Miami Art Week would be incomplete without attending a few of the special events taking place around the city. At any hour of the day, and well into the night, there’s something pseudo art related to do. For my third day, I visited Untitled art fair located right on Miami Beach, which I followed with a popup show of emerging artists hosted by American Express and Artsy, as well as a benefit auction also hosted by Artsy and in support of Planned Parenthood.

With all three events in relative proximity to one another, I avoided some of the unbelievable traffic plaguing Miami. Having lived in Los Angeles for five years and now experiencing the congestion of New York City daily, I can safely say the traffic in Miami due to the fairs is the most stressful gridlock I’ve ever seen. Hats off to the locals working overtime to make this week happen.

 

The beach and ocean visible from inside Untitled; Photo by Annabel Keenan

 

To start my day, I headed over to Untitled, a fan favorite that offers an innovative approach to the art fair model by showcasing a curated selection of exhibitors including galleries, artist-run spaces and non-profits. The fair’s location is a nice celebration of the city’s famous beaches with large windows overlooking the water scattered throughout, and a sprawling outdoor lounge. In its 10th edition, Untitled 2021 showcased over 145 exhibitors.

 

Bode Project’s solo booth of works by Patrick Alston; Photo by Annabel Keenan

 

A highlight of the fair, Berlin-based Bode Projects presented a solo booth of abstract artist Patrick Alston. I first encountered Alston’s work last year and have been in awe of his practice ever since. It’s always a treat to see his paintings in person. With heavy brushstrokes and mixed materials including vinyl, oil stick, enamel and sewn fabric, Alston explores topics of identity, socio-politics and language, the latter of which is often seen in his careful choice of titles. The heart of the booth was a wall of nine vibrant paintings arranged in an eye-catching grid. 

 

Hollis Taggart’s booth; Photo by Annabel Keenan

 

Nearby, New York and Connecticut-based Hollis Taggart displayed works by Dana James and Alexandros Vasmoulakis. James’s multi-paneled abstract paintings consist of ethereal swaths of pastels that recall the Color Field tradition, which the artist has imbued with a contemporary twist, interrupting the surface with small, vibrant dashes of color and glimmering, metallic collage elements. Her work was beautifully paired with Vasmoulakis’ Cubist-inspired abstract paintings. Using similar colors, the two artists showed different approaches to abstraction in an overall harmonious, elegant booth.

 

Geary Contemporary’s booth; Photo by Annabel Keenan

 

New York gallery Geary Contemporary also impressed with a selection of works by Alan Prazniak and Seoul-born artist Sun You. Now based in New York, You works with oven-baked polymer clay that she mounts to painted wood panels or cardboard sculptures. Her works are lighthearted and have a nostalgic quality that recalls childhood games while also revealing her skill working with the labor-intensive material.

 

L21 Gallery’s immersive booth design; Photo by Annabel Keenan

 

A standout booth with undoubtedly the most ambitious overall design was from Mallorca-based L21 Gallery, which stunned with a bright blue trompe l’oeil of a domestic interior setting complete with fake doors, sconces and even a fireplace, all designed by Fabio Viscogliosi. Included in the booth were works by Viscogliosi, Fatime de Juan and Nat Meade, as well as chairs by Richard Woods Studio that were painted with a Pop Art-inspired woodgrain design. 

 

American Express Studio’s beach popup show in partnership with Artsy; Photo by Annabel Keenan

 

After Untitled, I continued up the beach to the sands of the Edition Hotel where American Express and Artsy hosted a popup exhibition of emerging artists. The impressive outdoor exhibition offered a new way to interact with art right on the beach with the ocean in the background, as well as an important opportunity to showcase young artists. Jessica Bellamy from Superposition Gallery was in attendance to celebrate her piece In view, if not in reach (moon phases portal) (2021). The American Express Studio, as it was called, also showed off the newest Platinum cards designed by Julie Mehretu and Kehinde Wiley. 

 

Planned Parenthood benefit auction hosted by Artsy; Photo by Annabel Keenan

 

To finish off the night before heading to dinner, I stopped by a nearby cocktail party and benefit auction hosted by Artsy in support of Planned Parenthood, in particular the efforts to aid patients affected by Texas’ new abortion laws and the tenuous state of Roe v. Wade. The “Choice Works” auction featured several leading artists including Jenny Holzer, Amy Sherald, Robin F. Williams, Simone Leigh and Carmen Herrera. Bidding closes Tuesday, December 7th.

 

Erin M Riley’s donation to Planned Parenthood Humble Magnum (2018); Photo by Annabel Keenan

A standout of the auction was Erin M Riley’s wool and cotton tapestry depicting two used Magnum condoms and a torn wrapper. Never one to shy away from erotic and highly charged imagery, Riley is known for her labor-intensive, skilled monuments to everyday sexual experiences. A fitting subject for the beneficiary of the auction, the work is a reminder of the importance of normalizing conversations on sexual health and education. 

Today I’m visiting the ever-exciting New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) fair and Jeffrey Deitch’s final show at the iconic Moore Building. The latter will be familiar to Los Angeles-based readers, as Deitch has brought to Miami his Shattered Glass show curated by Melahn Frierson and AJ Girard. Stay tuned for these reports tomorrow.