Artists and art lovers alike will be invading Miami Beach starting Thursday for one of the most important and heavily visited arta exhibitions in world: Art Basel.
The annual event will run through Dec. 5 and will feature art shows, film screenings, musical performances and state-of-the-art architecture and design exhibitions from all over the world.
Art Basel was first held in Miami in 2002, but the idea has been around for some time. The special event first began in Switzerland 41 years ago. But Art Basel Miami Beach has grown to outshine the original in its eight short years of existence, with a constantly growing number of visitors, exhibits and acclaim.
“I’ve heard a lot about Art Basel,” freshman Laura Sarmiento said. “Now that I live in Miami, I’ll finally get to experience it for the first time.”
Art Basel is a great attraction for collectors, dealers, critics and curators, as well as other artists simply looking for inspiration and creativity. Artists of varying mediums are often found among the streets of Art Basel. A sense of unity also can be found every year at the festival.
“At times, the Miami art scene can be really disjointed,” said freshman Katie Condon, who is a photographer. “But when Art Basel comes, Miami feels like more of a community.”
The exhibition has grown in popularity each year, drawing increased attention to the Miami Beach area.
“Many major global museums are organizing trips to Florida, and numerous groups of art collectors from Latin America and Europe have already announced their visits,” stated a Sept. 14 Art Basel press release. The festival’s organizers expect more than 40,000 visitors this year.
“It looks like it is going to be huge,” Sarmiento said. “[As a student at UM], it’s awesome I’ll get to join in as a local.”
Caroline Helmers may be contacted at chelmers@themiamihurricane.com.
IF YOU GO:
WHAT: Art Basel Miami Beach
WHEN: Dec. 2-5.
WHERE: Miami Beach Convention Center and other locations throughout the Art Deco District
COST: A one-day admission ticket is $36, a two-day admission ticket is $60, and a permanent pass is $75. For students with ID, Senior Citizens, and groups of 10 or more, a one-day ticket is reduced to $22.
MORE INFO: Log on to Artbaselmiamibeach.com for more detailed information on exhibits and time schedules.