Michigan Avenue - Niche Media - Michigan Avenue magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine centered around Chicago’s finest people, events, fashion, health & beauty, fine dining & more!
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/403159
photography courtesy of art basel (spiegler); courtesy fergus Mccaffrey (early); courtesy of long March space (Wang) Veni, Vidi, Visionary ChiCago art enthusiasts are Casting their eyes southward as MiaMi BeaCh prepares to host the Best of Modern and ConteMporary art at next Month's art Basel. by matt stewart Since 2002, Art Basel in Miami Beach has grown and expanded at a dizzying rate as artists, gallerists, and collectors converge on Miami each December, mak- ing Art Basel in Miami Beach the epicenter event for trending art in the Western Hemisphere. Last year the four-day show broke purchase and atten- dance records with an estimated $3 billion in sales of paintings, photographs, and sculptures to a crowd of 75,000 art connoisseurs. Art Basel director and Chicago native Marc Spiegler shares insights about what we will see at this year's fair (December 4–7) and how Art Basel—in Miami Beach and across the globe—is taking the art world by storm. What are some of the exciting aspects of this year's show that attendees can expect? Marc Spiegler: With 100 percent of exhibitors in the Galleries sector—which is the main sector of the fair—reapplying, this year's list is the strongest yet. We are delighted that a number of US galleries will be joining the show for the first time, including Michael Jon, Clifton Benevento, Honor Fraser, Freedman Fitzpatrick, Simone Subal Gallery, Garth Greenan Gallery, and Menconi + Schoelkopf. Following the great success of the Public sector last year, I am excited to see this year's edition, which is again curated by Nicholas Baume of the Public Art Fund in New York. And David Gryn of Artprojx returns with a selection of over 70 film and video works that not only will be screened in SoundScape Park on the 7,000 -square-foot projection wall of the Frank Gehry – designed New World Center, but they also will be shown inside the Miami Beach Convention Center in a newly designed video viewing room. How was Survey, the newest sector being unveiled this year, conceived and what will be featured there? MS: Survey is dedicated to precise art-historical projects. We decided to introduce the sector because we wanted to create a platform that brings more art-historical positions to the show. With all the museum groups and connoisseur collectors attending, we feel there is a real audience at our Miami Beach show for these remarkable works. How is Art Basel's expansion into Asia wit h Art Basel Hong Kong inf luencing t his year's Miami edit ion? MS: We certainly see an increase in Asian Artificial Rock A-63 by Zhan Wang, 2007. right: Marc Spiegler. continued on page 62 Culture Art Full Yokos by Jack Early, 2012. below: An untitled work by Henry Darger from Andrew Edlin Gallery. 60 michiganavemag.com