions
Art Positions creates a platform for a project from one emerging artist, allowing curators, critics and collectors to discover ambitious new talents. The sector presents 16 young galleries from nine different countries, showcasing cutting-edge projects by the artists Emily Sundblad (Algus Greenspon, New York), Rosana Ricalde (Baró Galeria, São Paulo), Icaro Zorbar (Casas Riegner, Bogotá), Cinthia Marcelle (Silvia Cintra + Box 4, Rio de Janeiro), Jessica Warboys (Gaudel de Stampa, Paris), Theaster Gates (Kavi Gupta, Chicago/Berlin), Carissa Rodriguez (Karma International, Zurich), Alexandra Bircken (Kimmerich Gallery, New York), Sven Johne (Klemm’s, Berlin), Jorge Satorre (LABOR, Mexico City), Paulo Nazareth (Mendes Wood, São Paulo), Mandla Reuter (Francesca Minini, Milan), Cesar Cornejo (Galeria Lucia de la Puente, Lima), Otavio Schipper (Anita Schwartz Galeria de Arte, Rio de Janeiro), Analia Saban (Thomas Solomon Gallery, Los Angeles), Marco Rountree (Travesía Cuatro, Madrid). Details of Art Positions will be announced in October and will be available at artbasel.com/positions.

Art Public
Art Public will for the first time be curated by Christine Y. Kim, Associate Curator of Contemporary Art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and co-founder of the Los Angeles Nomadic Division (LAND), a non-profit organization for public art. For the first time, Art Public will collaborate with the Bass Museum of Art to transform Collins Park with unique artworks and performances, by both renowned artists and emerging talents. This year, Art Public expands with more artworks on show than ever before, while at the same time the sector will be focused within a strongly defined exhibition area. Works on display will engage directly with the viewers, interrupting the daily routine of passersby in poetic and surprising ways. Details of Art Public will be announced in November and will be available at artbasel.com/public.

Art Basel Conversations
Art Basel Conversations offers audiences access to first-hand information on the main aspects of the international artworld, opening with an artist talk featuring a legendary practitioner. Taking place in the auditorium adjacent to Entrance D of the Miami Beach Convention Center every morning, topics of the free panel discussions include ‘Public/Private: The Evolution of Museum Missions,’ ‘Collector Focus: Art Basel Miami Beach and South Florida: A Decade of Transformation’ and ‘The Future of Artistic Practice: The Artist as Poet.’ Distinguished artists, collectors, museum directors, architects, curators, critics, gallerists, and publishers will take part. After each Art Basel Conversation, the audience can meet the panelists personally. The detailed program will be announced in November and will be available at artbasel.com/conversations.

Art Salon
Taking place in the auditorium adjacent to Entrance D of the Miami Beach Convention Center every afternoon, Art Salon is a platform for discussion where artworld figures will present their projects, with an emphasis on the most current themes in contemporary art. Informal in format but international in scope, it also features artist talks, roundtable discussions and lectures. The detailed program will be announced in November and will be available at artbasel.com/salon.

Art Film
Art Film is again curated by Zurich film connoisseur This Brunner. Details will be announced in late September and will be available at artbasel.com/film.

Art Video
In Art Video, galleries will present a varied selection of video works. Organised in association with London’s Artprojx, screenings of Art Video will be presented for the first time in two different locations: on the outdoor New World Centre projection wall and within five viewing pods inside the Miami Beach Convention Centre.  Full details on Art Video will be announced in October and will be available at artbasel.com/video.

Museums and Private Collections
Once again, Miami’s leading private collections – among them the Rubell Family Collection, CIFO, the De la Cruz Collection Contemporary Art Space, World Class Boxing, the Margulies Collection, and the Dacra Collection – will be opening their homes and warehouses to guests of the international art show. The museums of South Florida will also be staging important exhibitions to coincide with Art Basel Miami Beach, including: ‘Enrique Martinez Celaya’ and ‘American People, Black Light: Faith Ringgold’s Paintings of the 1960s’ at the Miami Art Museum;’ Laurent Grasso’ at the Bass Museum of Art; ‘Dave Cole: Flags of the World’ and ‘Jenny Saville’ at the Norton Museum; ‘Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity: French Design for Living’ at the Wolfsonian-FIU; ‘Mark Handforth: Rolling Up’ at MOCA North Miami.

Sponsors and Partners
UBS continues its longstanding and successful partnership with Art Basel and Art Basel Miami Beach in 2011. The firm has been main sponsor of Art Basel for the past 18 years and main sponsor of Art Basel Miami Beach since the show’s inception in 2002. The world-renowned jeweler Cartier supports Art Basel Miami Beach as Associate Sponsor, as does NetJets, the first and largest fractional aircraft ownership company in the world. Furniture will be provided by Herman Miller and the VIP car service by BMW. AXA Art, the globally active specialty art and collectibles insurance company, will again provide multilingual VIP guided tours at Art Basel Miami Beach. The show is supported by the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority. Additional partners can be found at artbasel.com/partners.

Guided Tours
The ArtNexus guided tours in English and Spanish will be available daily during show hours from Thursday to Sunday. There will be general tours of the show and special tours for Art Kabinett. For reservations and information contact Sol Romero: Tel. +1 305 891 7270, ext. 4; tours@artnexus.com. During show days, reservations can be made by phone or at the Guided Tours Information Desk in Info Zone D.

The Bass Museum of Art will offer guided group and private tours of Art Public in English. Walk-in tours (no reservation required) will take place at 12:30, 2:30pm, and 4:30pm, each day of the show, while private and group tours will need to be booked in advance. Each tour will take 45 minutes. Price: US $8 per person, groups of 15 or more US $5 per person. For reservations and further information, contact the Bass Museum of Art: Tel. +1 305 673 7530, ext. 9-1001; tours@bassmuseum.org.

Design Miami
This year marks the seventh edition of Design Miami, from November 30 to December 5, with the world’s most prominent design galleries presenting contemporary and historic work. Design Miami will again be located in close proximity to the Miami Beach Convention Center. For further information please visit designmiami.com.

Art 43 Basel
Art Basel, the original international art show established in Switzerland in 1970, runs next year from June 13 to 17, 2012. The world’s most prestigious show of modern and contemporary art will again feature 300 galleries from all continents, showing works by over 2,500 artists.

Important Dates for Media
Media Reception: November 30, 2011, 10am, Art Collectors Lounge
Opening Day (by invitation only): November 30, 2011, 11am – 9pm
Public Show Dates: December 1 – 4, 2011

For the latest updates on Art Basel Miami Beach, visit artbaselmiamibeach.com, find us on Facebook at facebook.com/artbaselmiamibeach and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/abmb.

Media information on the internet
Media information, photos, and logos can be downloaded directly from the internet at artbaselmiamibeach.com/press. Journalists can accredit themselves online for the press pass, as well as subscribing for our media mailings in order to receive information on Art Basel Miami Beach.