Kelly Zona To call Art Basel Miami Beach an "exhibition" would be to severely downplay its multifaceted role in the art market. It is a catalyst that brings the different elements of the market (including social and economic factors) to a degree of hyper-condensation, resulting in increased benefits not easily found in other areas of the global art market. | Wiki Markup |
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Art Basel is structured so that both its exhibition spaces and programs are hyper-condensed, as seen in the image below.
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A seemingly endless floorplan of individual stalls featuring artists from all over the world are brought together in a relatively small space, with hundreds of events taking place around it. Within many of these spaces the exhibits change over the course of the day. Art Basel is not so much meant to be experienced in its entirety, as there are more things going on than one could possibly see in a day, rather, it is meant to maximize the interface between different exhibitions and events. |
The result of this hyper-condensation is twofold. First, a micro version of the larger art market is created, resulting in a sort of "hypermarket" in which social and economic benefits are maximized (artists from vastly different communities are able to engage with each other, huge profits are generated, the local economy gets a temporary boost...ect.). Secondly, this temporary "hypermarket" creates long lasting effects on the global art market (artists build reputations, new business relationships are established, new audiences are reached...etc.). | Wiki Markup |
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And of course all of this influences the social scene at Art Basel Miami. A few of the art fair managers present described the event as "the greatest invasion of celebrities Art Basel has ever seen." \[2\] Everyone from P. Diddy to Alanis Morissette showed up to rub elbows and buy art. As one Miami elite put it, "ABMB is now as much about "design, fashion, and nightife" as it is about art." \[2\] |
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This blurring of other elements with art is reflective of current trends in the global art market, and can be seen particularly well at the Art Video side show held a few blocks away from the main venue at Soundscape Park. A street level perspective of the event space is shown below. !FilmVenue.jpg|border=1!
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Here, artist's films are visible to groups gathered in the park as well as the neighborhood streets. Film, architecture, and social event are integrated and blurred, as well as the space of the exhibition and the space of the city. The film _Dancer_ by Dara Friedman further employs the technique of blurring. The film records its performers " from a slow-moving van and simultaneously transmitting an upbeat soundtrack into various neighborhoods \[of Miami\], passersby appear to be breaking into dance." \[4\] Two stills from the film can be seen below. !Film 1.jpg|border=1!
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Friedman states that a common theme running through her work is that of the individual's plight within the community, and credits herself a "medium" who "translates the experience of the outsider into that of an insider." \[7\] Watching the film, viewers cross beyond the threshold of visitor and turn into inhabitants of the city. |
The unique venue of Art Video, highlighted by Friedman's Dancer, is reflective of current trends in the global art market, and may influence future designs of public events and spaces, as well as inspire new means of reaching public audiences in the art market. Bibliography: | Wiki Markup |
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\[1\] [http://slowpainting.wordpress.com/tag/art-basel-miami-beach/|http://slowpainting.wordpress.com/tag/art-basel-miami-beach/] |
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\[2\] [http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/12/art-basel-diddy-will-smith.html|http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/12/art-basel-diddy-will-smith.html] |
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\[3\] [http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1464&bih=931&tbm=isch&tbnid=2LqxkZSWQeS9WM:&imgrefurl=http://davidgryn.wordpress.com/&docid=hOaw_iy8JmM_xM&imgurl=http://davidgryn.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/img_62002.jpg&w=1600&h=1200&ei=JtoGT_SjG-Ty0gGL48iaAg&zoom=1|http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1464&bih=931&tbm=isch&tbnid=2LqxkZSWQeS9WM:&imgrefurl=http://davidgryn.wordpress.com/&docid=hOaw_iy8JmM_xM&imgurl=http://davidgryn.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/img_62002.jpg&w=1600&h=1200&ei=JtoGT_SjG-Ty0gGL48iaAg&zoom=1] |
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\[4\] [http://www.artbaselmiamibeach.com/go/id/hww/|http://www.artbaselmiamibeach.com/go/id/hww/] |
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\[5\] [http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150433144089643&set=a.472019149642.260247.52860439642&type=1&theater|http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150433144089643&set=a.472019149642.260247.52860439642&type=1&theater] |
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\[6\] [http://twitpic.com/7sef44|http://twitpic.com/7sef44] |
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\[7\] [http://danafriedman.me/html/about.php|http://danafriedman.me/html/about.php] |
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