Art Basel Miami ???

November 26, 2013

Art Basel Miami has become the premier art fair for contemporary art in the United States. The fair that will take place from the December 5th until 8th will be showcasing art on over 150.000 square meters at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Exhibiters are galleries that will showcase their selection of young and established artists. Public institutions, curators, journalists, private collectors, artists and art lovers visit the Art Basel Miami every year. The Art Basel is the major contemporary art event this winter, therefore Widewalls will provide you with anything you need to know surrounding the art fair. Through December 8th we will give you updates, visitor information, buying advice, location tips and everything else there is about the Art Basel in Miami. To start off, we’ll give a little history lesson about the art fair that has been curating some of the world’s best contemporary art for over forty years.

Art Basel Miami Background
Art Basel back in 1979

Art Basel Miami - History

Three gallery owners founded Art Basel in 1970. Ernst Beyeler, Trudi Bruckner and Balz Hilt had immediate success in organizing 90 galleries and 30 publishers from 10 different countries, which attracted over 16.000 visitors the initial year. Only six years later the Art Basel reached its current scope of approximately 300 exhibitors coming from 21 countries and nearly 40.000 visitors. In 2002 the Art Basel had its debut in Miami. Galleries and artists on exhibition were all from the region. The show was a reflection of the multicultural diversity of North- and Latin- America. The inaugural show in Miami became an immediate benchmark for art shows in the United States. The Art Basel Miami’s popularity goes way beyond the American borders. The show establishes itself as the premier destination in winter for the international art scene. Two years ago, Miami’s Art Basel celebrated its ten-year anniversary. To celebrate the occasion, the Frank Gehry-designed New World Symphony is transformed into a visual art screen. This year the Art Basel introduces ‘The Edition’ sector that focuses on the showcasing of art prints. For its launch ‘The Edition’ sector hosts 13 exhibiters.

Art Basel Miami Background
Art Basel Founders: Trudi Bruckner & Balz Hilt

Art Basel Miami Background
Art Basel Miami celebrating 10 year anniversary

Art Basel Miami - About

After forty successful years of showcasing emerging and established artist around the world, Art Basel has positioned itself as one of the dictating entities of the contemporary art world. The art fair exhibits contemporary art from the 20th and 21st century. Thereby always keeping a strong curatorial perspective on showcasing artwork. The exhibited art represents every artistic medium there is: paintings, sculptures, installations, videos, multiples, prints, photography and performance. Similarly diverse is the selection of exhibited artists, ranging from all contemporary art genres, making the Art Basel fair one of the most interesting promotional art platforms in the world. In addition to the actual fair, the Art Basel is always surrounded by a variety of events taking place in context of the show. This creates an exciting environment for galleries, artists, journalists, curators, public institutions and collectors alike. Connecting these groups is at the forefront of the Art Basel’s agenda.

Art Basel - Team

The team behind the Art Basel is a group of individuals from the art world or related business sectors. Former journalist, Marc Spiegler, who oversees the Art Basel’s global development, heads the executive committee. At his side, Annette Schönholzer the Director of New Initiatives, spearheads the ‘new artworld’ initiative that focuses on finding new galleries, artists and art locations around the world. With the two other executive team members, Magnus Renfrew and Marco Fazzone, they direct a team of art enthusiastic professionals that are responsible for developing, creating and organizing one of the leading art fairs.

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