For the occasion of Miami Art Week, Whitewaller has put together the ultimate to-do list with our top fairs, exhibitions, restaurants, and more.
Fairs
1. Art Basel in Miami Beach
For the 18th edition of Art Basel in Miami Beach, the fair brings together 269 leading galleries from 33 different countries. This year, the fair has expanded its programming with a new sector, entitled Meridians, and it will also welcome 20 first-time presenters, including a strong roster of galleries from the Asian continent.
Courtesy of Max Mara.
2. Design Miami/
Returning for its 15th year, the 2019 iteration of Design Miami/ will include 33 galleries and 14 Curio presentations by some of world’s top gallerists, designers, and curators, featuring presentations surrounding the theme “Elements: Water.” Following Aric Chen’s debut role as curatorial director at Design Miami/ Basel last June, Chen’s second fair will welcome presenters from 13 countries, including three new galleries—Galerie Scene Ouverte, Erik Thomsen Gallery, and AGO Projects.
3. NADA
With representation from 25 countries and 56 cities, the 17th annual NADA (New Art Dealers Alliance) art fair will take place at Ice Palace Studios, putting a focus on supporting new voices in the contemporary art community. Joined by 136 presenters this year, the fair will feature 71 NADA member galleries and will also include 28 first-time exhibitors.
Family photos of Sandra Bush © Mickalene Thomas
Courtesy of the artist.
Exhibitions
4. Sterling Ruby at ICA Miami
The Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA/Miami) will present the most comprehensive museum survey of work by Sterling Ruby, organized in conjunction with the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston. Ruby is known for exploring the role of the artist as an outsider. The exhibition begins with a series of the Dutch-American artist’s two-dimensional collages, drawings, and prints—mediums which he used earlier in his practice to delve into subjects like the nation’s prison-industrial complex. Spanning more than 20 years of Ruby’s career, the survey also features some of his renowned paintings and ceramics, as well as sculptural works like Monument Stalagmite/The Shining, which Ruby created in response to the scale limitations of ceramics, and creations across
several other mediums including metal, fabric, and spray paint.
5. Teresita Fernández at PAMM
On view at the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), “Elemental” is the first
midcareer survey of work by artist Teresita Fernández. Presented in collaboration with Phoenix Art Museum, the exhibition spans the last 20 years in Fernández’s career, presenting a series of the artist’s installations, large-scale sculptures, and mixed-media works, which often reinterpret the historic landscape by exploring relationships between nature, history, and identity. In the show, viewers can expect to find works like the assembly of thousands of hand-dyed silk threads, reminiscent of burning flames, entitled Fire; a room-sized installation called Borrowed Landscape, created in 1998; and a selection of the artist’s new works.
Courtesy of Art Basel Miami Beach.
6. Mickalene Thomas at The Bass
Mickalene Thomas’s “Better Nights” transforms the galleries of The Bass into an immersive art experience, inspired by the play Put a Little Sugar in My Bowl, which was organized and performed by the artist’s mother, friends, and family in the 1970s. Based around an apartment environment constructed using the aesthetics of the time, the installation is complete with faux wood paneling, wallpaper, and custom seating, which has been upholstered in the artist’s signature textiles. In the environment, Thomas brings her artistic universe to life, incorporating both her own works and a selection of work by
artists of color. Accompanying the show is a schedule of programming including live performances, activations, a live bar, and performances by guest DJs.
7. The new Rubell Museum
Opening December 4, the Rubell Museum will inaugurate its new campus with an expansive exhibition of more than 300 works by 100 artists. Sourced entirely from their own collection (which includes over 7,200 works), the exhibition features the defining and seminal works of artists supported by the Rubells since the early days of their careers—like Cindy Sherman, Jeff Koons, Keith Haring, David Hammons, and Rosemarie Trockel. The show also includes five galleries filled with the works of New York appropriation artists of the early 1980s, two Yayoi Kusama installations, pieces commissioned from the Rubells’ artist-in-residence program, and more.
Courtesy of Chotto Matte.
Hotels
8. The Miami Beach EDITION
When guests walk into The Miami Beach EDITION, they immediately gain a sense of refined luxury and modern glamour. Marble floors, lush plants, and the Lobby Bar are the first things you’ll notice from the entrance. In addition, the hotel offers visitors access to a luxurious pool and outdoor seating area, an expansive fitness center, a renowned spa, and the Matador Bar. The mega all-in-one EDITION, conceived by Ian Schrager along with architects George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg, also features Matador Room—a restaurant by the Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
9. The Standard Spa, Miami Beach
The Standard Spa, Miami Beach follows the boutique hotel group’s high standards in quality, comfort, and artistic expression. In addition to its 100 guest rooms, the unique location offers an expansive spa, tropical gardens, tropical gardens, a bayside infinity pool, a swing lounge, a juice café, a gym, a boutique, and a Japanese Izakaya restaurant.
Courtesy of the Miami Beach EDITION.
Restaurants & Bars
10. Papi Steak
Opened in September, Papi Steak pays homage to old world Miami and Hollywood glamour in a concept by David Grutman and David “Papi” Einhorn. Interiors feature an edgy and eclectic vibe complete with red velvet seating and an eight-seat bar. Menu options add an elevated twist to classic fare, including dishes like kosher-style steaks, Maine lobster, and mac-and-cheese, accompanied by a list of specialty cocktails and 150 different wines.
11. Chotto Matte
Chotto Matte is a 219-seat restaurant designed by Andy Martin Architects that brings the artistic, underground scene of Tokyo to Miami. Under the direction of Executive Chef Jordan Sclare, Nikkei cuisine—a blend of Japanese and Peruvian—is exemplified with naturally sourced meats and fresh seafood. Guests can enjoy bites at a Robata grill counter, at a sushi bar with a mirroring cocktail bar, or in the immersive space in booths or at tables.
Miami Design District Shopping
12. Max Mara
Max Mara’s Miami boutique is a stunning 3,325-square-foot space featuring a design concept developed in collaboration with the Duccio Grassi Architects studio. The dynamic and fluid store allows guests to experience organic materials while perusing the new collections and appreciating the unusual treatments—ash-treated oak and acid-treated metal with platinum leaf glass—that accent the boutique.
