After spending most of the day yesterday inside the convention center to visit Art Basel Miami Beach (ABMB), for day two I enjoyed the second most important part of Miami Art Week: the beach. Along with the crowds of New Yorkers who fly down to South Florida, I’ve been starved of warm weather and sunshine. Thankfully, Miami doesn’t disappoint and the fairs and cultural institutions wisely capitalize on their local environment, setting up shop in the famous Art Deco hotels and along the sandy beaches. Perhaps the best example of the art world embracing Miami’s environment is Untitled Art, which takes place in a temporary tent on the beach. Showcasing leading galleries in contemporary art, many of which have strong curatorial practices and international reaches, Untitled presents a great opportunity to discover promising new artists, as well as works by seasoned talents of high regard.

Walking off of the beach and into Untitled, the atmosphere instantly feels lighter and less stressful than ABMB. At Untitled, large windows reveal the sky, ocean, and pristine palm trees, a nice reminder of the world outside of the fair. Doors opening to the various lounges let in fresh salty air, and the lounges themselves overlook the beach and endless ocean. Many artists embrace this beachy quality of the fair, bringing colorful works and adopting an overall friendlier demeanor than many ABMB exhibitors. The fair is also much smaller, making it easier to leisurely view and enjoy each booth.

 

Geary Contemporary’s booth with Catherine Haggarty and Vadis Turner. All photos by Annabel Keenan

 

One impressive booth was from Geary Contemporary, which presented new works by Catherine Haggarty and Vadis Turner. While Haggarty works mainly in painting and drawing, Turner creates mixed media sculptures and installations that transform domestic materials, including items like bedsheets and jewelry, into contemporary art. Included in the booth were new sculptures that resembled vases. 

Working in a completely different medium and style is Haggarty. The artist’s paintings on view showcased her immense talent and knowledge of art history as she weaves in subtle homages to artists like Jasper Johns. Her works are also highly personal, depicting dreamy, interior scenes from her own bedroom. Many include details of her other pieces and recurring imagery like the outlines of shadowy cats.  

 

Library Street Collective’s booth at Untitled

 

Nearby, Detroit’s Library Street Collective presented a selection of works by some of the artists on their roster, including a display of partly deflated basketballs by Tyrrell Winston. Titled Snow Bird (2022), the grid of colorful, disfigured balls is something the artist has quickly become known for. The shapes are preserved to keep their deflated state and act as a documentation of their former roles. The designs, symbols, and brands also contribute to a larger history and visual culture of basketball.

 

JUPITER Contemporary’s booth at Untitled

 

Also showcasing artists on its roster was JUPITER Contemporary. Included in the Miami-based gallery’s booth were new paintings by rising star Marcus Leslie Singleton that depict intimate scenes of Black daily life. In one painting, two figures are seen just as they cannonball into a vibrant blue swimming pool. Smiling and carefree, the figures are a perfect embodiment of joyfulness and play. JUPITER Contemporary is one of the youngest galleries in the fair, having opened its doors to a permanent space in March of 2022. 

 

Jane Lombard Gallery’s booth with works by Margarita Cabrera

 

Opting for a solo presentation, Jane Lombard Gallery featured embroidered soft sculptures and abstract, cochineal-dyed works on paper by Mexican-born, Texas-based artist Margarita Cabrera. The works are part of the artist’s investigation of globalism and migration. Included in the presentation were soft sculptures from her ongoing “Space in Between” series that address the relationship of the US and Mexico. Using materials and iconography associated with the US/Mexico border, including border patrol uniforms, terracotta pots, and thorny cacti, Cabrera draws attention to the complex experience of being a migrant. 

 

Tern gallery’s booth at Untitled

 

Continuing what emerged yesterday at ABMB as a surprising and refreshing focus on Caribbean art and artists, Nassau-based Tern gallery brought a selection of sculptures, drawings, paintings, and installation works by artists on their roster. Tern gallery is a prominent voice in documenting Caribbean art and fighting against biases and racism. Included in the booth were works by Bahamian artist Drew Weech, whose black and white paintings depict individual figures engaging in various activities behind a heavy black curtain. Portraying a more personal side of representations of the Caribbean, the works greatly contrast the colorful, tropical atmosphere one might expect. 

 

Untitled Art at sunset

 

In addition to the works on view inside the fair, Untitled and the surrounding beaches are also hosting several special projects throughout the week. Included in the satellite projects is an abortion rights activation by Michele Pred. Readers likely know Pred’s work from her avid activism and her recent feature by Barbara Morris in Artillery’s November issue. For the Miami Beach event, Pred invited the public to participate in creating a large-scale drawing of abortion pills in the sand. She also encouraged attendees to wear green (the color widely associated with abortion rights), providing visitors with green bandanas. As with Pred’s broader body of work, the installation is meant to bring attention to the fight for justice and healthcare. 

 

Installation shot of El fin de la imaginación with works by Adrián Villar Rojas and Mariana Telleria at the Bass

 

It appears a strong interest in Caribbean art is extending beyond the walls of the fairs and into Miami’s museums. After Untitled, I stopped by the Bass museum for a celebration of its current and recently opened exhibition, including a solo show of the Jamaican-born, Brussels-based interdisciplinary artist Jamilah Sabur. Titled The Harvesters, the exhibition (on view through April 30, 2023) explores mineral extraction to highlight the connections between geology, geography, climate studies, and memory with the complex dynamics of capitalism and power. Also on view at the Bass is El fin de la imaginación (through May 14, 2023), an exhibition of site-specific installations and sculptures by Adrián Villar Rojas, along with two additional sculptures by Mariana Telleria. The exhibition underscores the temporality of nature and humanity. 

After a busy day two in Miami Beach, I’m looking forward today to heading across the bridge to Downtown Miami. My first stop will be the New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) fair, followed by a few gallery and showroom openings, and the annual Art Week celebration at the Pérez Art Museum Miami. Stay tuned for my day three report and wrap-up of the week.