Art Basel Miami Beach, the most important contemporary art fair in the United States, is most certainly a high roller affair, a place where, in 2017, an Asian art collector dropped $9.5 million for artist Bruce Nauman's installation, Untitled (Two Wolves, Two Deer), which to the untrained eye was pretty much a hanging sculpture of deconstructed deer and wolves. Clearly it was much more, but to the uninitiated, it was a head scratching buy. And while big money is busy being exchanged at the actual Art Basel Miami Beach exhibition inside the Miami Beach Convention Center and the boldfaced and beautiful like Leonardo DiCaprio hiding under a hoodie are busy bargaining for a rare Basquiat, that doesn't mean this whole Basel-dazzle is reserved solely for the 1%. In fact, Art Basel Miami Beach is one of the best times for bargain hunters to find not only affordable artwork by someone who may, indeed, become the next Basquiat (or not), but for free events and priceless people watching.
Although the fair has spread beyond Miami Beach thanks to the emergence of Wynwood as the arts district, keep in mind that the reason why the jet setters, royalty, socialites and celebs are in town is right inside the Convention Center. But this isn't your granddaddy's name tagged, chain hotel convention, obvs. For the burgeoning art collector slash boho hipster whose credit card is only black from maxing it out, Art Basel Miami Beach is prime time and not just for the rich and famous. While the expense account resorts are command central for the chic elite, the real underground, hipster action takes place where the energy is more electric than the expense account flush, at boutique hotels where burgeoning street artists, sculpturists, performance artists and those who fancy themselves as an amalgam of all of them convene to cocktail, network and show off their talents.
Among those boutique hotels is the Riviera South Beach, a contemporary, multi-building, chic stay with modern, colorful rooms--some with truly over the top, must see decor (see: the Studio Penthouse with private garden), rooftop pool, courtyard pool, Insta-worthy art walls, and buzzy cocktail and Cuban cuisine canteen, Mas Cuba, an oft-Instagrammed artsy outpost of funky, repurposed art and fab fare.
Nearby is the Catalina, a high energy South Beach landmark with a distinctly retro-mod vibe--think Austin Powers meets South Beach, with rooftop pool, two restaurants, 3 bars and ultra-modern rooms including the most recently remodeled "Living Large" rooms whose name is fitting, and decor is straight out of your favorite HGTV remodel shows. Command central at The Catalina is Maxine's Bistro & Bar, a 24/7 bistro, bar, and live music spot serving farm fresh food, potent cocktails and a multi-cultic Chex Mix of locals, visitors and passersby looking for a refuel and a perfect perch from which to watch the South Beach bustle pass by.
For those who prefer to move in to South Beach temporarily during Art Basel, consider the Tradewinds, an off the beaten path apartment hotel with full kitchen and stunning, sunny courtyard pool, ideal for lingerers and movers and shakers looking to seal deals past Basel. An ideal address for Art Basel, Tradewinds is uber close to the Convention Center and features free drinks nightly from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Riviera or Catalina, whose guests are also treated to a hyper happy hour of free drinks every night during that time.
While the aforementioned hotels offer free shuttles to and from Miami International Airport, Art Basel Miami Beach conveniently provides free trolleys and shuttles connecting Miami Beach to the mainland, making it effortless to set up home on South Beach. Even better, there are several free must-sees during Art Basel. The first is a live performance piece by Mexican conceptual artist Abraham Cruzvillegas, whose debut performance piece, "Autoreconstruccion: To insist, to Insist, to Insist," will take place twice a day from December 6 through 9 in the Miami Beach Convention Center's brand-new ballroom. The 20-minute performance will feature dancer and choreographer Barbara Foulkes attached by a strap to the artist's scrap metal assemblage while musicians do their thing. Again, this is free, and must see.
Nearby at the Suites of Dorchester, 1850 Collins Ave., is The INK Miami Art Fair, running from December 5-9, which is also free, and features all suites transformed into unique art galleries.
Another must-see freebie is The Faena Festival, which takes over the entire Faena District at the 3000 block of Collins Avenue, with a slew of public art, performance artists, exhibitions and all sorts of social-media-worthy opportunities to enlighten the masses. This year's theme is "This is not America," which, according to Zoe Luke, curator of Faena Art," Addresses America as a concept more than a place, a contested and powerful idea that is greater than the waters and borders that frame it." Pretty deep, and cool, running December 3-9.
Over in Wynwood, where the streets (and walls) have no names, but are plastered with art by renowned graffiti artists, an absolute to-do is the free Basel House at the old RC Cola Plant, 550 NW 24th St., where a collection of culture is housed all in one space, from music and vendors to new age art installations, late night DJs, mural tours, live painting, food trucks, and pretty much anything else you probably wouldn't think of, running from December 7-9.
Delving a little deeper, but not into people's pockets, is the free exhibition at the Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum, 10975 SW 17th St., through December 9, that's free and features, ironically, letters, poems, essays, and notes wall =papering the gallery from people not so free. The exhibition comes from artist Hank Willis Thomas and his nonprofit For Freedoms project, and Baz Dreisinger, who spent years teaching in prisons and collecting handwritten and typed messages from the incarcerated.
These are just a handful of the freebies during Art Basel Miami Beach, where further exploration will undoubtedly turn up a slew of other opportunities to be immersed in the arts and the people who drive them, love them and simply like to observe them. For some, it's the art that attracts, while for others, it's all about becoming the art. Either way, Miami Beach circa Art Basel is a dazzling, dizzying, fascinating experience that can be enjoyed by people of all levels of appreciations of art, and most importantly, of all budgets. As the locals like to say, Basel Tov!
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