ART BASEL, ART MIAMI AND CONTEXT ART MIAMI RECAP 

Pamela Cohen, Nick Korniloff and Beth Rudin DeWoody attend Art Miami VIP Preview, CONTEXT Art Miami VIP Preview at Art Miami Pavilion on December 4, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images for Art Miami)

COLLECTORS POURED INTO MIAMI FOR ART BASEL, ART MIAMI AND CONTEXT ART MIAMI TO SNAP UP MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY WORKS 

Miami’s longest running contemporary art fair, Art Miami, officially kicked off its 29^th edition alongside sister fair CONTEXT Art Miami with their VIP Previews on Tuesday, December 4^th, 2018.

Lori Kanter Tritsch, Kelly Langberg, Haeshin Lee, Judy Mordacq, and friends

Renowned as one of the nation’s leading international contemporary and modern art fairs, collectors lined the block, eager to get the first look at work that included an unprecedented display of Antoni Clavé’s pieces from Landau Contemporary at Galerie Dominion. Their show-stopping collection of Henry Moore’s work, including Mother and Child: Block Seat, proved to be a significant attraction. The high quality of the presentation ensured that extremely sought-after offerings at the fairs also included works by George Condo, Wifredo Lam, Jackson Pollock, Joseph Albers, Alexander Calder, Yayoi Kusama, Jeff Koons, Pablo Picasso, Willem de Kooning, Roy Lichtenstein, Marc Chagall, Ed Ruscha, Keith Haring, Frank Stella, Richard Serra, and more, with many things held on reserve.

Kim Heirston (R) and guest attend Art Miami VIP Preview, CONTEXT Art Miami VIP Preview at Art Miami Pavilion on December 4, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images for Art Miami)

Todd Kramer, David Stark, Whitney Schott, and George Ledes

Notable collectors and professionals including Beth Rudin DeWoody, Audrey Gruss, Howard Lorber, Lori Kanter Tritsch, David Stark, Franklin Sirmans, Director, PAMM, Alice Louise Walton, Dennis and Debra Scholl, and Kim Heirston and Todd Kramer were among the 15,000 people who admired work from more than 800 established, emerging, and cutting-edge artists, represented by 160 international galleries from nearly 30 countries at Art Miami, and nearly 450 mid-career, emergent and cutting-edge artists from 96 galleries in 21 countries at CONTEXT Art Miami.

At London-based gallery ARCHEUS / POST-MODERN, guests gathered around pieces by Andy Warhol, Lynn Chadwick and Jonas Wood, and the gallery reported sales of each of these artists, as well as David Hockney’s Colored Flowers Made of Paper and Ink from 1971, which sold during the fairs first hour for an undisclosed amount. Arcature Fine Art saw interest in To Be Titled by KAWS, as well as people eager to admire Fernando Botero’s Flamenco Tablao from 1984 and Basquiat’s Spain from 1985. As they moved through, a large Damien Hirst caught visitor’s attention. On display with Galería Freites, they were also drawn to a series of sculptures from Manolo Valdés’ titled Maninas.

George Ledes, Dick Solomon, and David Stark

 The most established collectors, curators, museum professionals, and art world luminaries ensure that the “Official Kickoff” to Miami Art Week is their first port of call to view and acquire blue-chip and contemporary artists’ works

Art Miami sales included:

• Cernuda Arte placed Amelia Peláez’s Fish, 1955, oil on canvas, for $500,000, Miguel Florido’s How Can I Escape from Time, 2006, oil on canvas, and Sandro de la Rasa’s Path to Perfection, 2007, oil on canvas.
• Nikola Rukaj Gallery placed pieces from Alex Katz’s Coca-Cola Girls series for more than $150,000.
• VERTES sold a work by Sam Francis priced between $100,000 to $120,000.
• CHASE CONTEMPORARY placed paintings by Liu Shuishi for approximately $100,000, a Peter Beard for $90,000, and a Ole Aakjær for approximately $30,000.
• Grosvenor Gallery placed Hummingbirds, 2018, by Senaka Senanayke for $80,000.
• Michael Schultz Gallery placed Flieg Vogel Flieg, 2018 by Cornelia Schleime for $77,000.
• JONATHAN FERRARA GALLERY sold six different works from Skylar Fein’s Giant Metal Matchbooks series, 2016-2017, for a total of $60,000.
• AMS – XS Galleries placed Nicolás Radic’s Aluminio, 2018, for $40,000.
• Sims Reed Gallery placed an Andy Warhol, Electric Chair, screen print in colors, 1971 for over $30,000.
• Galerie Ernst Hilger placed two sculptures by Alex Katz from 2018, each for $30,000.
• Goya Contemporary placed a work by Joyce J. Scott for an undisclosed amount.
• Jean Albano Gallery placed Bonnie Lautenberg’s 1952 Singing in the Rain / Yayoi Kusama, The Sea, archival pigment print, 1 of 6, and 2001 Shrek / Fernando Botero, Nude in Mirror, archival pigment print, 1 of 6, for undisclosed sums.
• Sladmore placed Poisson ‘Alma’ (Fish), 2018, by Edouard Martinet and No. 174 Boxing Boy with Hat, 2018, by Mario Dilitz.

The VIP Previews were sponsored by Christie’s International Real Estate and benefited the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), marking the eighth consecutive year that PAMM has been the fair’s exclusive VIP Preview benefactor. To date, Art Miami LLC has donated more than $150,000 to further the museum’s collection and mission, and the partnership remains an integral part of Art Miami’s larger commitment to the city of Miami.

Fair Director Nick Korniloff and Pamela Cohen joined a crowd of people including Shark Tank‘s Kevin O’Leary, Jason Newsted, and ABH in applauding as Galerie Terminus (Munich) and Galerie Barbara von Stechow (Frankfurt) together removed the red covering of The New Horizon Project, unveiling a BMW E3 that features a unique paint coat created by the legendary German aerosol artist and car-racer, Walter Maurer, to commemorate its 50th anniversary. The car had not been seen before and has been perfectly restored to be fully functional.

Additional notable VIP Preview attendees included: Dr. Jill Deupi, Director, Lowe Art Museum, Dr. Victor Deupi, past President of the Cintas Foundation and current Professor at University of Miami, Jaime Bayo and Sharon Holmes from PAMM, Pretty Little Liars actress Claire Holt, Kara Ross of UNLEASHED, Marvin Ross Friedman and Adrienne Bon Haes, collectors Lauren and Bob Roberts, Janna Bullock, artists Beau Dunn, Mr. Brainwash and Bradley Theodore, and Chubb’s Ori Ben Yishai and Mary Parsons.

 CONTEXT Art Miami also saw impressive attendance at the opening of its seventh edition. Highlights from the first day’s sales at CONTEXT Art Miami included:

• ANNA ZORINA GALLERY placed four pieces for more than $18,000 each.
• Lawrence Fine Art sold out of Howard Schatz’s Dance Study, Balance, a limited addition of five, priced variously by size between $10,000 to $14,000.
• Bivens Gallery placed Fortunes Contract by Not. Travis from 2018.
• Alida Anderson Art Projects placed Sitemap, 2018, by Erwin Timmers, as well as five works by F. Lennox Campello: The Lilith, 2018, Frida Kahlo and Marilyn Monroe, 2017, Frida con sus Fridas, 2016, and Supergirl Naked, 2017
• RHODES sold nine works from Lucy Sparrow, including the originals Mexican Wave and Ice-T.
• Liquid Art System received large groups of people admiring the selection and quality and placed several works including pieces by artists Marco Grassi, Antonio Sannino, and Peter Demetz.
• Markowicz sold two pieces and saw praise heaped up the work of street artist KAI. 
• GEMA LLAMAZARES placed a piece for an undisclosed sum.

 SPECIAL PROJECTS AT THIS YEAR’S ART MIAMI INCLUDED:

• The New York Academy of Art presents an exhibition curated by Academy Trustee Brooke Shields and President David Kratz. The drawings, paintings and sculpture have all been created by alumni of the Academy’s MFA program including Will Kurtz, Naomi Nakazato, Esteban Ocampo-Giraldo, Elliot Purse, James Razko, Nicolas V. Sanchez, Stephen Shaheen, Chie Shimizu, Kathy Stecko, Jiannan Wu and Gabriel Zea. New York Academy of Art is a nonprofit educational and cultural institution that combines intensive technical training in the fine arts with active critical discourse. A curator’s reception will be held at their booth on Thursday December 6^th at 5pm. Nyaa.edu
• Avant Mining and Interprospekt present DeXtinction, an exhibition that brings the archaic and primordial into our postmodern present, highlighting the beauty and magnificence of Earth’s natural treasures. Pieces on display include artifacts and jewels from more than a hundred million years ago. A mother and juvenile Allosaur, that are 120-million years old are available, as is an astonishingly well-preserved Dinosaur Egg Nest from the Cretaceous period, 75-million years ago. These amazing artifacts are offset by the dazzling beauty of hand selected minerals and gems from the Zigras and Pohl collections. Avant Mining will feature sustainably and ethically mined quartz crystals which are considered the finest in the world. Also featured is a 75-million-year-old Ammolite from Canada, which possesses a rare opalized surface displaying all colors in the light spectrum. Humanities’ collective actions drastically affect the fate of the planet, and this collection of ancient treasures symbolize the unification we need now, while reconnecting us to the natural world. 
• Christie’s International Real Estate, the world’s leading luxury network, is once again the main sponsor of the fair and hosts an interactive booth at Art Miami showcasing top properties from around the world, in conjunction with their top affiliates. christiesrealestate.com  
• Chubb hosted an interactive on-site booth at the fair with contemporary artists, where they will create a work representing the theme of Protecting Your Passion. Artists include Udo Noger, Martin Tardy, Danny Minnick, Alonsa Guevara, and ABH. Planning on purchasing that special addition to your collection at Art Miami? If you’re a Chubb client, your new piece may be automatically protected depending on your coverage. Check with your agent or visit expectmore.chubb.com.
• UNLEASHED is a non-profit organization founded by jeweler and donor activist Kara Ross. UNLEASHED has created an interactive augmented reality experience for Art Miami 2018 featuring one of the main subjects from the #ConnectingThread film series on Refinery29.com, celebrating entrepreneurship and creativity. unleashed-world.com
• JW Marriott Marquis Miami and Hotel Beaux Arts, the official luxury hotels of Art Miami, is hosting a special exhibition in the hotel lobby of emerging and mid-career international talents, in conjunction with the fair. Works include Frederico Uribe’s bullet shell animal sculptures, Giraffe (2018) and Panda Bear (2018), presented by Adelson Galleries of New York, as well as a selection of Alex Katz’s Shopperseries, presented by Nikola Rukaj Gallery of Toronto. Exclusive room rates available at turontravel.com.
• Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) is once again the philanthropic benefactor of the VIP Previews for Art Miami and CONTEXT Art Miami. Pérez Art Museum Miami promotes artistic expression and the exchange of ideas, advancing public knowledge and appreciation of art, architecture and design, and reflecting the diverse community of its pivotal geographic location at the crossroads of the Americas. Complimentary admission to PAMM is available to all Art Miami and CONTEXT Art Miami VIP cardholders on Monday, December 3^rd through Sunday, December 9^th. pamm.org
• Gallery Wendi Norris (San Francisco) and Art Miami are proud to collaborate in support of Mosaic Miami, a local non-profit arts community resource center located in Miami’s historic Little Haiti neighborhood. Art Miami will feature Drawn Below, a video by artist Ana Teresa Fernández. The partnership calls attention to this important intergenerational arts center so that patrons of the arts can help the venue continue its programming in this underserved community.
• Artsy.net is the official online partner of Art Miami, CONTEXT and Aqua. Collectors and art enthusiasts can use Artsy to browse exhibitor booths, make sales inquiries on available art works, and access fair information online via Artsy.net and the Artsy app for iPhone and iPad. Artsy’s exclusive online previews will launch in advance of the fairs with a special first-look for press and VIPs on November 27th and to the public on November 28th. artsy.net
• Young At Art Museum is exhibiting an immersive art space for fairgoers’ children ages 6-12, based on YAA’s upcoming exhibition ArtCade. Once inside, kids have the opportunity to create digital artwork through hands-on projects led by educators from the Young At Art Institute and experience interactive artworks by contemporary artists. For more information and pre-registration, visit  youngatartmuseum.org/communityoutreach.

SPECIAL PROJECTS AT THIS YEAR’S CONTEXT ART MIAMI INCLUDED:

CONTEXT Art Miami Special Presentations highlights the work of multidisciplinary international artists that explore bold and responsive subjects. Through global conversation, the selected group examines contemporary issues with a unique voice:

• Cecilia Paredes| The Light Gallery (Medellin)
• Christian Voigt| Lucia Mendoza Galeria de Arte (Madrid)
• Elio Rodriguez| 532 Gallery Thomas Jaeckel (New York)
• Eric Zener| Gallery Henoch (New York)
• Estefanía Martín Saénz| Gema LLamazares Galeria (Gijon)
• George Rouy| Anna Zorina Gallery (New York)
• Kangi Connie Wang| Z Gallery (Vancouver)
• Lyle Owerko| Art Angels (Los Angeles | Miami)
• Marcolina Dipierro| DS Projects (Miami)
• Maria Agureeva| Galerie Isabelle Lesmeister (Regensburg)
• Mario Soria| N2 Galería (Barcelona)
• Nikoleta Sekulovic| Rebecca Hossack Gallery (London)
• Rafa Macarron| Galeria Casa Cuadrada(Bogota)
• Susan Chrysler White| Kim Foster Gallery (New York)
• Meredith Pardue | Laura Rathe Fine Art (Houston – Dallas)
• Victor Ehikhamenor| Rele Gallery (Lagos)

CONTEXT Sculpture Park is a dynamic curated program of installations and sculptures by artists represented by CONTEXT’s 2018 exhibitors. The program presents experimental and innovative developments in contemporary sculpture throughout the fair’s public outside areas. The CONTEXT Pavilion displays work from Kenor Romero presented by N2 Galería, Kim In Tae presented by Liquid art system, Stefan Yordanov presented by Retrospect Galleries. The CONTEXT Outside Public Area displays work from Jimenez Deredia presented by Galería Alfredo Ginocchio, Julian Voss-Andreae presented by HOHMANN, KAI presented by Markowicz Fine Art, Kim In Tae presented by Liquid art system, and WhIsBe presented by Art Angels.

CONTEXT Video is an energetic curated program for video art, experimental film, and moving image works by artists represented by 2018 exhibitors. The program presents a contemporary view on the medium and is being shown within the main floor of the fair.

CONTEXT Sound Positions started at the fair in 2014, and is a strong platform for the presentation of Sound Art in the fair editions in Miami and New York. This year’s Sound Positions is curated by Contour Editions, creating an immersive and intimate experience for listening to works by emerging and established sound artists. The program is presented on the Fair’s main floor. Artists include Andy Graydon, Cecilia Lopez, and Merche Blasco. Find out more at www.contoureditions.com.

Running through December 9^th, Art Miami and CONTEXT Art Miami attract more than 85,000 attendees annually and expect to exceed this number this year. For the second consecutive year, the fair was held at the waterfront location of One Herald Plaza, nestled between the Venetian Causeway and MacArthur Causeway and just east of Biscayne Blvd. The Fairs offer an unprecedented level of convenience and a renewed connectivity to the activities and collectors on Miami Beach with accessible parking, a complimentary shuttle service between the fairs and JW Marriott Marquis Miami and Hotel Beaux Arts, and Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM.)

Art Miami continues to feature amenities that improve the guests experience and allow visitors to spend an entire day at the fairs, with six hospitality areas including a waterfront café, an indoor café, outdoor dining space, cocktail lounge, and an outside cocktail deck overlooking beautiful Biscayne Bay.

SPONSORS & PARTNERS

The 2018 VIP Preview Beneficiary is the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM). The 2018 Sponsors and Partners are: Christie’s International Real Estate, CHUBB Insurance, Artsy.net, JW Marriott Marquis Miami and Hotel Beaux Arts Miami, Boulud Sud, Moët & Chandon Champagne, Resorts World Bimini, UNLEASHED, New York Academy of Art, ARTIKA,  Spuntino Catering, Little Kids Rock, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, La Croix Sparkling Water, Boca Raton Museum of Art, The Bass Museum, Independent Collectors, Institute of Contemporary Art Miami (ICA), Museum of Contemporary Art, Modern Luxury, Miami Herald, Art Nexus, Art Circuits, GMCVB, Selecta Magazine, Art Districts/Art Pulse, Art Hive, Arts and Antiques, GRØSS Magazine, Create! Magazine, Palm Beach Illustrated, Art and Culture, and Quest.