ART BASEL DESIGN DISTRICT
More than 4,000 artists bring their work to Art Basel Miami Beach,
a December blowout in the Miami Beach Convention Center. This is
where high-profile collectors come to mingle with celebrity artists, but
the Art Basel experience isn’t just for the velvet rope crowd. Anyone
can purchase day tickets or passes for the entire, four-day affair,
soaking up the buzz alongside the star-studded crowd. More than 130 art galleries jostle for eyes in the Miami Design District,
an upscale hub of downtown haute style. See and be seen at the
bi-monthly Art and Design Night, or design your own gallery tour.
Start with the not-for-profit Locust Projects, whose 2020 exhibitions
include Acta Est Fabula, by French-Caribbean multi-media artist Marielle
Plaisir, and Christina Pettersson’s In the Pines, a series of handmade
tombstones highlighting South Florida history.
While Miami Beach is the event’s energetic nucleus, the creative spirit
doesn’t stop there. The same week brings a grab-bag of big events
including downtown’s Art Miami, gallery shows in Wynwood, and
Design Miami, featuring furniture and home goods from the 19th
century to today.
Next, brush up on big names — Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, and
Fernando Botero — in Markowicz Fine Art, a gallery that juxtaposes
established work with pieces by younger artists such as sculptor
Idan Zareski.
Blum & Poe Gallery
Credit: Art Basel
WYNWOOD WALLS
A labyrinth of colorful murals in the Wynwood neighborhood invites
a leisurely stroll through some of Miami’s boldest artwork. Here, find
work by international graffiti and street artists like Kelsey Montague
and Dan Kitchener spread across 70,000 square feet, with additional
indoor galleries displaying smaller-scale pieces.
Plan your trip for the neighborhood’s bi-monthly Saturday art walks,
when galleries, shops, and other local businesses throw open their
doors for a night out. If visiting during the day, plan to join an artist-
led tour from Miami’s Best Graffiti Guide, getting a window into the
constantly-evolving art scene in this vibrant area.
FLYWASHINGTON.COM 32 SPRING 2020
Before leaving the Design District, make a final stop at Institute of
Contemporary Art Miami, where free admission makes it easy to duck
in for an hour or two of browsing. The permanent collection features
work by art-world heavyweights like Christo, Pablo Picasso, and Roy
Lichtenstein, with wide-ranging exhibitions on rotation.
THE NEW ALLAPATTAH
Taquerias and industrial spaces flank roadways through the Allapattah
neighborhood, a magnet for artists as nearby Wynwood becomes
ever more expensive. Now, the Rubell Museum and El Espacio 23
have moved here, too, helping to establish the low-key area as one of
Miami’s newest art destinations. The Rubell, a family-owned institution,