Art Basel Miami Beach celebrated its twentieth anniversary this year, returning to South Florida with its largest show to date. Thousands of private collectors, artists and spectators flocked to the city to visit the legendary art fair’s must-visit events, exhibitions and parties.
Founded in 1970 by Basel gallerists Ernst Beyeler, Trudl Bruckner and Balz Hilt, Art Basel became an instant success attracting more than 16,000 visitors with its inaugural show in Switzerland. Since then, the art fair has gone global, hosting annual shows in Hong Kong, Miami Beach and, most recently, Paris.
Running from December 1-3, Art Basel Miami Beach pulled out all the stops to mark its milestone birthday. Almost 300 galleries spanning North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia participated in the fair, showcasing the work of emerging young talent, alongside heavyweights from the modern and contemporary art world.
Eager to do its part to support the local community, Art Basel also made a sizeable donation to the STEAM+ program to help fund artists to visit a selection of Miami Beach public schools.
Here, Elite Traveler has rounded up the best events and exhibitions at Art Basel Miami Beach 2022. From colorful art installations to luxury car shows these are the most memorable displays of all.
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Germane Barnes, Rock / Roll
Kicking off our list of Art Basel Miami Beach’s best events is Miami-based architect and designer Germane Barnes’s multi-scale installation, Rock / Roll. Paying tribute to the communities that shape the city’s vibrant culture, the artwork takes inspiration from the bright colors of the Miami Carnival.
The installation is the winner of the 2022 Miami Design District Annual Neighborhood Commission and will be displayed across the neighborhood’s public spaces into the new year. As you stroll through the district, you’ll find a series of Barnes’s works including hundreds of windchimes hanging from palm trees; giant seating capsules that rock back and forth when activated by users; and a free-floating dome reminiscent of an enormous disco ball.
The Miami Creative Movement
Miami-native artist and photographer Barry Fellman has curated an exhibition at the Center for Visual Communication in the city’s trendy Wynwood district. Running through March 15, 2023, The Miami Creative Movement features paintings by 15 of Miami’s leading artists including Regina Jestrow, Robert McKnight and Kathleen Stapleton.
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The exhibition opened during Art Basel Miami Beach with three exclusive open house events, launching alongside Fellman’s new photography book which chronicles the Miami art scene over the last decade.
Lady Liberty – A Bonnie Lautenberg Retrospective
Bonnie Lautenberg is showcasing two decades of her photography and art with a new exhibition at The Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. The solo show – which kicked off during Art Basel Miami Beach – celebrates powerful women while highlighting and confronting some of today’s most challenging issues including the Supreme Court vote to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Running through March 26, 2023, the exhibition will feature over 30 works by Lautenberg. Among the pieces on display is a series of digital collages recognizing women who managed to break through barriers in male-dominated industries including Elizabeth Taylor, Barbara Streisand and Marilyn Monroe.
Rolls-Royce, Cullinan – Inspired by Fashion
Rolls-Royce also made an appearance at Art Basel Miami Beach 2022. The British luxury car manufacturer unveiled its Cullinan – Inspired by Fashion campaign, showcasing two prêt-à-porter collections – ReBelle and Fu-Shion.
Taking inspiration from the world of high fashion, the iconic SUV has been reimagined in a striking new color scheme. ReBelle is offered in lime green, wildberry and arctic white, with interiors adorned with peony pink and lime green accents, while Fu-Shion “reinterprets high fashion with a utilitarian edge” and is available with a military green or burnout gray exterior while the interiors are given a splash of color with a combination of arctic white, cashmere gray leather and forge yellow accents.
Eden Roc Miami Beach & National Geographic, Evolve
National Geographic explorers Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier unveiled their new exhibition, Evolve, at the exclusive oceanfront hotel, Eden Roc Miami Beach, during the art fair. The duo displayed 30 large-scale photographs never before seen by the public that document their travels to far-flung corners of the planet.
Passionate about protecting our oceans, the explorers set up their own non-profit, SeaLegacy in 2014 to help fund crucial on-the-ground research. Their exhibition showcases the power of art to bring about real change while encouraging people to get involved with conservation efforts.
Maddox Gallery Art Week Show
Next up on our list of the best exhibitions and events at Art Basel Miami Beach is the Maddox Gallery art show. It’s the fifth year in a row the contemporary UK art gallery returned to the fair and expectations have been high since Maddox famously sold Banksy’s ‘Charlie Brown’ for a cool $4m last year.
This year was just as impressive with Jon Bon Jovi and Dorothea Hurley stopping by for the opening night. Operating booth AM220, Maddox featured an array of works from artists including David Yarrow, Andy Warhol, KAWS, The Connor Brothers and Yayoi Kusama.
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton reaffirmed its commitment to the arts with a new exhibition at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The French fashion house marked 10 years since the start of its collaboration with Yayoi Kusama by displaying a collection of exclusive new pieces by the legendary Japanese contemporary artist.
Other highlights from the exhibition include a panda figure sculpture by Takashi Murakami on a vintage Louis Vuitton trunk; paintings by Richard Prince and Alex Katz; and the Maison’s iconic Artycapucines collection.
Elite Traveler & Don Julio
Elite Traveler loves a party so we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to host our own event during Art Basel Miami Beach. We teamed up with Tequila Don Julio to present the luxury brand’s second bottling of its coveted Ultima Reserva at an exclusive lounge in Miami. Real estate agents and brothers Oren and Tal Alexander hosted the event alongside Elite Traveler’s SVP Corey Zaretsky. Guests were treated to Don Julio cocktails and a four-course dinner before partying the night away with DJ Danny Oldja.
VICE, This is Not a Test
Last but by no means least on our roundup of the best exhibitions and events at Art Basel Miami Beach 2022 is VICE’s This is Not a Test. The broadcasting company took over the super-exclusive Carl Fisher Clubhouse to host three days of carefully curated live performances, art and cultural programming and parties, celebrating 50 years of Hip Hop.
The star-studded event included roundtable talks hosted by critic and activist Kimberly Drew; dance parties with international DJs; and a multimedia installation from visual artist Timeboy.
[See also: Saatchi Gallery Hosts The New Black Vanguard Exhibition]
