inverted red catenary, by Allyson Strafella.By Gretel SarmientoTwo strangers in a museum find themselves sharing the same opinion about that thing facing them. They call it “thing” because they don't know what it is. And the brave one's loud comment (“What the heck is this?”) is the shy one's relief.Such a flow of communication might be common at the Now … [Read more...]
Art feature: Art world converges on Art Basel ‘party’
Shade Compositions (2009) by Rashaad Newsome.(Courtesy Frederic Snitzer Gallery, Miami)By Jenifer M. VogtBeginning Thursday, the contemporary art world will be in Miami Beach and its environs for the second largest art fair in the world: Art Basel Miami Beach.This includes artists, art critics, private dealers, advisers, galleries, curators, … [Read more...]
ArtsPreview 2010-11: The season in Broward-Miami art
Poster No. 4 (2010), from the Miami Poster Project, by Philip Brooker. By Emma TrellesEach fall, it is the labor of arts writers everywhere to forge connections between the many exhibits about to snap open and clamor for the eye’s attention. There is much excitement after many hot and slow months of student art shows and sweetly presented orchid photos at … [Read more...]
Art feature: Out among the quirks at Art Basel
A front view of the sculpture Female Stretch, by Evan Penny.(Photo by Katie Deits)By Katie DeitsThe 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 … [Read more...]
Art review: Art Basel ’09 showcases innovation
A Bigger Maurice Payne (2008), by David Hockney.(Photo by Katie Deits)By Katie DeitsFrom 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, … [Read more...]
ArtsPreview 2009-10: The season in Palm Beach art
A Taisho period (1920s) formal woman's long-sleeved kimono,from an exhibit opening Dec. 5 at the Society of the Four Arts. [Editor's note: This post has been updated to remove a notice about an exhibition that has been canceled.]By Katie Deits The coming art season looks to be as exciting as ever, with artists enthusiastically staging exhibitions through cooperative … [Read more...]
Art review: Loving contemporary art
A-Z, The Passion of Joan, by Aida Ruilova (Photos by Katie Deits)By Katie DeitsIt's not always easy to make sense of contemporary art, even for someone like me, who's been studying it and creating it for most of her life.But the more you know about it, the more you love it. I took in a great deal of new art last month at Art Basel in Miami Beach, so much so that it was almost … [Read more...]
Art Basel, Day 3: Experts see better days for art ahead
Women Resting on Metal, by sculptor Tatiana Blanco.(Photos by Katie Deits)By Katie DeitsMIAMI BEACH — On one of my last visits to Art Basel this week, I took a tour of the booths in the convention hall to see what had been sold, what new works had been placed, and just see whether there was anything interesting I might have missed before.I counted three Barack Obama portraits … [Read more...]
Art Basel, Day 2: A touch of Palm Beach
Representing West Palm Beach's Gavlak gallery is Nelson Hallonquist, who stands between two paintings by José Alvarez. (Photos by Katie Deits)By Katie DeitsMIAMI BEACH -- Amid the immensity of this city's convention hall, where works by more than 2,000 artists are being displayed by more than 250 of the top … [Read more...]
Art Basel, Day 1: The shock of the new
John Miller's The Totality of an Object (2008)By Robyn Deits EckersleyMIAMI BEACH -- 11:57 a.m., and the waiting crowd had already started to fidget and heckle the security guards to let them into the much-anticipated Art Basel show.After several impatient sighs and exaggerated looks at wristwatches, the mob was granted access, herded through the entryway like cattle.My … [Read more...]