Precision and Passion: My Focused Exploration of Art Basel Miami Beach 2024

Pauline Loeb in Kraemer Gallery’s booth at ST-ART Strasbourg 2024. Outfit by Tara Jarmon © artfairmag

There is so much to see during Art Basel Week in Miami that staying for only three days requires strategic choices. Two years ago, I visited 7 fairs, 1 artist workshop, and two exhibitions. I came away exhausted, a bit dizzy, and ultimately frustrated that I had only managed to skim the surface. This year, I took the opposite approach: I dedicated two full days solely to Art Basel, even if it meant skipping the off-fairs—and I was really able to get a thorough understanding of the fair. Verdict: I loved it.

In 2023, a severe sinus infection forced me to cancel my trip to Miami at the last minute, so you can imagine the extra excitement I felt as I entered the 2024 edition of Art Basel Miami Beach at 11 AM on Wednesday, December 4th. This year’s edition was notably high in quality, more curated, less showy, perhaps more European than the one I experienced in 2022. I’m pretty sure I didn’t miss any aisle, any booth, or any artwork… and here’s my highlights.

At every edition of Art Basel, whether in Basel, Hong Kong, or Miami Beach, I love starting with the monumental sector. Known as Unlimited in Basel, Encounters in Hong Kong, or Meridians in Miami, this section allows for an immersive dive into the fair that really gets me energized! This year, it featured 17 monumental projects curated by Yasmil Raymond. The immense 30-meter long photogram by Roberto Huarcaya rippled from floor to ceiling like a dark, serpentine wave; Isabelle D’s triptych of crocheted, knitted, and woven textile fibers, resembling a seabed, added a fantastic splash of color and softness; the starkness of Alan Sonfist’s scorched forest installation, unsettling with the inclusion of a doll nestled among the branches symbolizing rebirth, contrasted with the softness of a large crumpled paper and cotton thread installation by Chinese artist Zhu Jinshi; the stillness and immobility of Anastasia Bay’s ‘Maestra Lacrymea’ sharply juxtaposed with the turbulence of ‘Goya’, a large whirlpool crafted by Alice Aycock. The most striking piece was undoubtedly Yuchi Hirako’s boat sailing on grass, carrying plants, objects, and other colored stones. Crafted entirely from wood painted with acrylic, this work was not as playful as its appearance suggested. The artist offers an allegory for current global environmental issues and their potential consequences.

Next, I moved on to the “Galleries” sector, the main section of the fair, which this year featured 286 galleries from 38 countries and territories. I spent quite some time at the stand of Copenhagen-based Gallery Nicolai Wallner, drawn in from the hallway by Daniel Buren’s ‘Cascade’ of orange prisms and mirrors. On the right wall, 21 rectangular canvases by Cornelia Baltes formed a joyous, abstract ensemble that beckoned visitors inside. The back wall displayed a grid of nine colorful acrylics on paper by David Shrigley, highlighted by an abstract bronze sculpture from A Kassen. Its sheen mirrored the gloss of the four fiberglass balloons by Jeppe Hein. This very pop art environment was softened by the presence of a large canvas on wood by Alexander Tovborg, filled with gentle shapes and pastel colors. A fine example of diversity and balance.

Galleri Nicolai Wallner’s booth at Art Basel Miami Beach 2024, featuring Cornelia Baltes, A Kassen, Daniel Buren, Jeppe Hein, David Shrigley, etc. © artfairmag

Another striking display caught my eye, but in a radically different style. No colors or abstract shapes here. The installation featured 50 monotypes on paper, each about thirty centimeters high, depicting male faces. This work by Hernan Bas, created in 2019, was incredibly powerful due to the strength of its lines, the neutral to severe expressions of the portrayed boys, and the very tight arrangement, which added an extra density to the piece.

Hernan Bas, Supercuts (group B), 2019. 50 monotypes on paper, 27,9 x 21,6 cm. Showcased by Victoria Miro at Art Basel Miami Beach 2024 © artfairmag

Several (hundreds!) meters further, another ensemble captured my interest: large cor-ten steel numbers—from 0 to 9—each nearly 90 cm tall, arrayed side by side at the Waddington Custot gallery booth. Crafted by Robert Indiana, predominantly known for his iconic LOVE, this copy number 2 from an edition of 3 (plus 2 APs) was offered for a sum of $2.2 million, surely destined for the garden of a wealthy collector. The rest of the booth matched the allure of this eye-catching work, featuring an explosive canvas by Hans Hartung (1904-1989) created a year before his death, two canvases depicting cars—one from 1970 by Robert Bechtle (1932-2020) and another by Robert Cottingham, a ‘Warrior King’ by Joan Miró (1893-1983), and a bronze hare by Barry Flanagan, an artist frequently showcased by the gallery.

Waddington Custot’s booth at Art Basel Miami Beach 2024, featuring Robert Indiana, Hans Hartung, Joan Miro, Carmen Herrera, Robert Cottingham, etc. © artfairmag

Finally, I was left speechless by three works of Yoan Capote, displayed side by side at the Ben Brown Fine Arts booth. The first, ‘Purificación (Exiliados)’, depicted a menacing storm cloud against a dark background, enhanced with barbed wire, link chain, and other recycled metal elements. The center piece, ‘Isla (Quasi una Fantasia)’, portrayed a nighttime seascape, where the moon (not visible) cast its pearly reflections on a calm sea. This serenity was disrupted by the presence of the fishhooks that are characteristic of the artist’s work. The third painting, titled ‘Aguas Territoriales (Cómo Llegó La Noche)’, featured an undulating sea in golden hues, with each small wavelet accentuated by tiny saw blades. The contrast between these poetic themes and the violence of the metal elements perfectly reflects the duality dear to Yoan Capote, who likes to explore deep themes related to isolation, seduction, and danger.

Yoan Capote, Purificacion, Isla, Aguas Territorias, 2024. Mixed media. Featured by Ben Brown Fine Arts at Art Basel Miami Beach 2024 © artfairmag

Art Dealers Interviews

For this edition, I had the fortune of conducting an interview that was truly close to my heart: speaking with Thaddaeus Ropac—who usually dislikes this type of filmed exercise—about a work by Antony Gormley, whom I greatly admire. The conversation continued with two regular guests, Sean Kelly and Kamel Mennour, passionate, warm, and approachable gallery owners. Sean introduced me to a glass mural by Idris Khan, while Kamel extolled the virtues of an unusually named work by Alicja Kwade: ‘abarstoolisabarstoolisabarstool’. At the stunning booth of Galleria Continua, one of the founders, Lorenzo Fiaschi, discussed a magnificent charcoal and pastel on paper by Adel Abdessemed, depicting a bouquet of flowers and dynamite sticks. At MassimodeCarlo, associate director Danielle Bessner introduced me to Stephanie Temma Hier’s brilliant, totally whimsical ceramic dollhouse infused with surrealism. Lastly, I couldn’t overlook the incredible piano by Charlemagne Palestine showcased at the Meredith Rosen gallery booth from New York. Completely covered in colorful faux fur and dozens of stuffed toys, it was complemented by a floor of vivid fabrics. The icing on the cake: it was in tune!

How Much Does It Cost?

No paintings in my selection this time! I fell in love with the Acapulco Chair in green onyx by Mario García Torres, offered by Neugerriemschneider Berlin for €45,000. Its aesthetics and unexpected comfort meant it was sold on the opening day, but—luckily for me, the gallery had two more! I was curious about the price of a stainless steel sculpture by Jaume Plensa, whose works I often see at the fairs I visit. For this ‘Juana’ from 2022, the asking price was a tidy sum of $825,000. After steel, came charcoal with this magnificent wall piece by Lee Bae at Perrotin, priced at $180,000. Finally, one of my favorites at the fair, a small ceramic house by Stephanie Temma Hier, full of humor and surreal references. It would cost $35,000 to play house with it!