Recommendations provided by Amy Galpin, Chief Curator at the Frost Art Museum FIU
It’s that time of year again, the city is buzzing with strong, dynamic, and complex art presentations. Make plans to learn about new artists and see awe-inspired works by beloved favorites. As you make your list of things to do, here are some recommendations for navigating Miami Art Week.
Fairs
The fairs are always fun, if slightly overwhelming. They are only temporary, so make moves to see them before the week is over. Art Basel Miami Beach, NADA, and Untitled are musts for me. I will also make an effort to check out Art Miami and Pinta. Miami legend Ramón Cernuda presents museum quality work at the Cernuda Arte booth during Art Miami and Pinta features some younger, emerging galleries presenting Latin American art.
At NADA, look for Katia David Rosenthal’s booth, kdr. Consistently presenting a strong selection of artists, kdr recently expanded into a new space in Allapattah.
Be sure to check out what’s happening at Miami’s galleries during Art Week and support our local gallerists who present work by artists from around the globe as well as Miami’s best.
Featured Galleries
kdr will debut a solo exhibition of painter Alejandro Piñeiro opening from 11am to 4pm on December 3rd. Kick off your Miami Art Week with a visit to this new gallery and others in the area that will be open on Sunday as a part of the Progressive Brunch.
Another new space in Miami, Platabanda presents a group exhibition with an opening on Friday December 1 at 6 p.m. This exhibition will feature emerging artists from Venezuela.
Spinello Projects will feature a suite of exhibitions curated by the ever-thoughtful Anthony Spinello. Join Spinello for a preview of the exhibitions on Monday, December 4th from 11am to 3pm. Solo presentations of painters Julio Arango Palacios, Reginald O’Neal, Barnaby Whitfield, and Giorgio Celin occupy Spinello’s expansive space. These powerful paintings relate human intimacy and experience.
David Castillo has an impressive roster of artists and regularly presents museum quality work. His show for Miami Art Week, SuSu: Impressions opens on Thursday, December 7th from 6 to 8pm.
Featured Museums
Miami museums often turn up the volume and stage significant exhibition during Miami Art Week. I encourage you to support all of our FIU museums, including the Frost Art Museum’s Breakfast in the Park celebration on December 10th from 10 to 2pm. This year the museum’s director, Jordana Pomeroy, will be in conversation with feminist artist Joyce Kozloff.
MoCA North Miami recently opened a solo exhibition of Juan Francisco Elso. The Cuban artist, lived the later years of his tragically short life in Mexico, and this exhibition is an ode to both Elso and various twentieth and twenty-first century artists with shared aesthetics and approaches. The exhibition includes noteworthy works by Ana Mendieta, Rubén Torres Lorca, Belkis Ayón, and Magali Lara.
Bass Museum of Art presents a number of exhibitions, and I would like to highlight two. One is a solo presentation of the artist Hernán Bas. Raised in Miami, Bas’s paintings present emotional, whimsical, and thought-provoking compositions. Another Bass Museum exhibition presents the work of internationally renowned Nam Jun Paik. Known for his video installations, this surprising exhibition presents late work created in Miami Beach as well as archival materials. It’s a new look into an artist whose practice is written into the textbooks of art history.
Pérez Art Museum
We’ve been waiting for the Gary Simmons career survey since the beginning of COVID-19. This important exhibition, titled Gary Simmons: Public Enemy, finally debuts in Miami after a delay due to the pandemic. Curated by Rene Morales, the former Chief Curator of PAMM, the exhibition is a must-see. The artist will be speaking at the museum at 2pm on December 5th as a part of the Scholl Lecture Series. Be sure to RSVP as it will be a well-attended event.
OTHER SPACES
Historic Hampton House will feature one of the most anticipated exhibitions during Art Week.
Opening on the evening of Monday, December 4th, the exhibition titled, Gimme Shelter, curated by philanthropist and collector Beth DeWoody, is getting serious buzz. Featured artists include Henry Taylor, Sadie Barnette, and Howardena Pindell.
El Espacio 23
Don’t miss, To Weave the Sky: Textile Abstractions from the Jorge M. Pérez Collection, at El Espacio 23. If you live locally, there’s no rush to see it during Miami Art Week, but if you find yourself in Allapatah, pop by and check out this important exhibition curated by Tobias Ostrander. Patricia Hanna, and Anelys Alvarez.
Edge Zones features a solo presentation of new work by Charo Oquet. This space is often open by appointment but will have open hours during Miami Art Week and performances on the evening of December 9th.
Dimensions Variable
This longtime artist run space presents a multilayered group exhibition filled with established South Florida artists such as Vickie Pierre, Onajide Shabaka, Frances Trombly, and Antonia Wright as well as artists Karla Kantorovich and Francisco Masó, who are gaining increased attention. The best way to see this exhibition? Pop by their brunch on Friday, December 8, 2023 from 9-1pm.