By Kayla Louttit
Art Basel Miami 2016 is nearly upon us! Art Basel Miami Beach is North America’s most comprehensive international contemporary art fair, with 269 galleries from 29 countries showcasing works by more than 4,000 artists. This year’s show will be held from December 1-4, 2016. Satellite art and “lifestyle” happenings surrounding the main event continue to grow each year, starting ever earlier. Here are some of the special events curated for you and other news you can use, from the opening processional performance of the Faena District in Miami Beach and an exhibition of French lingerie, to an Art Week Package at Acqualina Resort & Spa and the opening of the American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora. Plus practical tips in this, Part 1.
Art Basel Salon: Kephra Burns at The Betsy Hotel on Saturday, December 3
The Betsy’s Art Basel Breakfast Salons continue with a conversation with author, fiction writer, and scriptwriter Khephra Burns on Saturday, December 3, from 10AM to 11:30AM. The event is free and open to the community, but RSVP’s are requested. The Betsy – South Beach, a luxury boutique hotel known for its commitment to philanthropy, arts, culture, and education, will host several exhibitions during Art Basel, as well as a new collaboration with the famed Fridge Art Fair, “Mini-Fridge.” For more information about art events at The Betsy South Beach and reservations, visit TheBetsyHotel.com.
Free Faena Art Processional Performance Tide by Side on Sunday, November 27
Building upon parades, carnivals, and other public ceremonials from across the Americas and the Caribbean, Tide by Side is celebrating the opening of Faena District Miami Beach with a processional performance on Sunday, November 27, from 3-6pm. Directed by Claire Tancons in collaboration with Gia Wolff and Arto Lindsay, the processional will feature local and international artists, and will bring Faena District to life and celebrate the power of community, ritual and urban space. With float-like piñatas and pelicans, a conga in reverse, an intricate food ceremony with a menu drawn from seven of South Florida’s historic staples (maize, sweet potato, pineapple, palm cabbage, conch, turkey, alligator), food trucks, and a vibrant soundtrack by Arto Lindsay featuring conch-shell players, rah-rah bands, steel-drum groups, marching bands, as well as classical and pop choirs and operatic singing—it’s going to be quite an event!
Lingerie Française Exhibition at the Sagamore Hotel from November 29 through December 6
PROMINCOR – LINGERIE FRANCAISE, the Association for the Promotion of Corsetry Industries, is bringing the world-touring Lingerie Française Exhibition, a retrospective covering over 150 years of French lingerie to this year’s Art Basel. The Exhibition will be free and open to the public throughout the public art spaces of the Sagamore Hotel from 9AM to 9PM from November 29th through December 6. It will feature 100 pieces of influential and iconic lingerie from France’s most prominent brands, each item illustrating significant developments in fashion, technological innovation, legendary craftsmanship, the morphing silhouette and the ever-evolving ideals of feminine propriety.
American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora Opened on Saturday, November 19
Just in time for all the art lovers converging on Miami for Art Basel, the American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora just opened on Coral Way. The opening exhibition, called “Luis Cruz Azaceta: Dictators, Terrorism, War and Exiles,” curated by Dr. Alejandro Anreus, is the first major survey in over a decade, of an artist whose work is a cautionary tale for a world in desperate need of healing and reconciliation. Museum admission is free for members; $12 for adults; $8 for seniors (w/ valid ID); $8 students (w/ valid ID) and free for children under 6 years.
Art Week Package at Acqualina Resort & Spa
In honor of Art Miami and Art Basel Miami Beach, Acqualina Resort & Spa in Sunny Isles is offering a special Art Week Package that includes a welcome amenity upon arrival, VIP admission for two to Art Miami (a separate event from Art Basel Miami Beach), complimentary WiFi, and spa credits valued at $40 per day for two adults. In addition, for children, there are art-themed activities like canvas painting, theatre-inspired mask making and sand art at the hotel’s children’s center. The Art Week package starts from $795 per night in an oceanfront room. The package is based on a three-night minimum stay and is valid from December 1-4, 2016.
Other news you can use:
In case you didn’t read about it, the Venetian Causeway which has been closed will reopen exclusively for the days of Art Basel, from November 30 through December 4. Thank goodness!
Given the long lines at Art Basel every year, I strongly urge you to purchase your tickets online in advance. Here’s the link. And note there are special rates for seniors (over 62) and students but you must send documentation.
