December 14th, 2011
Orlando Weekly posted an article by Jessica Bryce Young with photos taken by Patricia Lois Nuss about Orlando art professionals making the trek to Art Basel Miami Beach:
http://orlandoweekly.com/arts/visual/highbrow-lowdown-1.1242056
December 7th, 2011
Art Basel Miami Beach marked its 10th year this past week, and is a mandatory stop for who’s who in the art world, celebrities, and glitterati that take advantage of the myriad of parties and events that accompany what has become the biggest international art fair in the United States. Here are some highlights, trends, and thoughts from our experience down in Miami Beach…
Our first stop was a private preview brunch at Pulse where we were the first to scope out the various booths. Norman Mooney’s “Wallflowers” really stood out at this fair. Their serene aesthetic quality was breathtaking. Mooney also had works on paper where he used a blowtorch to create abstract smoky scenes. It was impressive as there were no holes burned through the paper, a nod to his adept skill.
Again this year, Pulse pulled through as the crowd favorite. Lots of good works in various price ranges, beyond just the blue chips found at the convention center. The only really disappointing part of Pulse was the outside performance art and installations.
The galleries at the main fair in the convention center seemed to be taking a more conservative approach in their displays showing more blue chip artists such as Miró, Botero, Calder, Warhol, etc.
This year we decided to visit Art Miami for the first time as our friend and artist Sofia Maldonado was exhibiting two murals and some of her new work (which shows off her growing maturity as an artist). We were pleasantly surprised with the quality of work, the new mediums, and manner of display at this fair. It was definitely one of our favorites.
Aqua started off strong, but lost momentum as we reached the second floor. We did see an Omar piece here, and an outrageous work consisting of images of blowjobs (part of the sex trend seen throughout the fairs). We did enjoy the cool setting and lively vibe.
In its inaugural year, the Burst Art Fair did not disappoint. Small with great impact! However, the price points were staggering as most works were in the $50,000 range.
We were excited about the Pool Art Fair, but as we arrived it was being shutdown by the police because the building was being condemned. The artists were forced to leave with their works (in the rain!), so threats were being made left and right of a civil lawsuit against the owner. We will keep you posted…
Trends:
Technology was rampant throughout all the fairs this year. Not only in the increased amount of new media/technological works shown, but also in the manner in which business was carried out. There were many smartphone apps for the fairs, as well as, QR codes on wall labels that you were able to scan to find out more information on a particular piece. Dealers were using iPhones an iPads to carry out transactions, show images, and share information. A nod to Steve Jobs?
Pop art maintained its presence this year with plenty of Warhol’s, copycats of Warhol, and Mr. Brainwash-esque artists.
The increased amount of 3-Dimensional work shown throughout the fairs was a pleasant surprise. There were many installations, sculpture, and works that had height, length, and depth.
Optical Illusions – An obvious trend this year was the use of line, color, or technology to create optical illusions. Hans Kotter’s “Tunnel View” series, Jesus Raphael Soto, and Carlos Cruz Diez were the forerunners of this trend, seen at most fairs from Pulse to Art Miami to the Convention Center. Mirrors were often used to amplify the illusion.
LED Mini Flat Screens – The use of mini LED flat screens built into paintings or sculptures was another obvious trend this year. The mini screens showed a video or slideshow to enhance the dialogue of the work as exemplified by Tracey Snelling and Gregory Scott.
Slogans – Work by Tracey Emin were seen throughout the different fairs. Sean “Diddy” Combs bought one of Emin’s wall sculptures for $70, 231!
Sex – Artists really pushed the boundary this year with sexual imagery beyond just nudes. Many works depicted subjects momentarily involved in sexual acts, i.e. blowjobs and intercourse.
Some favorites:
Sofia Maldonado, "Youkali 2", oil, acrylic, glitter, and varnish on canvas, 48x60 inches
Zane Lewis, "Untitled", 2011, Acrylic and glass, 16x12 inches
Jimi Gleason, "Diamond Delap", 2011, mm, canvas, 51x51 in
Hans Kotter, "Tunnel View" series, LED lights between plexiglass and amplified with a mirror
Omar Chacon, Bacanales series, 2011, acrylic on canvas
Norman Mooney, "Wall Flowers", cast aluminum
Adela Andea, "Quantum Strings", cold cathode fluorescent light, power source, plexiglass, clay, microbeads, 85x38x32 in
December 1st, 2011
Live Art Auction to benefit the Cornell Fine Arts Museum
When: Friday, January 27, 2012
Where: CFAM, 1000 Holt Ave., Winter Park, FL 32789
Time: 8:00 PM
