ART MIAMI fills the streets of MidTown with thousands of eager
contemporary art fans (and those who like to be seen on the scene) as
Art Basel Week kicks off our giddy December social season. Collectors,
dealers, patrons and artists meet and mingle inside giant tents which
are outfitted with state-of-the-art viewing galleries filled with
paintings, sculpture, photography and mixed media compilations that are
all for sale.
Unlike a tour through a modern art museum, the name of the game during
Art Week in Miami is millions of dollars in sales! Art Miami showcases
over 100 international galleries all trying to attract affluent
collectors to new works by famous or undiscovered talent. Recent
exhibits included huge installations meticulously crafted out of
colorful aluminum drink cans repurposed as art, taxidermy sheep heads
engineered to weep softly as fans passed by and brightly colored
canvasses of every shape and size.
The fair kicks off this year on December 29 with an opening night
charity preview that benefits Lotus House Women's Shelter in Downtown
Miami. Last year's opening gala was reported to have attracted more than
7,000 guests to the 125,000 square foot pavilion at the heart of MidTown
Mall. While the streets south of the tents are filled with indie
galleries and the new frontier that is Wynwood Arts District, Art Miami
guests can find ample secure parking at the mall garages and enjoy many
fine and casual dining options nearby.
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