In addition to giving you the run-down on the fairs, exhibitions, and events happening this week in Miami, the new insider resource Whitewaller brings you great tips from those pros in-the-know. Here are a handful of hints about what not to miss this week from a handful of Miami aficionados:
Daniel Arsham, Artist and Co-founder of Snarkitecture
“I grew up in Miami. My favorite place in the city is Joe’s Stone Crab. When I was a kid I would walk in with my grandfather who would hand the maître d’ a hundred dollar bill and we would skip the two-hour wait to sit down for stone crabs.”
Photo by Matthias Willi.
Marc Newson, Designer
“I recommend Joe’s Stone Crab because it’s an institution and I learned there that crabs grow their claws back!”
Jorge M. Pérez, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of the Related Group
“During Art Basel, other than viewing the great art, I enjoy meeting up with all the interesting people from the art world: curators, artists, and gallerists. It is important to know where the off-site events are taking place and where these people will attend. We host a number of small dinners and receptions to try to see all our art friends, and try hard to get tickets to the pre-openings to avoid the crowds and view the best pieces before they are gone. I contact all the galleries I know so they send me in advance what they will show at the fairs.”
Courtesy of Marc Newsom.
Don and Mera Rubell, Collectors
“In December we recommend everyone check out these local Miami-based galleries: Emerson Dorsch, Spinello Projects, Fredric Snitzer Gallery, and Gallery Diet.”
Nadja Swarovski, Member of the Swarovski Executive Board
“I recommend the de la Cruz Collection––great collection, style, and location! Their support of local artists is incredibly inspiring and I always take pleasure in seeing something new whenever I visit.”
The Fashion Awards 2016 on December 5, 2016 in London, United Kingdom. Courtesy of Swarovski.
Marc Spiegler, Director of Art Basel
“Others will surely cite the many deservedly famous restaurants in Miami Beach, such as the Betsy, Casa Tua, Juvia, or Cecconi’s. But here’s a place so under-the-radar that I even introduced it to Philip Levine, our new mayor in Miami Beach: the Front Porch Café at the northern tip of Ocean Drive. It’s a great place to go with the Art Basel team after running South Pointe Park, and I recommend the green eggs with pesto and pepper-jack cheese, followed up by the super-healthy Front Porch Flip power shake.”
Ambra Medda, Cofounder and Creative Director of L’ArcoBaleno.com
“I can’t wait to see the new Edition hotel in Miami! Also the new Surf Club is going to be AMAZING––I can’t wait to see what Richard Meier and Lee Mindel have done to the property. Both men are absolute heroes in my eyes.”
Photo by Francois Meyer.
Mickalene Thomas, Artist
“In business since I’ve been attending Art Basel, Love Food Cafe is the best place for ceviche. It’s located on the beach between the Shelbourne and Raleigh and every Art Basel since 2004, I organize a gathering there with my closest friends.
I prefer the Design Miami/ fair for browsing the best mid-century to modern furniture, and a huge perk is that if you have any basic knowledge of design, the experts in the show will engage you in the most interesting conversations about the history of the object, which is a nice reprieve from the hustle of the fairs.”
Courtesy of Art Basel.
Sam Keller, Director of Fondation Beyeler
“One of the highlights of Art Basel in Miami Beach will be Marina Abramović. The legendary performance artist has been invited to present her exciting new initiative, the Marina Abramović Institute. She will do it not only in a public talk and a private dinner for art patrons but also in a series of performances involving the public. These will take place at Art Basel, Design Miami/, the Miami Design District, and the YoungArts campus. The performances will be co-hosted by Fondation Beyeler (the foundation of Art Basel’s founder), Miami Design District, and the nonprofit National YoungArts Foundation. Everyone who wishes can participate in Abramović’s long durational pieces there. You’ll be put to sleep, do slow motion walks, or count rice on a specially designed table-bench by star architect Daniel Libeskind. This will be your occasion to be part of an artwork. After making history with “The Artist is Present” at MoMA in 2012, performing for 512 hours with the public at London’s Serpentine Gallery this summer, and curating “The Artist is an Explorer” at Fondation Beyeler in Basel this fall, now Miami will get Marinamania. It will be an experience. Go for it.”
Craig Robins, CEO and President of Dacra
“In December, the Miami Design District will play host to many exciting cultural initiatives, including the Design Miami/ satellite exhibition at the new Aranda/Lasch event venue presented by Louis Vuitton, artist Paula Crown’s installation on NE 39th Street and NE 1st Avenue, titled TRANSPOSITION: Over Many Miles, and Daniel Arsham’s solo exhibition at Locust Projects. Additionally, the de la Cruz Collection is always a good option to visit as is just walking around and seeing the new Sou Fujimoto building, several public design installations including Buckminster Fuller’s Fly’s Eye Dome, and art installations including John Baldessari’s new public mural.”
Courtesy of Jorge Perez.
Swizz Beatz, Producer, Artist, Collector, Businessman, and SCOPE exhibition Curator
“I’m loving so many artists it’s hard to choose just one, which is the exact reason the Dean Collection was started, so I can focus on all cool things ART. To narrow it down to two, I would have to say: photographer Lyle Owerko (currently showing “BoomBox”)––I connect with his style because he excites your mind with amazing images. Conor Harrington took a street flow and turned it into timeless art. His work is just amazing! Swoon is a true leader in arts and is saving the world the best way she can.”
Erika and Roma Cohen, Owners of Alchemist
“The thing not to miss for art Basel is “AIRBALL”! This is a project done in collaboration with Snarkitecture and is born out of the mutual concept to bring the street spirit together with art and design in a fully realized modern basketball installation designed by Snarkitecture located on level 5, next to Alchemist, in the 1111 Lincoln Road car park. We will also work with our favorite designers like Rick Owens, Virgil Abloh, HBA, Chrome Hearts, and others who have created exclusive “AIRBALL” products.
Courtesy of Alchemist.
We also cannot wait for the new Sou Fujimoto building in palm court of the Miami Design District to open! Of course Alchemist has a new jewelry store opening there for Art Basel, but we believe the building is a promising one for the city and especially the area. The Buckminster Fuller geodesic dome is incredible and for me brings a sense of Florida nostalgia into this modern and conceptual project.”
Courtesy of the Rubell Family Collection.
The Insider Tips were first published throughout the Whitewaller Miami 2014 edition.
