Above: Julia Fullerton-Batten, “Teenage Stories” series, 2005. Courtesy of camara oscura galeria de arte from Photo MIAMI 2007.  Upper Left: Alex Prager, Crystal, 2007. Courtesy of Robert Berman Gallery from Photo MIAMI 2007.

Three months and counting.

The Basel ball officially drops Dec. 6, but even before that, the art world’s scarf-wearing throngs will descend upon South Florida for this year’s Art Basel Miami Beach 2007, the sister event to what many consider the world’s preeminent contemporary art fair. Organizers are optimistic about Beach Basel ‘07, and for good reason: She’s had a little work done.

Some of those affiliated with the crafting of the 1,500-plus- artist fair from around the world and across the pond are enjoying vacationing hiatuses of varying degrees this month in preparation for Art Basel Miami Beach (or maybe in post-Switzerland Basel recovery). But the satellite events, the fairs that many regard as the really tasty Basel meat, are gearing up for the biggest art event this year.

Bob Goodman of Garber & Goodman, Inc., Florida’s Basel representative, is currently in the thick of a vacation himself, as is the bulk of the Switzerland crew (those guys closed down completely for two weeks immediately following Swiss Basel).

Diana Lowenstein Gallery, one of only two local galleries that exhibited at Basel MB 2006, was closed for the month of August; there’s also no answer from the other local gallery, the Fredric Snitzer camp — perhaps also taking a pre-Basel hiatus.

Meanwhile, Miami Beach Convention Center Director Doug Tober has been meeting regularly throughout the year with Show Manager Annette Schönholzer for the planning of Art Basel MB 2007. “We have to make sure the schedules are all put together, the contractors are all in order,” Tober said, adding a bit of what he looks forward to this year. “I see no reason that [Art Basel] is not going to get more and more successful.” Tober said he expects still more people — and more press.

So when will stuff start happening here? “Not a clue,” said one Basel representative last month. “People are just coming to town now.”

But it’s evident that stuff has already happened — and the innovations the art world can expect are already developing. And, oh boy, are they developing.

Tim Fleming, director of Photo Miami, and his crew have journeyed in recent weeks down to the Sunshine State as part of their own pre-Basel gear-up, “to scope out our property,” he said.

“Seventeen fairs are already coming,” Fleming told the SunPost. “We want to have a really great presence on the streets this year. We want to bring a little more intensity this time.”

Fleming said the Photo Miami Selection Committee has been hard at work with the tough task of picking the pictures that will shape that presence at Art Basel Miami Beach this year. They’ll come from Spain, Germany, Toronto and elsewhere on the international photographic radar.

He also explained how that committee operates.

“We recruit all together, and then curate the exhibit,” he said. A gallery submits around five artists to the committee for selection — all with submissions in line with Photo Miami’s “new works” theme.

Over the last few months, through the first round of selections, the panel sent out about two letters every week to prospective selectees. This month the fair sent out its rejection letters. “We give ultimate control to our committee,” Fleming said.

The curatorship for Photo Miami takes place via big names the caliber of Ian White, adjunct film curator at Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, and the coordinator of The Artists Cinema at Frieze Art Fair.

“As an art fair, we’re doing our best to break the mold,” Fleming said. One major change this year — new digs. Photo Miami has moved to an empty lot on 31st Street and North Miami Avenue, turning its old midtown location over to Pulse Art fair. Last year Photo Miami was Basel MB’s only photography-exclusive fair and secured works from more than 40 galleries around the world.

“We’re excited about our new location,” Fleming said.

More excitement is pouring out of the Scope camp. Back in the same location, but with a slightly differently shaped pavilion, its organizers are also already ratcheting up operations.

“This is a big one for us,” said Alexis Hubshman, director and cofounder of Scope. “We have a new foundation with a new administration, new awards and grants,” Hubshman said. This year’s architectural attributes will shape the fair, he said. Sculptural elements in the fair’s outdoor patio should prove to be one highlight at this year’s Scope. “The theme is shade and light — painting with light. It’s what’s great about Miami,” Hubshman said.

He said the fair is also putting the focus on emerging artists working with green themes, highlighting the stark reality of a nation “drunk on oil.”

Those emerging artists will come from an international palate. One focus will be on a large sculptural installation in the sculptural garden created by an up-and-coming Pakistani artist. Last year’s Scope Miami heralded 90 international exhibitors.

And so, Hubshman has started his road to Basel with a literal one: what he calls a “travel story.” Scope organizers started a month ago in Bangor, Maine, and drove down to Miami, stopping in 13 different cities to discover promising artists in all forms, from pirate radio stations to new cinema talent. The visual record of that journey will be a crown piece at this year’s Basel showing.

The folks over at the NADA Art Fair (New Art Dealers Alliance) are also already jumping into the Basel wind-up mode. Director Heather Hubbs characterizes their progress so far as extremely successful. NADA will call the same spot home for this year’s event.

“We’re still finalizing our exhibitors,” Hubbs said, noting organization is also under way with the fair’s “short waiting list” for exhibitors. Hubbs let the SunPost in on a preliminary list of what Basel patrons will see this year.

“Thirty-four percent of the 82 galleries that have been accepted so far to the 2007 NADA Art Fair will be exhibiting at the fair for the first time,” Hubbs said. “And so far, there are 19 countries represented” including Australia, Mexico, Poland and Romania.

Hubbs said the fair plans to continue its tradition of putting the “focus on young emerging galleries.”

Andy Cushman, press agent with Blue Medium, fielded some questions about the 70-gallery Pulse Art Fair, where the Basel art world should expect some remarkable changes. While last year’s Pulse Art Fair was held in large tents, this year it will take over the recently renovated, 40,000-square-foot SoHo Studios building at 2136 NE First Ave.

According to Cushman, planning has been “great so far. We still have the London edition coming up before Miami, and then it’s New York. But everything’s been really smooth so far.” The Pulse committee is continuing its invitational selection format, but also plans to add some one- or two-person project selections.

Also of interest — Pulse will feature the American debut of Japan’s artist-led Geisai art fair, designed to showcase artists without commercial representation.

The Miami incarnation of the twice-yearly Tokyo event will allow approximately 20 select artists to exhibit their own work via free booths in a 3,000-square-foot space on the second floor of the SOHO studios facility during Pulse. The word “Geisai” is derived from the Japanese word for “art festival.”

The Geisai selection jury includes curator and Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard Director Tom Eccles, critic and curator Massimiliano Gioni, artnet Magazine editor in chief and critic Walter Robinson, Art Basel MB Junior Host Committee member and Casa Lin founder Lin Lougheed, and the New York Times Arts and Leisure desk’s Carol Kino. (Applications will be accepted at www.geisai.us through Oct. 1)

Design Miami, the self-proclaimed “most prominent forum for limited edition design,” is expanding its number of design galleries to about 30, versus last year’s 20 galleries, according to Design Miami Assistant to the Director Alexandra Szucs. Also added — a component that experienced a “great response” at Swiss Basel but has not been seen in Miami: a variety of satellite events that will now include design performances where patrons can watch the creation in action.

More Design Miami news: Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka has received the Designer of the Year Award. Yoshioka is creating a permanent installation for the Miami Design District, to be unveiled during this year’s Basel MB.

“We are expanding the number and geographic range of our design galleries,” Szucs said. “We have not finalized our Satellite and Talks program. This probably won’t happen until closer to the show, as we try to stay as cutting edge as possible and reflect the current condition of the industry. But we are bringing to Miami the design performances that received such great reviews in Basel, with a new group of emerging and established designers. In Basel we had Tom Dixon, Max Lamb, Paul Cocksedge, Martino Gamper and others.”

Szucs added that Marc Newson, last year's Designer of the Year, crafted a courtyard fence for the Design and Architecture Senior High School, which will replace the existing one and be inaugurated during Design Miami.
Design Talks, those discussions with the names of the design world, will take the stage again this year. Szucs expects a confirmed list of participants at the end of August.

Art Basel Miami Beach will take place at the Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach. Satellite events will be held throughout Miami Beach and the Miami Design District.

For more information log on to www.artbaselmiamibeach.com.

Comments? E-mail angie@miamisunpost.com.