It's here! Art Basel is back, baby, and Miami is flinging the doors open for more exhibitions than you can shake an artist-editioned stick at. Then there's the pop-ups, parties, dinners, and dancing that complete the carnival-like sideshow that rages as collectors both big and small do some actual business.
While we're not even going to try to pretend this is a comprehensive list, we've picked out some choice events and shows that'll help get you through the week without a major case of FOMO. From free films to DJs to bathroom radio stations, here are some Art Basel events we're pretty excited about:
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Smoke Grid/Santa Confessional
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Pro tip: you can see much of Art Basel's public program without buying a ticket. Wednesday night in Collins Park, Basel hosts a program of special live performances, including artist Olaf Breuning's "Smoke Grid," a sound installation by Mungo Thompson, and "Santa Confessional," where the public can enter a classic Catholic confessional booth to share their sins with artist David Coleman.
Access: Free to the public
Wednesday 8:30 to 10 p.m.
2100 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Access: Free to the public
Wednesday 8:30 to 10 p.m.
2100 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
La Maison au Bord de l’Eau
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Created by kickass pioneering designer Charlotte Perriand in 1934, La Maison was meant to be mass-produced as a green vacation residence that could be assembled and taken down as needed. Perriand’s daughter and Louis Vuitton have paired up to produce the very first prototype of Perriand's beloved project, which will be on view as a Design Miami satellite exhibition at The Raleigh hotel. (Required reading: NY Times.)
Access: Public
Thursday - Sunday
The Raleigh
Beach Gate entrance at 18th Street
1775 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Access: Public
Thursday - Sunday
The Raleigh
Beach Gate entrance at 18th Street
1775 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Colette's Art Drive-Thru At Alchemist
Instagram/Shop_Alchemist
This is an installation you can drive thru -- and there's no fast food to be found. Instead, uber-cool Parisian shop Colette is pairing with 1111 staple Alchemist to offer only the coolest and most creative wares, like Zaha Hadid's candle ($195), Yves Klein sunglasses ($265), a Friends With You print ($295), Daniel Arsham's cast gypsum cement pillow for iPhone ($95), or a delicious JugoFresh juice ($12).
Access: Public, free to drive through
Monday -- Sunday
5th level
1111 Lincoln Road garage, Miami Beach
Access: Public, free to drive through
Monday -- Sunday
5th level
1111 Lincoln Road garage, Miami Beach
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Le Baron
Facebook/Whereislebaron
The famous Parisian pop-up club is back -- but they're not saying where each night's dancing goes down until 6 p.m. that day. Download the Where Is le Baron? iPhone app, don your cool clothes, and best of luck at the door.
Access: Public, door policies apply
TBD daily Wednesday - Saturday
whereislebaron.com
Access: Public, door policies apply
TBD daily Wednesday - Saturday
whereislebaron.com
Luis Pons "Paper Dreams"
The paper boats of your childhood are back in the form of Miami designer Luis Pons' calming, dreamlike sculpture in Biscayne Bay. Made of bamboo poles, wires, and sails, the floating structure is meant to serve as a place of stillness and isolation as it floats off the dock at The Standard Spa.
Access: Public
Monday – Sunday
40 Island Ave, Miami Beach
Access: Public
Monday – Sunday
40 Island Ave, Miami Beach
Most Oddinism
Facebook
Miami knows street art -- hello, Wynwood! -- but what's going on in the post-street art world? Check out work from artists Steve Powers, Aaron De La Cruz, Christopher Derek Bruno, Ben Eine, Kenji Hirata, Otto Zitko, Patrick Martinez, and Roids MSK at the Most Oddinism exhibition in Midtown. RSVP to Wednesday night's opening reception from 6 to 10 p.m. at MostOddinism@SydneyReising.com.
Access: Public
Thursday - Sunday
The Rotunda in Midtown
Corner NE 1st Avenue and 34th Street, Miami
Access: Public
Thursday - Sunday
The Rotunda in Midtown
Corner NE 1st Avenue and 34th Street, Miami
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Art Basel Films
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Curated by David Gryn, Director of Londonʼs Artprojx, Art Basel's official film program will screen free each night in the Miami Beach Soundscape. Catch compelling shorts from artists including Shirin Neshat, Martin Creed, Dara Birnbaum, Yinka Shonibare, and Leo Gabin, organized into nightly themes. Check the schedule here.
Access: Public, free
Wednesday -- Saturday (Hours vary)
Soundscape Park
500 17th Street, Miami Beach
Access: Public, free
Wednesday -- Saturday (Hours vary)
Soundscape Park
500 17th Street, Miami Beach
Gringo Bingo at Wood Tavern
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Okay, so it's just coincidentally happening during Basel, but the belated one-year anniversary of Yo Miami's Gringo Bingo at Wood Tavern will feature artsy prizes including some original work -- and you might need a break anyway. Hosted by funny folks Daniel Reskin and Irene Morales.
Access: Public, free
Wednesday, 7-10 p.m.
2531 NW 2nd Ave, Miami
Access: Public, free
Wednesday, 7-10 p.m.
2531 NW 2nd Ave, Miami
Chez Andre
Two Andres-about-town -- Balazs of the Standard Hotel empire and Saraiva, a French graffiti artist and nightlife purveyor -- bring their karaoke lounge to Miami for three nights only. Think the coolest people you wish you knew, singing their skinny little hearts out.
Access: You'll want to be on the guest list
Wednesday -- Friday from 11 p.m.
Rec Room at the Gale
1690 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Access: You'll want to be on the guest list
Wednesday -- Friday from 11 p.m.
Rec Room at the Gale
1690 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
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Kendrick Lamar at Mana Wynwood
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Flaunt Magazine and the creative team behind Bardot and the III Points Festival are kicking off 5 days of live music programming at Mana Wynwood, so you always have somewhere to go after checking out the fairs. Though Darkside and Boy George perform on other nights, we're most excited abut Wednesday night's launch party with Kendrick Lamar, the most sought-after man in rap.
Access: Invite only or table reservations, 786-449-1258
Wednesday, doors at 10 p.m.
Mana Wynwood
318 NW 23 Street, Miami
Access: Invite only or table reservations, 786-449-1258
Wednesday, doors at 10 p.m.
Mana Wynwood
318 NW 23 Street, Miami
Design Miami
Facebook
Check out the most innovative and compelling exhibitions and objects from the world of design at the Design Miami fair just across the parking lot from Art Basel. As always, the front entrance is a curated environment that sets the tone for the glorious and unbridled creativity inside; this year, 500 tons of sand support a custom-milled aluminum cantilevered roof thanks to New York-based architecture lab formlessfinder's "Tent Pile." Get inspired.
Access: Public; tickets $20 and up
Wednesday -- Sunday
Meridian Avenue and 19th Street, Miami Beach
Access: Public; tickets $20 and up
Wednesday -- Sunday
Meridian Avenue and 19th Street, Miami Beach
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"A Portrait of Marina Abramović"
Courtesy
She's the compelling performance artist who made MoMA-goers cry with a look -- and now a new 3-D film installation by artist Matthu Placek will delve into the fascinating person of Marina Abramović. Catch the flick as it screens every night starting at 6 p.m. in the Jewel Box on the YoungArts campus. Presented by Visionaire and YoungArts.
Access: Public; free
Wednesday -- Saturday from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m.
YoungArts Jewel Box
2100 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami
Access: Public; free
Wednesday -- Saturday from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m.
YoungArts Jewel Box
2100 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami
"Somewhere Over The Rainbow"
An interactive exhibition that promises "an enhanced state of happiness and self-healing?" Don't mind if we do! Thanks to the Mondrian, Paul Kasmin Gallery and Paper Magazine, you can immerse yourself in Friends With You's inflatable, colorful world "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," where it's possible to physically experience how the color spectrum connects to our emotions.
Access: Public, free
Thursday -- January 15th
Mondrian poolside
1100 West Avenue, Miami Beach
Access: Public, free
Thursday -- January 15th
Mondrian poolside
1100 West Avenue, Miami Beach
Miami Says Art 2
In the late 1970s, artist Martin Kreloff photographed over 100 of Miami's top cultural movers and shakers saying the word "Art," and then drew them. Most of them became famous. The exhibition became iconic. And now, Kreloff returns for Part 2 with a new version based on an "original cast" reunion during Art Basel 2012 and a fresh generation of advocates and art stars. My, how far we've come.
Access: Public, free
Tuesday -- Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Mayfair Hotel & Spa
Palm Terrace, 2nd Floor
3000 Florida Ave, Miami
Access: Public, free
Tuesday -- Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Mayfair Hotel & Spa
Palm Terrace, 2nd Floor
3000 Florida Ave, Miami
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Hugo França at Fairchild Tropical Gardens
Escape the South Beach crush and head to Fairchild for a peaceful walk in the gardens -- and artist Hugo França's gorgeous debut. The Brazilian learned unique woodworking technique from indigenous people in a jungle, which he uses to create functional and sustainable design pieces and sculpture from wood reclaimed from felled, burned, or dead trees.
Access: Public, admission $25 for adults
Monday through May 31
10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables
Access: Public, admission $25 for adults
Monday through May 31
10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables
Pulse Art Fair
Facebook/Pulse Contemporary Art Fair
The leading U.S. fair dedicated solely to contemporary art, Pulse takes over the Ice Palace, unleashing not only a slew of galleries but creating a great place to chill. Be sure to check out Pulse Projects, a program of large-scale or interactive installations that for 2013 include Chicago's Bad at Sports operating an internet radio station out of the fair's bathrooms, complete with live interviews and commentary.
Access: Public; $20 and up for adults
Thursday -- Sunday (hours vary)
1400 North Miami Avenue, Miami
Access: Public; $20 and up for adults
Thursday -- Sunday (hours vary)
1400 North Miami Avenue, Miami
Chapel
This audio/visual art installation is sprung from the minds of producer/dj collective Heroes & Villains (HXV) and lifestyle brand FRESH.i.AM. Chapel takes over The Garret at Grand Central Wednesday night with a light installation, an original score and performance by HXV, and a fashion product installation with exclusive goods sold only at Chapel. So mysterious!
Access: RSVP at Freshiam.net/chapel for free entry
Wednesday at 8 p.m.
697 N Miami Ave, Miami
Access: RSVP at Freshiam.net/chapel for free entry
Wednesday at 8 p.m.
697 N Miami Ave, Miami
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Fool's Gold Day Off
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A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs do the 305 with Trick Daddy as their label, Fool's Gold, hosts its infamous Day Off party on Sunday at Mana Wynwood. The free event's guest list is already closed, so good luck and go early.
Access: Public, but slammed
Sunday 2 to 8 p.m.
318 NW 23rd Street, Miami
Access: Public, but slammed
Sunday 2 to 8 p.m.
318 NW 23rd Street, Miami
Ink Miami Art Fair
Graphicstudio USF
Some of the smaller satellite fairs are real gems, including the contemporary works on paper-focused Ink Miami at the Suites of Dorchester. You'll find some of the most affordable Basel selections here in editioned prints from well-known artists working with the likes of Tandem Press, Tamarind Institute, and Dolan/Maxwell Gallery, like Christian Marclay with Graphicstudio, above.
Access: Public, free
Wednesday -- Sunday (hours vary)
1850 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Access: Public, free
Wednesday -- Sunday (hours vary)
1850 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Tiki Disco at The Gale Rooftop
Thanks to Paper Magazine, DJs Eli Escobar, Lloydski, and more are headed to Miami for the pop-up version of Brooklyn's Tiki Disco party on the Gale's rooftop (with Jamaican BBQ, we're promised). This event is invite/RSVP only, but we know that's never stopped Miamians.
Access: Invite-only
Thursday -- Saturday, 7 p.m. to midnight
1690 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Access: Invite-only
Thursday -- Saturday, 7 p.m. to midnight
1690 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
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Kolkoz's "Curiosity"
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Because a snow-covered Swiss chalet floating in Biscayne Bay is indeed curious, French duo Kolkoz -- the guys behind last year's lunar soccer field -- is good at names. Their "Curiosity" installation will be on view off Miami Marine Stadium on Saturday and Sunday. Will something happen on it? Will it just sit there? We don't even know, but we do know it's awesome.
Access: Public
Saturday from noon to 10 p.m.
Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
Viewable near Marine Stadium
3501 Rickenbacker Causway, Key BiscayneViewable from Marine Stadium
Access: Public
Saturday from noon to 10 p.m.
Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
Viewable near Marine Stadium
3501 Rickenbacker Causway, Key BiscayneViewable from Marine Stadium
Del Toro Pop-Up/Block Party
Our favorite Miami shoes are taking Basel by storm. Del Toro is hosting a pop-up shop on Miami Beach AND a block party at its Wynwood headquarters with BBQ, new artist murals from Stash, Evoca1, Michael Vasquez, Johnny Robles and Magnus, and a special secret musical guest.
Pop-up Shop: 2000 Collins Avenue, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily
Block Party: Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m.
2750 NW 3rd Ave, Suite 22 Miami
Pop-up Shop: 2000 Collins Avenue, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily
Block Party: Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m.
2750 NW 3rd Ave, Suite 22 Miami
Art Basel Miami Beach
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Well, duh. The big daddy fair is an amazing visit, hosting jaw-dropping installations, the most incredible art, and all the people-watching you could ever want. Add in talks with artists like Doug Aitken, and you've got the art world's greatest gathering. Which of the more than 250 galleries will win the buzz war, and which artists will sell what? Decide for yourself at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Access: public; $32 and up for adults
Thursday -- Sunday, opens at noon
1901 Convention Center Dr, Miami Beach
Access: public; $32 and up for adults
Thursday -- Sunday, opens at noon
1901 Convention Center Dr, Miami Beach
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Max Fish
Max Fish pairing with DKNY seems a bit odd to us, but hey: we miss the best bar on the Lower East Side so let's go with it. Though Max Fish shuttered months ago thanks to rising rents, it pops up again in Miami Beach for Basel thanks to fashion and Klughaus. Not a bad idea for resting one's art-weary bones.
Access: Public, free
Wednesday -- Saturday
Radio Bar
814 1st Street, Miami Beach
Access: Public, free
Wednesday -- Saturday
Radio Bar
814 1st Street, Miami Beach
Orchestra Brasil
A juried show from the top 20 design firms in Brazil? We're lovin' it. Among those featured in Orchestra Brasil are Zanini de Zanine of Tolix and Poltrona Frau; Domingos Totora, who uses cardboard for sustainable furniture and decorative objects; and Guto Indio da Costa, who remodeled traditional street vendor stands on Copacabana Beach.
Access: Public, free
Wednesday -- Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Inside the Brazil ArtFair3501 NE 1st Avenue, Midtown
Access: Public, free
Wednesday -- Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Inside the Brazil ArtFair3501 NE 1st Avenue, Midtown
Le Baron Does Daytime
Club kids spotted in daylight? Sure, when it's Le Baron presenting afternoons of art at the Mondrian pool. DJs spin as each day celebrates Basel happenings and humans: the Colette art drive-thru on Wednesday, Friends With You's installation on Thursday, Vanity Projects will give "Piet Mondrian” manicures on Friday, and Saturday will fete sunglasses purveyor Linda Farrow’s 10-year anniversary.
Access: Public
Wednesday -- Sunday, 2 to 6 p.m.
1100 West Avenue, poolside
Miami Beach
Access: Public
Wednesday -- Sunday, 2 to 6 p.m.
1100 West Avenue, poolside
Miami Beach
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