Miami Art Week is Back: Here's What to See
Lauren Halsey, Untitled, 2023, Watercolor ink, colored pencil, collage, and hand carving on gypsum.
It's that time of year when the global art world flocks over to Miami beach; where you could find yourself in the Design District partying with J Balvin or at the fairs, schmoozing with art collectors, it's the perfect time to experience the Miami art scene. From cutting-edge exhibitions and immersive installations to murals, here are the must-see highlights that define the 2024 Miami Art Week:
Austin Lee, Joy, 2023. Acrylic on canvas, 228.6 x 182.2 cm.
Jeffrey Deitch Presents Austin Lee: Psychomachia
Location: 35 NE 40 St, Miami, FL 33137 Dates: December 2 - 8
Austin Lee blends digital innovation with traditional art techniques to explore the complexities of human emotion and psychology through vibrant paintings, sculptures, and videos. Lee delves into the hyperreality of the digital age through the implementation of 3D and virtual reality software to create pieces that are then painted on canvas or fabricated in resin and bronze. His series of new works further deepens the exploration of surveillance, introspection, and the digital self.
Olaolu Slawn.Untitled, 2024. Acrylic, ink and spray paint on canvas, 180 x 150 cm.
Saatchi Yates Slawn Exhibition
Location: 70 NE 40th St, Miami, FL 33137 Dates: November 26 - December 10, 11 - 6 PM
Nigerian-born artist Olaulu Slawn will present his new body of work exploring themes of politics, race, and identity. Recognized by broad audiences including ASAP Rocky and Skepta, Slawn will bring his unique art style to Art Week through a blend of street art and Abstract Expressionism, drawing from his Yoruba heritage and contemporary societal issues.
Craig Robins Collection 2024-2025: The Sleep Of Reason
Location: DACRA Headquarters, 3841 NE 2nd Ave., Miami, FL 33137 Dates: December 4 - 6
The 2024-2025 rehang of the Craig Robins Collection titled, The Sleep of Reason, draws information from Goya’s El Sueño De La Razón Produce Monstruos and showcases works by German artists Kai Althoff and Jana Euler, known for their emotionally complex, abject imagery. The collection will also feature new acquisitions by Jill Mulleady, Mario Ayala, Bony Ramirez, Alteronce Gumby, and more.
Alteronce Gumby, Living the Dream. Photo Courtesy of Gnazzo Group.
Alteronce Gumby’s Living the Dream Mural
Location: Jade Alley, 176 NE 41st St, Miami, FL 33137 Dates: Permanent
Alteronce Gumby’s Living the Dream mural marks Gumby’s first outdoor mural and largest work to date. The vibrant piece combines stained glass, gemstones, fossils, and mosaic tiles along with the incorporation of jade, turquoise, red jasper, and fossilized shark teeth. Drawing inspiration from Fauvism and cosmic themes, Living the Dream continues Gumby’s exploration of bold colors and materiality, influenced by his earlier work Vertigo Colors and The Met’s Vertigo of Color exhibition.
Bony Ramirez’s Musa Coccinea Mural
Location: Palm Court; 140 NE 39th St, Miami, FL 33137 (2nd floor)
The mural Musa Coccinea by Bony Ramirez features a striking figure inspired by classic portraiture. Named after the Scarlet Banana plant, the piece honors Caribbean heritage, celebrating beauty and power with its vibrant colors and symbolism. Part of a series on "Musa", the mural reflects Ramirez’s Dominican roots and his exploration of colonial history and Caribbean identity through a surreal, contemporary lens.
Rendering of Seletega, 2024 by Nicholas Galanin. Image courtesy of the artist and Faena Art.
Nicholas Galanin’s Seletega Sculpture
Artist Nicholas Galanin presents Seletega, a powerful sculpture featuring a Spanish galleon’s masts emerging from the sand, symbolizing the early colonization of Indigenous lands. Inspired by the story of Hernán Cortés ordering his ships destroyed to prevent retreat, the piece represents a commitment to an irreversible future. Galanin’s work challenges visitors to think about history, responsibility, and moving forward without looking back.
Sarah Zapata’s Upon the Divide of Vermilion
Location: Art Basel Miami Beach Dates: December 6 - 8, 2024
ARTNOIR, in collaboration with UBS, will present Upon the Divide of Vermilion by Peruvian-American textile artist Sarah Zapata at Art Basel Miami Beach 2024. Curated by ARTNOIR co-founder Larry Ossei-Mensah, the installation explores identity, architecture, and cultural storytelling through innovative textile art. A UBS panel featuring Zapata, artist Sagarika Sundaram, and Ossei-Mensah will discuss craft, identity, and materiality in art.
