To say my inbox has been inundated with invitations for Miami Art Week and Art Basel Miami 2024 would be an understatement—gallery previews, private dinners, artist talks, and late-night parties, all vying for my – and by default, your – attention from December 3rd to the 8th. Since moving to Miami three years ago, I’ve only dabbled in the Miami Art Week scene, attending one or two events each episode while hiding from the obscene traffic. This year, however, I’m officially going all in.
Well, as all-in as my advancing age and need for sleep will allow, which means I’ll be attending no more than two standout events per day and sharing my discoveries post-Art Basel. Along the way, I’ll also be sharing interviews with fascinating artists and leaders in the art world, offering an insider’s perspective. Bridget Finn, Director of Art Basel Miami Beach, will be one of those insiders. Her insights promise to shed light on what makes Miami a critical player in the exclusive, globally renowned fair. Special thanks to AirBnB’s PR team for arranging the interview.
Through the pre-Art Basel Miami half of this series, I’ll guide you in creating your own Art Basel Miami itinerary with events I would have loved to attend if I were still in my 20s and able to function on three hours of sleep. I’ll also make recommendations for some star restaurants to indulge Miami’s Latin American flavors and options for hotel accommodations in the Magic City.
And lastly, for my fellow CMOs who can only be spectators in this dizzying world, we’ll explore lessons from the subjective and emotionally driven art world that embodies, at its finest, the passionate pursuit of luxury. As I’m recovering from a week that will require a lot of sheer will and energetic tolerance for a natural introvert like myself to endure, you’ll gain marketing strategies from the artists and creatives in my post-Art Basel Miami and Miami Week articles, as they share tips in forging deeper, emotional connections with your target consumer audience.
Art Basel Miami: How It Began
Art Basel, founded in 1970 by three visionary Swiss gallerists, Trudl Bruckner, Balz Hilt, and Ernst Beyeler, began as a boutique fair in Basel, Switzerland to connect artists and collectors in a curated, intimate setting. Five decades later, it has since grown into a global institution with annual editions in Basel, Hong Kong, Paris, and Miami Beach joining the fray in 2002.
As an unofficial barometer of the art world, Art Basel Miami features cultural and market trending works that can sometimes produce a collective WTF from the rest of world. Specifically, Maurizio Cattelan’s infamous Comedian (the duct-taped banana), which sold just days prior to this writing for $6.2M. Who among us wouldn’t question whether or not we’re in the wrong industry after this coupe?
Comedian was the most viral work that came out of Art Basel Miami’s 2019 fair. Here’s your chance to possibly be a witness to history with whatever obscure work amplifies the cultural zeitgeist this year by attending any of the events I share in this pre-Art Basel Miami/Miami Art Week series. We’re beginning with seven Art Basel Miami adjacent events before we look at the exhibitions and artists that should be in your radar while you’re in Miami.
Since cloning humans isn’t yet feasible, I won’t be everywhere. I encourage you to tag me on Instagram @lilianraji and show me how your night is going, particularly if you make it to any of the following events. With no further ado, ladies and gentlemen, choose your poison.
How It’s Going: Art Basel Miami Events for Your Radar
Ostrow x Art Basel Miami Dinner
- Ostrow Brasserie, 4850 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL
- Monday, December 2, 2024, at 7:00 PM
If the idea of merging fine dining, art, and sipping wines curated by NBA legend Amar’e Stoudemire seems like a recipe for the perfect night, look no further than the Ostrow x Art Basel Dinner. Hosted by Amar’e Stoudemire and Ostrow Brasserie, each course of this four-course wine pairing fundraising dinner is inspired by the works of artists Gil Goren, Nir Segal, and Brian Poli-Dixon. Venezuelan artist LAMACA will be singing for your supper with a live musical performance. Proceeds benefit the Amar’e Stoudemire Foundation, supporting at-risk youth through creative education.
The World Is On Its Side: An Art Basel Miami + Miami Art Week Sustainability and Impact Kick-off
- LoveLife Café, 545 NW 26th St STE, Suite 110, Miami, FL 33127
- Wednesday, December 4, 2024, 3 PM – 8 PM
As a Yoruba Nigerian American, I’m obligated to advocate for any positive events reflecting my heritage – which is why you’re learning about The World Is On Its Side: An Art Basel + Miami Art Week Sustainability and Impact Kick-off, presented by B Lab U.S. & Canada and Florida for Good. Rooted in the Yoruba phrase Ayed’Egbe, meaning “the world is on its side,” this Miami Art Week kick-off event brings together art, sustainability, and social equity to contemplate the challenges of our times while honoring the creativity of Indigenous and marginalized communities. Panels, workshops, and coalition-building activities will explore the role of art in climate justice, racial equity, and building a fairer economic promise. Attendees will leave inspired by local and global impact leaders and with tools to integrate sustainability into their creative practices.
A Reimagination Of Disco + Design: The Future Perfect x Supermarket Creative x The Standard Spa, Miami Beach
- The Standard Spa, Miami Beach, 40 Island Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
- Wednesday, December 4 – Sunday, December 8, 2024, 10 AM – 6 PM
“A Reimagination of Disco + Design” at The Standard Spa, Miami Beach offers a nostalgic exploration of disco’s enduring influence on design, music, and culture. Celebrating The Standard’s 25th silver anniversary and in collaboration with Supermarket Creative and The Future Perfect, the exhibition transforms three hotel rooms into the themes Wabi Sabi, Glam, and Metallic Disco. Expect to see iconic furniture, lighting, and textiles with heritage information on disco’s impact on contemporary design, as interpreted by The Future Perfect artists Chris Wolston, Chen Chen & Kai Williams, and Reinaldo Sanguino. Groovy and cosmic disco vibes will accompany each room’s diorama, with soundscapes curated by Nicky Nighttime and Michelle Leshem. Bell bottoms, platform boots and sequined jumpsuits not required.
Night Shift and More by American Express & Delta at the Rubell Museum during Art Basel Miami
- Jon & Vinny’s Residency at the Rubell Museum
- 1100 NW 23rd Street, Miami, FL 33127
- Night Shift at Jon & Vinny’s: Thursday, December 5, 2024, 10 PM – 2 AM
- Night Shift AM Edition: Friday December 6, 2024, 9 AM – 11 AM
For those who like their Art Basel experience with a side of exclusivity, Night Shift at Jon & Vinny’s on Thursday, December 5 is an invitation-only event presented by American Express and Delta at the Rubell Museum. Designed for the night owls who want to keep the party going well past gallery hours, Jon & Vinny’s is pairing late-night eats from their iconic menu with cocktails and a DJ to get your feet moving. If, on the other hand, you’re the type to get the party started early, check out the AM Edition on Friday, December 6, open to the public from 9am to 11am. This morning event fuels early risers with Jon & Vinny’s famous breakfast pizzas, coffee, and tea, plus complimentary access to the museum’s exhibits before opening hours.
Unarthodox Miami at Art Basel Miami
- 180 NE 1st Street, Downtown Miami
- Sculpture Without Sight: Friday, December 6, 2024, 7 PM
- Brunch With Monet: Sunday, December 8, 2024, 12 PM
Originally based in New York’s Chelsea art district, Unarthodox is known for their deeply unconventional, (dare I say, unorthodox?) approach to exploring art. For Miami Art week, their newly opened Miami location delivers Sculpture Without Sight on the evening of Friday, December 6, and a boozy Sunday afternoon Brunch With Monet on December 8. The former sounds exactly like what it is – a Friday evening spent sculpting while blindfolded, not unlike that infamous scene from the movie Ghost. Evocative music and aromas will help you feel like Patrick Swayze is indeed guiding your hands.
Bottomless mimosas will help awaken your hidden artist with the latter event, Brunch with Monet. Paint a little, sip a little, maybe sip a little more to ensure your final masterpiece is every much as compelling as anything Monet has ever created. Whether you still feel like that after the mimosas are out of your system is neither here nor there.
Designed on Purpose: A Bespoke Art Basel Miami Gala Experience
- Kimpton Angler’s South Beach Hotel, 660 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL
- Saturday, December 7, 2024, at 5:30 PM
Designed on Purpose: A Bespoke Art Basel Gala Experience, hosted by the Wonder Woman Initiative and produced by Tayo Ishola-Aranmolate, promises an evening of purposefully designed immersive creativity with a multi-sensory journey celebrating the art of intentionality. You’ll be introduced to extraordinary women shaping our world through design against a backdrop of live art installations, designer fashion vignettes from Dieo Collection and I Am Eido, and a premiere screening of the docu-series “Designed on Purpose.” Enjoy a wine tasting experience sponsored by PLINTH Wine, live performance by singer-songwriter Chris Hendricks, and a collector’s auction.
LIV Miami: DJ Khaled, John Summit, and Lil Wayne Light Up Art Basel Miami Week
- 4441 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33140
- December 6–8, 2024, 11:30 PM – 5 AM
If you’ve somehow managed to sustain your energy through a week of art installations, exclusive events, and Michelin-star dining, Miami nightlife awaits at LIV Miami, offering an after-hours trifecta featuring DJ Khaled, John Summit, and Lil Wayne. On Friday, December 6, begin winding down your Art Basel Miami Art Week with DJ Khaled at the Golf Classic Afterparty, supporting the We The Best Foundation. The next night on Saturday, December 7, John Summit’s electrifying set will keep you dancing all night long. And if you still have it in you, LIV wraps up Art Week on Sunday, December 8 with Lil Wayne, who will be inducted into the inaugural LIV ON SUNDAY Hall of Fame, honoring his immense influence on both hip-hop and Miami nightlife culture.
Let me be clear, even as I include this in my recommendations for ending Miami Art Week on a party note, I will NOT be attending any of this. I will, instead, be nicely and cozily wrapped in my favorite new acquisition, the Boujee Beauty Infrared Sauna Blanket with Energy Stones, recovering from the events I did go to with the blanket’s far infrared wavelengths. If you’re fortunate to still have the energy I was once legendary for in my 20s and make it to LIV to close out your Art Basel Miami 2024 experience, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram so I can live vicariously through you.
Next up, the artists and exhibitions you don’t want to miss during Art Basel Miami and Miami Art Week.