When Marvin Mordes died Sept. 18, the 70-year-old neurologist was in Europe pursuing his great passion: Contemporary art. “Art was an extension of the way he liked to live his life,” said Mera Rubell, patron of the Rubell Family Collection in Miami. Mordes’s death of a stroke in Berlin deprived the visual art community of a tremendous art advocate on a local and … [Read more...]
Looking back: Booming Art Basel full of energy, surprise
When the Art Basel Miami Beach week ended Dec. 8, more than 75,000 people had visited the show in the Miami Beach Convention Center, and many of those 75,000 had visited the five main fairs that have sprung up around it: Art Miami, Design Miami, NADA, Pulse and Untitled. There was plenty of star power, too. At Art Miami’s opening Dec. 3, a horde of no less than 13,500 VIP … [Read more...]
Art Basel’s abundance spills over into Wynwood
Since the advent 11 years ago of Art Basel Miami Beach, the event has grown to the point that there are more art shows and openings in fair week than one has time to see. Outside the Miami Beach Convention Center, the second most extensive area for art fairs, private collections and galleries is the Wynwood Art District, between North 36th Street and North 20th Street and east … [Read more...]
Art Basel brings annual cultural shakeup to Miami Beach
During the first week of December, Miami Beach is the “must-see” premier destination for thousands of art collectors, museum curators, art lovers and artists. On Wednesday, the press and VIPs converged on Art Basel Miami in the Miami Beach Convention Center to see 257 galleries from 31 countries. Art Basel, which runs through Sunday, presents contemporary and historical … [Read more...]
A day of art overdose: Scenes from Art Basel, 2011
One day is too much and a week isn’t enough. After a full day and night (until 2 a.m.) of seeing Art Basel Miami, one installation and too much walking, one comes to realize that there is so much art, so many shows, galleries, lectures, that even a week would not be enough. Satellite, gallery shows and events are spread throughout the metropolitan area, and parties at hotels, … [Read more...]
Artists to transform small hotel in annual Showtel exhibition
For the past eight years, a small hotel in West Palm Beach has been transformed for a short time into a home of art installations. It’s called Showtel, and it’s one of the most unusual local events in contemporary art. It begins tonight at Hotel Biba on Belvedere Road and lasts through Saturday night. This event, in which selected artists take over rooms in the hotel and turn … [Read more...]
Couple hosts cutting-edge art at home
Sometimes, the universe opens a window to a new world: If we step through it, our lives are changed. And sometimes, we just have to return a pager. Dr. Marvin Mordes was doing his neurology residency in Philadelphia, and had to bring a pager to his co-resident, who happened to be at an art gallery. "After I met my co-resident, I couldn’t leave the gallery because the skies … [Read more...]
Fine art fair has strong work, brisk sales
The recession "is a distant memory for art collectors," says David Lester, organizer of the 14th annual American International Fine Art Fair now taking place at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. "The 14th edition of AIFAF is shaping up to be the best yet," he said. The convention center has been transformed into an array of architecturally interesting rooms in which … [Read more...]
Out among the quirks at Art Basel
The larger-than-life, realistic sculptures by the Canadian artist Evan Penny caused a stir at last year's Art Basel, with his nude self-portrait selling within the show's first days. At this year’s Art Basel, Penny is proving just as provocative. Penny’s sculptures aren’t simply lifelike reproductions, even though it may seem so when you first see them. From a different … [Read more...]
Art Basel ‘09 showcases innovation
From established artists to newbies, Art Basel is a place where one can see the innovators of contemporary art, and the annual Miami Beach version of this European art stalwart gets under way formally tonight. But the action associated with the festival started up at the beginning of the week, and on Wednesday afternoon, VIPs were lined up at the Miami Beach Convention Center … [Read more...]