Art Basel Miami was crazy! So much amazing work. Such a party. Although it seemed like half the visitors were only there to prove to Instagram they were there, I get it. I’ll just make sure I bring the big guns and find a mural spot next year to paint something they can pose in front of!
I went to the Art Basel exhibition at the Miami Convention Center to see all the high end work and gain an understanding of what really goes on in the million-dollar art world. People exploring, chatting, introducing, peering, photographing. Wondering out loud and to themselves, weaving in and out of the maze of represented galleries.
Colorfully dressed men and women make international deals at small tables. Gallery reps share info about their artists with prospective buyers. Everyone speaks in different languages. I hear Spanish, Italian, accents from the UK and Ireland.
In the center of the convention center, a jungle of plants. Hundreds of people sit on bleachers and tables in this indoor courtyard, eating overpriced sandwiches.
I turn a corner to find fifty people taking photos of a banana duct taped to the wall. I roll my eyes and keep walking. Yes, it was that banana. A group stops to photograph a sculptured woman named Sophie and her helldogs. Vines of fabric magic swarm around her. It's a piece by South African artist Mary Sibande.
At Wynwood, the streets are filled with thousands of people who care more about the spectacle of it all than any of the actual artwork. Muralists work on new street art here and there. Three box trucks flash the words IMPEACH and ABUSE OF POWER on LED screens. I find a spot to set up my prints. One person stops to chat. I move on to find my friends and check out some emerging artists at Superchief Gallery, including Lauren YS (@squidlicker) and Erwin Papa (@erwin.papa). Then I pop around a few parties. End up in Little Haiti, dancing the night away on the Mayan Warrior Burning Man art car.
Feeling really inspired by this crazy city. Te amo, Miami 🌴 💃🏻 🎨