PHOTOBLOG: MIAMI ART WEEK 2017 - Art Basel, Magic City, Pulse...

(Miami, FL) - In 2017 I took the time to see more of what Miami Art Week has to offer and travel away from the Miami Beach Convention Center where the Art Basel festival is held. Art Basel Miami Beach has more than I can truly see on a 3 day trip anyway, so why not get out into the rest of city and see more of what art week festival organizers have brought together? In 2016, I did make it to a couple of other art venues, but although marketed to a slightly different demographic, the works were still very similar to those at the convention. Maybe, just on a smaller (price) scale. In 2017, I was determined to get a little more diversity.

Also, as in years past, my focus at Art Basel has continued to be more on education than viewing the artwork in the galleries. I find Art | Basel Conversations fascinating and advise you to sit in on a few sessions if you visit the festival and hear first-hand from major players in the Art world. This year, I even ran into one of the organizers and Conversations Program Manager, Annelie Graf, and gained even more insight into the program and its participants. This was also my first year attending as a Gallerist for Edward A. Dixon Gallery in Dayton, Ohio which made the talks even more interesting and relevant.

I really enjoyed myself at Art | Basel Conversations and Art | Basel Films. Art Basel Public was not as strong as prior years, maybe somewhat due to the Bass Museum at Collins Park re-opening. I enjoyed the prior years' galleries at the convention center a little more than this year, but to be fair I didn't visit as many galleries as in years past. Also, I think 2016 may have just had a little more substance which for me personally is welcomed in this current climate we are living. I did enjoying running into the art of artist/activist Zoë Buckman again who I had just encountered at the 21c Museum Hotel in Cincinnati. However, visiting the Route 1804 exhibit at the Magic City Innovation District in the rapidly changing Little Haiti neighborhood was probably the highlight. The exhibit not only featured many beautiful artworks but was a bit of a history lesson and a nice change of pace from the Miami Beach scene.

Overall, I just want to say Miami and specifically Miami Beach were absolutely bustling with art collectors, enthusiasts and of course, artists during Miami Art Week and really is a must if you enjoy art at any level.

Below are a several photos you can enlarge from some of the venues I visited and a few from my Airbnb in Miami. Be sure to click on the links throughout the post above for additional information:

ART | BASEL