Miami Art Week is in full swing, and Whitewall is here to bring you up to date on buzzy happenings like celebrations in the Design District with Craig Robbins Collection alongside Gagosian and Jeffrey Deitch, ARCA x Kelly Wearstler with Alicja Kwade’s Pretty Pity in Wynwood, and more.
John Ellis, Paul Anthony Smith, Reginald Sylvester II, Larry Ossei-Mensah, Everett Taylor; Photo by BFA/World Red Eye, courtesy of Craig Robbins Collection, Gagosian, and Jeffrey Deitch.
On Monday, the Miami Design District was abuzz with the joint opening of “Two of the Same Kind” by the Craig Robins Collection alongside Gagosian and Jeffrey Deitch’s “100 years” group art exhibition. Cultural leaders, art lovers, and industry tastemakers such as Harmony Korine, Pharell Williams, Urs Fischer, Christian Louboutin, and Jackie Soffer raised a glass at the Buick Building to globally lauded artists as well as the thrilling 20th anniversary of Art Basel Miami Beach.
Jose Fernandez of ARCA, Kelly Wearstler, and Gerardo Cortina of ARCA, Photo by Owen Kolasinski/BFA, courtesy of Alicja Kwade, Kelly Wearstler, and ARCA.
On Tuesday, ARCA—global leader and supplier of natural stone, wood, and marble floors—unveiled an exclusive collaboration with cutting-edge designer Kelly Wearstler and artist Alicja Kwade at ARCA Wynwood. Invoking her signature dynamic style, Wearstler introduces the NUDO Collection: 16 furniture pieces and 6 accessories that utilize the elegance and antiquity of natural stone to embody harmony and wholeness. With deft skill, Kwade transformed the facade of the ARCA showroom into a witty and meaningful work of art, titled Pretty Pity: four spherical layers of ancient stone take the whimsical shape of melting ice cream, a grand and ironic allusion to the crisis of global warming.
DJ Stretch Armstrong, Jadakiss; Photo by Rommel Demano/BFA, courtesy of Fotografiska and Mass Appeal.
Later that day at South Beach’s Cuban Synagogue, Fotografiska and Mass Appeal kicked off a tremendous upcoming exhibition, “Hip-Hop: Conscious, Unconscious,” which will take place this January at Fotografiska New York. The show will shine light on the rise and expansion of hip-hop through compelling photography. In honor of the much anticipated event, music icon Jadakiss played a private set, followed by a powerful talk with DJ Stretch Armstrong (and co-curators Sacha Jenkins and Sally Berman). The conversation was filled with inspirational, personal stories from the glory days of hip-hop. Seen at the celebration was star hip-hop photographer Martha Cooper alongside musical artist N.O.R.E. Specially blended craft tequila cocktails by Mijenta, were served with classic Miami bites of tacos and empanadas, all while guests grooved to a joyful DJ performance by Armstrong.
Monroe Steele, Lisa Dicicco Cahue, Ria Michelle; Photo by BFA, courtesy of Chris Labrooy and Porsche.
The festivities continued on Tuesday with Porsche’s vibrant “The Art of Dreams” event. An exclusive breakfast at the Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) debuted an immersive and whimsical artwork titled, “Dream Big,” created by Scottish artist Chris Labrooy and on view through December 3. A white Porsche 911 Carrera 4S, placed beneath the hand of an enormous bright orange figure donning a racing helmet, encourages boundless and vibrant dreaming. The installation is part of a larger initiative in which Porsche spotlights temporary artworks in the top cultural institutions that dare to dream. VIP attendees included Monroe Steele, Greivy Lou, Katya Tolstova, Ria Michelle, and Emilie Sobel. The celebration continued at Soho House with “Porsche Presents: Art and Music,” a lively affair in which Rick Ross and DJ Ross One performed, rejoicing in Labrooy’s Surreal Swan Porsche 911. Notable guests such as Anothony Ramos, Sutton Stracke, Charlie Carver, Kelis, and Doja Cat danced the night away. The evening closed in epic fashion as Soho House handed Rick Ross a limited-edition Miami Dolphins jacket designed by skate shop Andrew.
Yvonne Force Villareal, Gisela Lowenstein, Doreen Remen; Photo by Joe Schildhorn/BFA, courtesy of The Ritz Carlton, South Beach.
Tuesday was a night to remember as The Ritz Carlton, South Beach presented “A Concert of the Seven Decades & Beyond” as part of the iconic hotel’s Art For Good initiative. In a riveting collaboration with the Miami City Ballet, Miami Symphony Orchestra, MONAD Studio, and FL Fuoriserie, the event paid homage to 70 years of the storied Morris Lapidus resort and the electrifying art and culture that has resounded throughout the decades. A red carpet and FL Fuoriserie’s effervescent sparkling wine set the evening aglow. Special guests such as the Mayor of the City of Miami Beach, Dan Gelber, rubbed elbows with model Katya Tolstova, DJ Irie, and Maestro Eduardo Marturet, the Conductor of the Miami Symphony Orchestra. The Miami City Ballet dancers put forth an expressive, experiential performance. Following, the Orchestra presented works of music significant to local Miami culture with the assistance of skilled luthier Scott F. Hall—the concert was brilliantly played on MONAD Studio’s 3-D printed sonic works of sculptural art to the delight of guests of Miami Art Week.
On Wednesday, legendary Champagne House Ruinart presented the Ruinart Beach Art Lounge on the occasion of Art Basel Miami Beach. Through December 2, the vibrant and experiential art immersion spotlights a special collaboration with Danish artist Jeppe Hein: “Right Here, Right Now.” In exploring the elements integral to the creation of Ruinart Champagne, Hein offers guests moments of peace and reflection within the busy week. Hosted by Hein, a meditation series titled “Break with Me and the Waves’ echoes the awe-inspiring setting, encouraging guests to “paint” their breath in brushstrokes like the calming waves of the sea, and find heartfelt connection in all forms of life and art.
