The Basel Effect
With Major Changes Afoot, Can We Keep Our Cultural Boom
From Going Bust in the Long Run?

The astounding variety and range of these events proves that we are undergoing a major social and cultural shift.

By Alfredo Triff

Are you ready for the big one? For four days, from Dec. 7 to 10, Miami becomes a global museum. If Art Basel Miami Beach did not attract enough attention, this year the “Basel effect” generates a centripetal wave of more than 12 national and international fairs, an art extravaganza perhaps never seen before in a single area. This means a worldwide visibility, status and revenue, which can only be compared to major city events, such as world’s fairs or Olympiads (to top it off we don’t have to foot the bill for lobbying, security and infrastructure).

The fifth installment of Art Basel Miami Beach brings 200 top international galleries with satellite events: “Art Nova” (with some of the world’s best emerging artists), “Art Video Lounge” (at Miami Beach’s Botanical Garden), “Art Positions” (21 galleries in shipping containers right on the seaboard) and new additions like “Art Kabinett” (15 small curated exhibitions in rooms inside the Convention Center). The event features daily talks, panels and art tours with the most respected artists, curators and museum directors from around the world. (Although Art Basel Miami Beach 2006 brings 44 new galleries to the show, only two of those represent Miami: Fredric Snitzer and Diana Lowenstein). 

Besides Art Basel, there are exhibitors of international prestige, such as NADA (82 galleries from 20 countries), -scope Miami (95 galleries from 40 countries with 25 special projects) and Pulse Miami (60 smaller contemporary galleries). Important art enclaves throughout the nation are represented, such as Chicago’s Bridge Art Fair, Aqua Art Miami (with 40 galleries in a show organized by Seattle artists and dealers), Fountain (with the best of the Brooklyn art scene) and Miami’s Zones Contemporary Art Fair (organized by Charo Oquet and David Vardi) over at the World Arts Building in Wynwood.

One can go theme-specific: Flow Miami Invitational is dedicated “to an environment where one can experience the purity of art.” Art book lovers have INK, featuring 15 leading world print-publishers and dealers. Photo Miami presents about 50 photo galleries from all over (focusing on contemporary photo and video). Design Miami, in its second installment, is already one of the world’s best design fairs. Even underrepresented artists may have a shot at DiVA (showing digital art) or Pool Art Fair.

The astounding variety and range of these events proves that we are undergoing a major social and cultural shift, that is to say, the convergence of art, design and architecture as cultural entertainment.

Why Miami? We’re blessed with plenty of sun, fine beaches and relatively clean air (if we had mountains, we would be a warmer California). Because of the social and political instability in Latin America, South Florida has become much more cosmopolitan. Our diversity is remarkable (which also adds to social unrest).

We have a vibrant art community of world-renowned collectors, museums and alternative spaces that cater to our local talent. To all this, add the urban makeover of new design and architecture that is renovating the city. Among the star architects with either finished or future projects in Miami, Bernard Tschumi, Cesar Pelli, Enrique Norten, Frank Gehry, Richard Meier and Herzog & de Meuron. 

Ironically, with all the international attention comes huge speculation. The forces of gentrification have squeezed too quickly the balance between local labor forces and housing affordability. According to a November article in Time magazine, Miami is the least affordable metropolitan area in America. We have the third-highest poverty rate in the nation, not to mention traffic jams and struggling schools. 

Yet, because of Miami’s enviable situation and human resources, we have the potential to cope with these problems and become a world-class metropolis. Make no mistake: Art Basel has been pretty good; it has changed the global perception of Miami and helped us see ourselves in the eyes of the world, but in another sense it also poses a challenge. We’ll thwart our cultural development if we don’t understand that our transformation also demands social responsibility.

Alfredo Triff is an art critic in Miami.

The Art Basel Issue: The Credits

• Commissioned Cover Art by Francesco LoCastro - www.francescolocastro.com

• Commissioned Map by Leyden Rodriguez Casanova - www.fulanoinc.com

• Art Writers: Omar Sommereyns, Alfredo Triff, Michelle Weinberg

• Contributors: Cynthia Archbold, Ryan Brown, Tiffany Rainey, Samantha Smith

• Edited by Robin Shear

• Copy edited by Mary Louise English

• Proofreading by Angie Hargot, Omar Sommereyns, Erik Bojnansky

• Art Direction by Simone Fong

• Cover and Art Basel Design by Michael Menchero

• The Art of Real Estate Designed by Lily Rodriguez

• Publisher: Andrew Stark

• Website: Ken English