Art Basel Day One - A Tour of the Main Hall
If you follow me on Twitter, you know that I traveled to Miami, Florida last week to attend the 12th edition of Art Basel, which is sister to Art Basel held each June in Basel, Switzerland since 1970. Art Basel Miami is the most celebrated art show in the Americas, with more than 260 prominent galleries taking part from North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa. This art fair exhibits the work of more than 2,000 artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. The main part of the show is held at the Miami Beach Convention Center, but it’s pretty much an exciting citywide event, as private galleries throughout Miami are open for perusal and with many parties to attend. These photos were taken on day one.
1 We arrived at Art Basel Miami Beach on Wednesday afternoon, just in time to take a quick look around the main exhibition hall, which was quite crowded and lively.
2 Many people were coming and going and there were dealers from everywhere displaying all sorts of art - paintings, sculptures, video, fiber-optics, etc.
3 Rob Pruitt - Panda Grand Finale II, 2012 Enamel and glitter on linen - This artist actually worked at Martha Stewart Living years ago and has become quite celebrated.
4 I loved this wall hanging made from many, many pinkish seed pearls.
5 Here I am with Linda and Michael Jesselson. I catered their wedding in the early 1980s. The Jesselsons are very big collectors and they were having a great time seeing everything. They said Art Basel is a yearly pilgrimage.
6 This old zinc bathtub with a dirty flag was placed right below a Damien Hirst medicine cabinet.
7 Hirst's medicine cabinet - This is a smaller version of his original much larger shelves.
8 Tommy Hilfiger and his wife, Dee, were busy talking art with dealers.
9 My dear friend Jean Pigozzi was busy buying Chinese art. He wore one of his own tee shirts from his clothing and accessories line called LimoLand.
10 The show is very well set up and art is well displayed. I was told most of the business took place in the first five hours of the first day.
11 PixCell-Red Deer by Kohei Nawa is covered in crystal balls of all sizes. There is actually a taxidermy deer beneath the glass orbs.
12 David Maupin and his partner, Rachel Lehmann, display contemporary art.
13 People watching is always great. This tall man had very elaborately tattooed legs.
14 My eye was drawn to these very fancy gold metal and black suede shoes by Yves Saint Laurent.
15 What looks like hundreds of ivory colored finials is actually...
16 A horizontal work of hundreds of ivory colored finials affixed to a black fabric background.
17 There are those tattooed legs again!
18 There were many paintings that were just graphics.
19 This artist makes objects that hang in which one can sit or take a trip - kind of Mad Max-like.
20 Angela Bulloch - Sepia Drawing Machine - I loved this machine art, which looks like a seismographic tool.
21 This pleasant woman was pushing around a cart of Ruinart champagne, one of my favorites. She asked if I wanted a glass and I said yes.
22 She poured me a glass and then asked for $20! I thought it was promotional!
23 Two hosts from UBS, major underwriters of Art Basel - Mark Axelowitz and Todd Kauffmann - They had a wonderful space where weary art buyers and lookers could sit and have a drink or a snack.
24 Patrick McMullan - The most successful and nicest of the paparazzi was everywhere.
25 I did not get this art.
26 An elaborate sculpture of waxed real flowers and feathered birds
27 The wax supposedly preserves the real flowers beneath, but I wonder how long they really last?
28 An very odd display of throw-away aluminum baking pans painted simply in bright colors - Did I say odd?
29 This is art?
30 A fabulous fresh flower arrangement - Art? Or a flower arrangement? Or both?
31 Richard Prince's "Nurse on Horseback" - A nurse but no horse on view
32 It's great to have VIP passes. They actually mean something here.
33 Those shoes walked by again.
34 Some large paintings and a woman dressed in neo-Victorian
35 This woman came in pink tights and a ribbon get-up.
36 a series of black masks
37 A lighted neon sign painting with a great message
38 These stove-pipe legs with large toeless shoes were hanging from the rafters.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
Martha, I've never heard of Art Basel until you tweeted it last week. Yeah, I know, I need to get out more often. When you said you ran into friends, I wondered if Jean Pigozzi was one of those friends, especially with all the art he deals in. And sure enough a lovely photo of him. Those were some interesting pieces of art you showed us, including the tattooed legs and the pink and ribbon getup.
I just love people watching, it’s at its best at the airport!
`
Thanks for sharing this lovely tour with us.
Posted by: KLBrown | December 11th, 2012 at 1:10 am
Forgot to thank Jan for her comment yesterday. Thanks Jan, have a good day.
Posted by: KLBrown | December 11th, 2012 at 1:13 am
OMG Martha I totally agree with you when you say "Is this art?" Why do people call themselves artists when it's just junk and rubbish that they make?
Posted by: angela nicholls | December 11th, 2012 at 2:59 am
Thank you for sharing your field trip; however, the so-called art looks utterly rediculous to me. The children's story "The Emperior's New Clothes" comes to mind!
Posted by: Bobbie | December 11th, 2012 at 3:34 am
My my my. This reminds me of an episode of Designing Women. Julia happened to place her purse on a post while she made a phone call and a couple who had way too much money offered thousands for the unique art. To Julia's dismay the jaided gallery manager couldn't pass up the offer. An old zinc bathtub with a dirty flag in it? Perhaps the maintenance crew left it there by mistake when cleaning out the building's basement.
Posted by: Thomas | December 11th, 2012 at 6:14 am
Hi Martha,
The captions were the best and I agree with every -> (?). I hope there was more 'art' somewhere else. The best part was the people walking around in their get-ups. I'm a great people watcher - just give me something to sit on and I'm good for the day! Thanks for day 1 - I look forward to day 2 although I'm still choking on the $20.00 glass of champagne! Trish
Posted by: Trish | December 11th, 2012 at 6:19 am
Hmmm... there is more art on your tarnished silver trays ...
Everything is a point of view ... but Switzerland is in general drawn to be "modern " ."Art Basel" - I would`t have expect "real / old" Art...
Posted by: Dani & cats | December 11th, 2012 at 7:15 am
It looked like you had a great time Martha. I enjoy viewing different mediums of art. I don't always "get it" either, but It's still fun!
You looked lovely as usual and by the way, I can see you wearing those YSL shoes! I look forward to reading more about Art Basil!
Posted by: Cindy F | December 11th, 2012 at 7:45 am
I can see you love the people watching as much as I do when you visit and art gallery... I think watching other peoples reactions is most entertaining. Last time I was in the Tate modern I decided to take pictures of the people experiencing the art... it was quite diverse and make s me giggle even today,,, form the steward sleeping the in the 'goats poo on a stick' exhibition ( i'm sure it's got a proper name) to the the man just perplexed... Loved it!
Posted by: Terry Ann Owen | December 11th, 2012 at 9:42 am
This is wonderful. Art is capable of making us ask -- is this art? Thanks for sharing Martha. I joined the Art Museum in Philadelphia this year and love how it has added to my life. Supporting our museums and art education is key. Your friend Jean's picture is priceless!
Posted by: Teresa Touey | December 11th, 2012 at 9:43 am
Hi Martha, Going on tours with you and your great friends sure is a lot of fun no matter where you go! I have never been in Miami and touring their fabulous Art Basel Event was really fun and loved seeing all of those unusual arts in the Main Hall! These photos are marvelous and I love your comments on each one! I loved #3 done by one of your previous worker, Ron Puritt! You looked great in #5 with Linda and Michael whose wedding you catered back in 1980! Fun to see Tommy Hilfiger and his wife plus your dear friend Jean Pigozzi! You looked lovely and very well in #23 and very happy! Can't wait to see more of these great tours! I was checking my TV this morning and see that you will be on The View Show at 10 o'clock this morning and I can't wait to see you then! Sure hope you have another great day! Off to see The Daily Wag about " More Christmas Decor at the farm!" Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | December 11th, 2012 at 10:10 am
I actually liked the painted baking sheets, but then I like bright colors. Some of the other "art" well, I'm glad it will hang on someone else's walls.
Posted by: homer | December 11th, 2012 at 10:14 am
man i would love to go to this must have been incredible
Posted by: anne hill | December 11th, 2012 at 11:03 am
Hi Martha,
Art is an interesting and difficult matter to discuss. It's very hard to get the artist point of view. I loved the wonderful arrangement of flowers. It is the art of nature, isn't it? Loved
Posted by: Maria Lúcia | December 11th, 2012 at 11:16 am
Martha would love to see if you bought anything or have in the past? Curious about your taste in art. I follow you on twitter for the signed book @sarah310
Thank you! Sarah Los Angeles ca
Posted by: Sarah Ann Gidick | December 11th, 2012 at 5:36 pm
I love the clean lines of the painted baking pans! They would be so perfect in a modern, Danish-style kitchen. The geometric shapes are refreshingly bright, colorful, and crisp. Thank-you for the opportunity to view so many unique pieces . What passes as art may speak differently to each of us, but it's enlightening to experience them if only to broaden our horizons and open our minds. Thank-you for sharing.
Posted by: Kate | December 11th, 2012 at 5:48 pm
My cousin is an artist and is there each year- daniel keller of 3d-aids. His art installation had to do with breast cancer awareness. I wonder if you walked by it.
Posted by: Darcell | December 11th, 2012 at 8:15 pm
The art was hideous and I bet they cost a lot, eish. And some of the attendees looked like homeless who walked in, seriously, esp that lady in pink tights and ripped skirt, I wouldn't even wear that for Halloween.
Thanks for sharing though.
Posted by: Shirley Adams | December 11th, 2012 at 8:42 pm
My son Justin is a chef at The Bazaar by Jose Andres if you go ask for him he would be sooo thrilled. The food is great and presented so beautifully many photo ops. South Beach
Posted by: Isabel Pearce | December 11th, 2012 at 9:56 pm
Martha, How I appreciate your candid and lively comments....they are a delight. You capture life vividly and joyously. Thank you! These comments here made me smile, as I would think the same thing...the ribbon get up, the $20 for the glass of champagne, the art, the unique shoes that kept popping up! Perfect!
Posted by: Barbara | December 11th, 2012 at 9:56 pm
I liked the artwork on the guy with the "elaborately tattooed legs" better than the tin bathtub holding the tattered flag. " Art, much like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder"
Posted by: Vicki Errigo Hunt | December 11th, 2012 at 10:12 pm
i didnt get that log piece of art either and i hate when i dont get it! :/
Posted by: kathy schnaebele | December 11th, 2012 at 11:16 pm
Martha-
Thank you for sharing photos of your excursion. What an interesting event! Your captions and commentary made me laugh! I appreciate your candidness, as I can imagine myself thinking some of the same things you did at some of the spectacles you came across.
Posted by: Michael | December 12th, 2012 at 12:16 am
Well, Martha, I'll take your word for it that this was an art show, but the only thing I really liked were the flowers.
Gloria G!!
Posted by: Gloria | December 12th, 2012 at 12:22 am
Hello Miss M, Love Miami and think you are an amazin talent. So happy to hear you were out and about among the creative ones like yourself in one of my favorite towns. I am a personal asst, butler, cook, event planner, cat handler, Fordham grad Economics, etc., and, I always love visiting your site for the best information out there. Thank you for the new website and less ads: it speaks volumes. You and your well-appointed team offer such wonderful advice and creative ideas, Id love to be your assistant. A dude can dream can't he??? Anyway, maybe, who knows... Sometimes I think you are a survivor of the school of hard knocks. I dont like when some people knock you. They dont understand all the hard work you put into becoming the best in your field, and just see the rewards. Please keep doing good things. Much love, Michael and V V. www. vitovincentthecat.com.
Posted by: Michael | December 12th, 2012 at 12:45 am
Hi Martha, Maybe the artist whose piece Logs Bound Together with the parenthetical underneath was alluding to the pejorative F word some people have used for homosexual, bundle of twigs ? definitely a thoughtful piece, provocative, and one which is inspiring dialogue ... thanks for highlighting !
Posted by: Linda Ravenswood | December 12th, 2012 at 6:04 pm
Great show. Love you guys!!
Posted by: Tom jones | December 13th, 2012 at 12:53 am
Thanks for including us in this event. my comments would be same..
Posted by: ann | December 13th, 2012 at 4:05 pm
Looks like the only Art was the YSL shoes and the guy's legs. The rest was the usual degraded "Emperor's new clothes that we see at these pretentious road shows.
Wonder if the poor champagne girl lost her job?
Posted by: Rand South | December 19th, 2012 at 2:48 am
Dear Martha, this was a very entertaining post. I loved the part about the $20.
Posted by: Karen | December 28th, 2012 at 10:19 pm