Art Basel is back in Miami for a week packed with some of the most exciting art exhibits and events of the year. Held through December 11, this popular art showcase brings people from around the world together for what has become a can’t-miss experience for anyone that’s a fan of mixed media.
Although Art Basel has come to be known as a melting pot for creatives, there has been a strong representation of Black artists and events in recent years. This year, exhibitions such as The Art of Hip Hop will celebrate the rich history of Hip Hop by focusing on the cultural significance of its visual creators, while artists such as Hebru Brantley, Nekisha Durrett, and Hank Willis Thomas will all be the focus of certain installations, where supporters can view some of their best works to date.
Luxury brands such as BBC x ICECREAM will also exhibit selected works by some of the world’s most-renowned visual artists, while artists of another kind perform at concerts and events throughout the weekend. Superproducer Kaytranada will appear at the iconic LIV nightclub, and you can also support will.i.am at his fundraising gala later on this week if you’re an advocate of STEM research.
Take a look at 22 of the must-attend events during Art Basel 2023 in Miami below.
In Art Basel’s American show, leading galleries from five continents show significant works by masters of Modern and contemporary art, as well as the new generation of emerging stars.
Location: Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139
The Art of Hip Hop, an immersive educational exhibition created by the Founders of Museum Of Graffiti, is officially launching during Art Basel Miami Beach 2023. To coincide with the opening, the team at The Art of Hip Hop has partnered with StockX to prepare an array of programming and celebrations during its grand opening weekend from December 5th – December 10th. The exhibition will celebrate the rich history of Hip Hop by focusing on the cultural significance of its visual creators: the photographers, album cover artists, graffiti legends, and logo designers from some of Hip Hop’s most iconic projects.
Location: 276 NW 26th Street, Miami, FL 33127
As its largest, most international and diverse edition to date with 163 exhibitors, from 39 countries, and nearly 600 artists, the fair will host more galleries from outside mainstream arthubs than ever before. The ‘Nest’ sector of the fair, driven by Untitled Art’s dedication to fostering the growth of emerging spaces and supporting the larger art ecosystem, will feature 20 galleries and non-profits. Guided by an ongoing mission to support the broader art ecosystem, the 12th edition of Untitled Art reflects a greater emphasis of the fair’s commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility, which are at the heart of two new curatorial themes shaping this year’s presentation: Gender Equality in the Arts and Curating in the Digital Age.
Location: Miami Beach between Ocean Drive and 12th Street.
Scaling Superblue’s exterior and visible from afar, The Chronicles of Miami imagines how an entire city can be represented through art. Recognizable faces of mayors and celebrities can be spotted amongst the city’s locals, portrayed side by side and as equals, coming together to mark this moment in time.. Also debuting during Miami Art Week is one of JR’s most significant immersive works to date, The Machine Behind the Art: Inside JR’s Printing Press, created for Superblue. The installation invites visitors to walk through a portal-like door embedded into The Chronicles of Miami mural on the building’s façade. The Chronicles of Miami is free and open to the public, and The Machine Behind the Art: Inside JR’s Printing Press is $25.
Location: Superblue, 1101 NW 23rd St, Miami, FL 33127
Afro-Latina visual artist, painter, influencer, and author Reyna Noriega, who has dedicated her life’s work to celebrating women of color, has partnered with Nautilus Sonesta Miami Beach and nAscent Art New York to debut her first-ever full-scope multimedia and multidimensional artwork installation during Miami Art Week 2023. Featuring over 12 never-before-seen pieces, the immersive exhibition explores Noriega’s vibrant heritage and identity as a female Cuban-American Miami native as it intersects with her culture and journey as an artist. The event is free and open to the public; you can RSVP HERE.
Location: 1825 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Aqua Art Miami will kick off its 17th edition at the Aqua Hotel with a VIP Preview on Wednesday, December 6th before opening to the public December 7-10, 2023. Aqua Art Miami is the premier location for art aficionados to procure works by young, emerging and mid-career artists. Throughout the years, the fair has continued to solidify itself as a completely unique art fair, consistently staying true to its signature relaxed yet energetic vibe. A roster of well respected international galleries will showcase the fresh artists’ works in the intimate exhibition rooms, which open into the beautiful courtyard of the classic South Beach hotel. One day tickets start at $30, while multi-day tickets start at $130 and include unlimited access to Aqua Art Miami’s public fair days Dec. 7-10, as well as Art Miami + CONTEXT Art Miami public fair days from Dec 6-10. Purchase tickets: HERE
Location: Aqua Hotel (1530 Collins Avenue Miami Beach, FL 33139)
Beginning Friday, December 8th at 5:00pm, Vilebrequin will unveil new artist editions including swimsuits made in collaboration with Derrick Adams, Sylvie Fleury, Kenny Scharf, Mickalene Thomas and Racquel Chevremont, and John Armelder. Guests can sip on rosé from Chateau D’Esclans and shop the new collection during Vilebrequin’s Art Basel pop-up within The Goodtime Hotel (601 Washington Avenue)’s outdoor breezeway. In-store, Vilebrequin will also showcase the brand’s latest artist edition collaborations including colorful and playful pop-surrealist inspired designs by Spanish artist Okuda San Miguel, and American Artist Kenny Scharf’s vibrant and youthful “cosmos” creations with scenes and characters depicting a cartoon-like world. Visitors who shop in-store from Friday, December 8th to Sunday, December 10th will receive a complimentary John Armelder pouch with their purchase, while supplies last.
Location: The Goodtime Hotel, 601 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Spend your Saturday at LIV, Basel Edition, with Kaytranada Rampa! Experience the iconic performance from the famous DJ, as he performs famous beats like “4EVA,” “Assumptions,” and more.
Location: 4441 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33140
This year, SCOPE brings together over 110 highly curated participants from 23 different countries. 70 galleries will be showing at SCOPE for the first time this year, underscoring SCOPE’s mission to serve as a destination for discovery. This year, SCOPE has programmed large scale exhibitions in The New Contemporary, panels, activations and performances through the lens of “Artifacts of Experience”. These events aim to provide a comprehensive experience for attendees, offering opportunities for interaction, education, and understanding of the artworks displayed at SCOPE Miami Beach. SCOPE’s programming will run from 10am to midnight EST, and tickets are available HERE.
Location: 801 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139
The Art in Earth is an augmented reality display powered by Art House technology. In an effort to amplify the importance of ocean conservation, the lobby installation will transform Eden Roc Miami Beach into a canvas for art & technology, teleporting you to oceans around the world. By activating the still satellite image with Art House tech, visitors will be instantly teleported to that specific region. Immerse yourself in the AR world as you enjoy culinary creations and learning more about ocean conservation. Prints will also be available, with proceeds benefiting the PangeaSeed Foundation.
Location: Eden Roc Miami Beach, 4525 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33140
The Mayor’s Office of the City of West Palm Beach and ArtLife West Palm Beach announce a new large-scale, site-specific public art commission by mixed-media artist Nekisha Durrett titled, Genius Loci. The sculpture, which is inspired by the form of an RCA gramophone, symbolizes the physical manifestation of music as well as amplifying voices that have been systematically marginalized by history. Located in Heart & Soul Park in West Palm Beach, Genius Loci meaning “spirit of a place” is inspired by the former Sunset Lounge, a famed jazz club dubbed “Cotton Club of the South,” and the history of The Styx, the Black community in Palm Beach that was burned to the ground in 1910. The Heart & Soul Park and the Sunset Lounge were redeveloped and are currently owned by the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).
Location: The Square West Palm to Heart & Soul Park, 825 N. Rosemary Avenue, West Palm Beach, Florida
Internationally renowned artist Hank Willis Thomas will unveil four marble sculptures in collaboration with ARCA, the global purveyor of the most exclusive natural stone, tiles, and wood, for Art BaselMiami Beach. Hank Willis Thomas is a conceptual artist working across sculpture, painting, photography and more, and primarily working with themes related to perspective, identity, commodity, media, and popular culture. Situated at the exterior of the iconic façade of ARCA’s showroom in Wynwood, the four sculptural works each titled Loving Day. Offering a continuum to the artist’s other gesture-focused sculptures, most notably The Embrace, Thomas translates a single moment of intimacy across various media and modalities to reinforce the multiplicity of meanings contained within familiar gestures. Loving Day speaks to the idea of individual and collective identity, the stronghold of humankind, and the desire for shared connection.
Location: 260 NW 27th St, Miami, Florida
ART FOR CHANGE and Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit that sustains Prospect Park, are pleased to debut a collection of limited-edition artworks that celebrate the iconic Brooklyn oasis. PARK OF DREAMS is a curated presentation of contemporary artworks by Marcus Brutus, Kelly Beeman, Alyssa Klauer, Danielle Orchard, Cydne Coleby, Jules De Balincourt, Amy Lincoln, Bianca Nemelc, and Maria Calandra, which celebrates and supports Brooklyn’s beloved Prospect Park. PARK OF DREAMS will be accompanied by newly commissioned limited edition prints of each image available to collectors worldwide starting November 14, 2023 via ART FOR CHANGE, and will be on view at The New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) throughout the month of December 2023.
Location: NADA Miami, 1400 N Miami Ave, Miami, FL 33136
The world-renowned Museum of Graffiti will celebrate its fourth anniversary this coming Art Basel with an unprecedented schedule of new exhibitions, brand activations, and more. This year, trailblazing LA-based artist MEAR ONE, will open a solo exhibition entitled Metaphysical Surrealism on December 6, 2023, marking a pivotal moment in the artist’s lengthy career as a graffiti artist turned master oil painter. Guests of the show can also expect the return of the Mi Campo Artist Lounge on the Museum’s patio, where MEAR ONE and the rest of the graffiti community will be sipping signature cocktails while participating in interactive art programming and signings, and listening to the beats of celebrity DJ sets.
Location: 276 NW 26th St, Miami, FL 33127
Miami Pool House will host a Andrew x Slip n Slide Records party on Friday, December 8, with Trick Daddy and Trina.
Location: Miami Pool House, 105-107 NE 25th St, Miami, FL 33137
This arts festival will offer six exhibitions, including works from Puerto Rican artists, a sculpture pavilion, a book installation resisting the erasure of Black literature, and works from Ten North Group’s extensive collection of art from Africa, the Caribbean, and the Diaspora. Programming events include “Landscape Noir,” a conversation on how the arts can be used as a catalyst to transform previously forgotten communities (Dec. 4); A “Performance & Voguing Workshop,” with Afro-Caribbean artist Edrimael Delgado Reyes (Dec. 8); an Afro-Cuban dance performance by the Ife-Ile Dance Company (Dec. 3); and the headline event featuring a panel discussion led by curator Tumelo Mosaka, followed by a film screening by artist Marrero Sanchez on grief, identity, colonialism and gender (Dec. 9).
Location: 490 Opa-locka Blvd, Ste. 20, Opa-locka, FL 33054
This Miami Art Week, Bleacher Report will debut ‘The Residency,’ a year-long creative collective at the nexus of sports, art, fashion, and culture, unveiling in partnership with the NBA. This captivating gallery experience, open to the public from Friday, December 8th – Saturday, December 9th, celebrates an eclectic mix of artists paying homage to five NBA teams. The inaugural event will highlight the following artists and corresponding teams: Esther Wallace (Boston Celtics), Bryan “Blue the Great” Blue (Dallas Mavericks), D’ana “COVL” Nuñez (Miami Heat), Mark “MADSTEEZ” Paul Deren (Phoenix Suns), and Demitrius Omphroy (Toronto Raptors). The event kicks off on Thursday, Dec 7, with a Private VIP Launch Party and In-Season Tournament Viewing (7pm-11pm), followed by the gallery’s public opening on Friday and Saturday (12pm-7pm).
Location: The LAB Miami | 400 NW 26th Street, Miami, FL 33127
FIRST® and i.am/Angel foundation collaborate on the vital role that STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education plays in today’s youth, preparing them for a brighter future. This exciting partnership will be on display at a spectacular fundraising gala co-hosted by will.i.am, founder of the i.am/Angel Foundation, and Dean Kamen, founder of FIRST. To purchase Gala tickets, visit firstinspires.org/gala.
Location: Loews Miami Beach Hotel, 1601 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Enjoy a unique and invigorating experience at the Moxy Miami South Beach rooftop during the highly anticipated Miami Art Week. Immerse yourself in the world of movement and playfulness with an exclusive Primal Moves Pop-Up event, guided by the visionary embodiment soul, Tori Famuyiwa.
Location: Moxy Miami South Beach
UBS, in collaboration with ARTNOIR, a global creative collective and non-profit organization that catalyzes cultural equity across the arts and culture industries, will present The Poetics of Dimensions, a group presentation featuring artists Anthony Akinbola, Sonia Gomes, Melissa Joseph, Julianknxx, and Nari Ward across two locations both at the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) and Soundscape Park on 17th Street, Miami Beach, near New World Center. UBS will also host a public panel at the MBCC auditorium on December 8, and a UBS Lounge, which features a site-specific triptych painting by Jeffrey Gibson titled JUST WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT.
Locations: Miami Beach Convention Center and Soundscape Park on 17th Street
Nylon will be hosting two evening events – NYLON House on Friday, December 8, and a special edition of NYLON Nights on Saturday, December 9. Both events are invite only.
To celebrate the launch of BBC’s magazine, THE PROGRAM VOL. 2 features Hebru Brantley and a collective of inspired artists hand selected to participate in the ‘zine because of their uniquely creative points-of-view, the depth of their storytelling and their commitment to craft.
Location: BILLIONAIRE BOYS CLUB, 2545 NW 3RD AVE. MIAMI FL
To celebrate the open beta launch and a successful year of releases, EVEN is headed Miami Art Basel to host a panel with Shaun Ross and Rush Davis on the topic of independent artistic endeavours and the platforms and community that make it happen. The event is presented by EVEN and Stardust, sponsored by Johnny Walker Blue. For more information on the event and to RSVP, please visit: https://www.even.biz/artbasel
Location: 215 NW 24th St, Miami, FL
Red Dot Miami presents its satellite exhibition during Miami Art Week 2023, spotlighting the various works of contemporary artists and makers. Over 60 international galleries are presenting their works, attracting a spectrum of visitors including collectors, potential buyers, and art lovers alike.
Location: 2217 NW 5th Avenue NW 22nd St, Miami, FL 33127
American Express is unveiling PLAY by American Express Platinum in partnership with PlayLab, Inc. Located on the beach at The Miami Beach EDITION, an FH&R property, guests are welcomed by an interactive gallery combining art and nostalgia, and bringing together some of today’s most interesting artists to reimagine iconic toys as limited-edition collectibles and art pieces. The gallery will feature immersive installations and iconic toys reimagined as collectible works of art by Salehe Bembury, Surin Kim, Eny Lee Parker, and more.
Location: The Miami Beach EDITION, 2901 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33140
JUSTIN Vineyards and Winery is bringing their wine to Miami to celebrate all of the Art Week Aficionados and wine lovers! The brand will offer everyone who stops in a chance to try their various offerings, so stop by any of their 3 pop-up bars for a chance to sip and savor the best of Miami Art Week.
Locations: The Loews Hotel, Intercontinental, and Fontainebleau.
This Art Basel, STAMPED and Miami’s Norma Now are teaming up to bring the sounds from the continent to the World, as we welcome Art Basel to Miami for a special edition event, CLUB PARADISE, presented by CÎROC. Guests will get to enjoy specialty cocktails during a CÎROC Happy Hour and sounds by @AYA + FRIENDS featuring Joe Kay (Soulection), and Nayiram. Tickets available HERE.
Location: 2217 NW Miami Ct Third Floor, Miami, FL 33127
To encore its viral Meta House experience last year, Meta is turning all of Miami Art Week into its very own mixed-reality playground as part of their new “It’s Your World” campaign – including a first-of-its-kind mixed reality jam session with 10x GRAMMY nominated artist Victoria Monét and much more.
Chef Kwame Onwuachi of NYC’s hottest reservation, Tatiana, and the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card Portfolio will host its 7th annual Miami Art Week party with artist Kelly Dabbah, who will create and unveil new artwork and music by DJ D-Nice. There will also be plus ups throughout the weekend for anyone attending Miami Art Week including a Marriott Bonvoy American Express Cobrand pop-up in front of the W South Beach with refreshing mocktails inspired by a drink served by Tatiana.
