James Lane Post headed down to Miami for Miami Art Week in early December. A number of East End galleries displayed art at a variety of art fairs, while many events were hosted, including our own. Here are just a few of the highlights in photos.
During Miami Art Week, on Sunday, December 5, Fylí mastermind hosted a Miami Art Week closing cocktail reception at the iconic Soho Beach House alongside partners Bumble, Drink Barcode, Nova Impact, and James Lane Post. The evening consisted of an immersive performance, art directed by designer Katharine Story, which included Cuban American musician Solange Sarria and a dance performance by All Out Dance troupe choreographed by Kamille Walker. Performers included Singer Solange Sarria, guitarist Maria Kali, saxophonist Benny Rubin Jr., dancers Ronney Pimentel, Keyth Wilson, Stephany Amador, and Cyles Barnes.
Art Miami kicked off its 31st edition alongside sister fair CONTEXT Art Miami with a VIP Previews on Tuesday, November 30, and a successful weeklong fair through Sunday, December 5, at One Herald Plaza on Biscayne Bay.
During the show’s VIP Preview, the evening kicked off with collectors, curators, and artists including the evening’s benefactor, Director of Pérez Art Museum Miami Franklin Sirmans, CEO of Goldman Global Arts and curator of Wynwood Walls Jessica Goldman Srebnick and Chairman Janet Goldman, Thurman Lee Thomas, Channing Tatum, Zoë Kravitz, Sofia Vergara, Eileen Guggenheim, and others. At Shepard Fairey’s Subliminal Projects gallery, guests gathered around for photos where he was accompanied by 10-year-old contemporary artist Andres Valencia for an intimate meet and greet.
Throughout the week, the fair was attended by Jorge Perez, Carl Icahn, Kara Ross, Kim Heirston, Brooke Shields, David Kratz, Daymond John, Dennis and Debra Scholl, Joe Jonas, as well as artists including Victor Matthews, Shepard Fairey, Risk, Add Fuel, Danny Minnick, Al Diaz, Bradley Theodore, and Robert Bartoux, who admired works from more than 135 international galleries from 17 countries representing 60 cities at Art Miami and more than 61 galleries from 17 countries at CONTEXT Art Miami.
On Sunday night, December 5, at SAAM Lounge at SLS Brickell, Kendall Jenner hosted a gathering for her 818 Tequila. Jenner was all smiles, posing for photos while she played host, making drinks for guests who sipped the hand-crafted spirit while enjoying bites including Smoked Golden Beet Tartar and Spicy Tuna & Rice Cracker “Sandwich.” Guests danced the night away to beats by DJ Cardi at the cozy cocktail lounge.
Deepak Chopra, Adrian Grenier, and more than 200 artists, thought leaders and performers participated in “Regenaissance, Art Inspiring a Regenerative Future” during Miami Art Week, discussing topics of consciousness, conservation, resilience, and social equity. The three-day immersive artist fair, salon, and dining experience was held at The Oasis in Miami’s Magic City Innovation District in Little Haiti. Those in attendance included Louis Aguirre, Gingi Beltran, Guerdy Abraira, Carlin Wright, Soledad Lowe and Justin Lowe, Danie Gomez Ortigoza, Marile Lopez and Jorge Lopez, Celesta Hodge, Clare Laverty, and event partner Tony Cho, Future of Cities founder.
Another highlight of the week was in Wynwood at BLK Studios when the world saw Basquiat, personally and intimately like never before, with the exhibit “Our Friend, Jean,” curated by The Bishop Gallery and hosted by Triller. Together they served up Miami’s finest at this first-ever physical and digital curated experience that focused on an NFT auction of photographs of the legendary, Neo-expressionist artist Jean-Michel Basquiat taken by photographers Alexis Adler and Al Diaz. Fat Joe performed and welcomed Stevenson A. Dunn, Jr. from The Bishop Gallery to introduce its first ever seen NFT drop.
Well known East Enders also hosted and attended a variety of events.
Author, TV host, and philanthropist Jean Shafiroff hosted the Celebrating the Art of Style party at Hotel Croydon in Miami Beach, to kick off Miami Art Week. Shafiroff was adorned in an Oscar de la Renta dress from the Spring 2022 Collection. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres were served as guests converged in celebration.
Attendees included Peter Thomas Roth, Ray Mancini, Ray Mancini Jr., Craig Singer, Ariel Swedroe, Chloe Pearl, Maria Fishel, Kenneth Fishel, Nicole Noonan, Steven Knobel, Paola Bacchini, Margaret Luce, Carmen D’Alessio, Ruth Miller, Pamela Morgan, Maya Johnson, Lauren Day Roberts, Lee Fryd, Stacy Engman, Curtis D. Young, Phaon Spurlock, Lieba Nesis, Carol Wilkinson, Lucia Hwong Gordon, Ian Donahue, Ezequiel DeLaRosa, Ana Stone, Ron Burkhardt, Amber Love Bond, Marie Assante, and Gigi Robinson.
The Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club in Miami Beach hosted an invitation-only champagne brunch and art talk on Friday, December 3, to celebrate “Skin In The Game,” a provocative exhibition of work by 35 diverse artists, curated by independent curator Zoe Lukov. Lukov, together with Ben Lee Ritchie Handler, Global Director of Nicodim Gallery, moderated a spirited panel discussion with artists Isabelle Albuquerque and Raúl de Nieves at the Art Deco waterfront hotel.
Guests included Nicodim Gallery owner Mihai Nicodim, Desert X President and Founder Susan Davis, Desert X Artistic Director Neville Wakefield, artists Devin B. Johnson, Alicia Adamerovich, Nicolette Mishkan, Orlando Estrada, and Allison Eden, interior designer and celebrity chef Travis London, gallerist Ana Cristea, art collector Walid Wahab, philanthropist Jenni Coba, and actress and model Celesta Hodge. The “Skin In The Game” exhibition is on display through December 10.
International fashion school Istituto Marangoni Miami held a VIP reception on November 30 during Miami Art Week to debut its new exhibition of contemporary Italian art, MI + MI = MILAN + MIAMI, which benefits the school’s scholarship program. Istituto Marangoni Miami CEO and President Hakan Baykam welcomed guests, including Italian Consul General Cristiano Musillo, exhibition curator Aldo Premoli, Jean Shafiroff, fashion designer Rene Ruiz, Brazilian model and influencer Victoria Brito, and actress and model Celesta Hodge.
The sleek, seven-floor campus in the Miami Design District also hosted two tour days, which were attended by celebrities, musicians, and artists, including Foodgod, Grammy Award-winning DJ Tracy Young, Nia Kay, Danny Casale, and Ryan Jamaal Swain, as well as professional athletes including Miami Dolphins players Andrew Van Ginkle, Duke Riley, Elandon Roberts, Emmanuel Ogbah, Jerome Baker, Mack Hollins, and Shawn Wooden.
The MI + MI = MILAN + MIAMI exhibition will be on display through January.
Chotto Matte hosted a “Creative Cocktails” art reception to launch a new exhibition by Miami artist Gustavo Oviedo, which will be on display through December 29. Gustavo Oviedo, who created the iconic original mural at Nikkei restaurant under the creative direction of gallerist Marcel Katz of The Art Plug, presented new works that embrace the beauty of the natural world while also highlighting its vulnerability.
The Tropical Osmosis – a white, frothy adult beverage that was the first in a series of “Creative Cocktails” at Chotte Matte — was the libation of the night, made with Código 1530 Blanco, Mezcal, ancho chili, ginger honey syrup, egg white, cream, club soda and sweet-tart kumquat. Adding to the merriment were the Chotto Lates — fanciful performance artists dressed in custom costume that translates Oviedo’s art into a 3D experience.
Visionnaire, the Italian luxury furniture line, hosted a VIP cocktail party to showcase its award-winning new collections, “Caprice,” “Babylon Rack” and the biennial collection “Beauty” at the Visionnaire Miami showroom on December 4 during Miami Art Week. Guests toured the sleek, 7,500-square-foot showroom, admiring the brand’s award-winning designs, including the “Pavone” (Peacock) Chair by Marc Ange, the “Basket” armchair by m2atelier, and the “Lego” low table and console, designed by Draga & Aurel, selected for the ADI Design Index 2021. Visionnaire executives Silvia Romeo, Juan Carlos Navarro, and Lorenzo Cascino welcomed guests, including Bertil Espegren, Martina Borgomanero Basabe, Fabian Basabe, Renato Freitas, Clare Laverty, and Ryan Kraus.
InList App presented “Wanderlust Around The World” curated by artist Miguel Paredes on December 2, at The National Hotel. The guests experienced Paredes’ original, immersive NFT art installations with a crypto twist. Beats by DJ Markem, along with headliner and Grammy-nominated DJ Roger Sanchez, who previewed his “Daft Punk x Mandolorian” art, set the tone for a night of merriment under a starlight Miami Beach sky with guests Cuba Gooding, Jr., Brittny Gastineau, Lisa Gastineau, Fabian Basabe, Andrew Warren, Ryan Thomas Roth, Gaia Matisse, Amorey Choy, Brooks Marks, and Meredith Marks.
InList’s Basel Birthday Bash for Moishe Mana closed out the weekend on December 4 at the RC Cola Plant. InList Co-Founders Gideon Kimbrell and Moishe Mana were joined by Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who toasted Mana on the stage while a crowd of hundreds cheered. Guests included Alex Tamayo, Roman Jones, Tyler Cameron, MPR Riche Rich, Sean Kiez, Young Paris, Alessandro Cremona, Andres Levin, Diego Londono, Elsa Pena, Josh Schertzer, Swan Sit, William Ford, and Kobi Karp. DJ Laidback Luke and DJ Morgan Page performed back-to-back, energy-filled sets while artist Perego held court with an interactive painting show.