Miami is pushing ahead with a change of the image

taken at the entrance to the Art Basel Miami Beach, the gold-colored state-of-the Fondation Beyeler, the exhibition visitors in the confession. In the otherwise empty room, a man in a monk's robe sits and puts his Opposite, a question: "Why did you ever murdered a human?" Then he granted him Absolution, sprinkles, a wafer with a hint of Negroni and submit them to the penitent on the tongue. Cleansed and pure, he can go on the tour through the exhibition.

The state-of-the Fondation Beyeler is the only where no art be sold, but on the current and future art exhibitions. The rest of the 267 galleries from 35 countries are here to make sales.

The Art Basel Miami Beach the most important art fair on the American continent. When she was done 17 years ago for the first Time, there were also critical voices. Why not in New York? And you will not weaken the parent fair, Art Basel? The success of these voices fall silent.

in the Meantime, there is a second branch in Hong Kong. And in Miami Beach, the fair has led to a real art boom. "We had this Image as a" Miami Vice " State. Meanwhile, we are also perceived as a metropolis of art," says mayor Dan Gelber. Four new museums have been opened since the Start of the trade fair in the year 2001, the number of galleries has increased in this period from ten to over a hundred.

fair tired of collectors

in Order to support a change of the image, raises Miami Beach a lot of money. The Renovation, under the Convention Center, where the exhibition has cost the public sector $ 620 million. The city demanded concessions from the MCH Group, which runs Art Basel. The crisis of the Baselworld and the deletion of a number of exhibitions, including art fairs, have spoken out to Florida. For next spring-terminated Salon for luxury cars in the Convention Center had to be cancelled. "All of this has on the Art Basel no impact," says the fair Director Marc Spiegler.He has signed a contract for five more years in Miami Beach.

Quite the mood this year is not solved yet. A new tax decision of the Supreme court makes the US art dealers, and important collectors show some fair fatigue. "There are fewer visitors from New York are here," Mathias Rastorfer of Galerie Gmurzynska. He hopes that the new Convention Center, the fair also has a new pulse. Gmurzynska is since the beginning in Miami. "The market has changed in the 17 years, you have to define as a gallery again and again," stresses Rastorfer. His gallery shows in Miami alongside works by Christo high-class Work of Nerobet Roy Lichtenstein and Robert Motherwell.

A focus on Latin American art Victor Gisler of the gallery Mai 36. Once more he presents in the abstract-figurative Works of Cuban artist Michel Pérez Pollo in the foreground, depending on the Format with prices between 35'000 and 52 000 francs is also payable. Also strong in the field of art of South America Peter Kilchmann, has built in Miami, a tribe of South American collectors. Interesting is a work of chrome and Bronze of the Cuban artist Dagoberto Rodriguez, who had a classic car in Havana before our eyes.

U.S. government waived customs duties for Chinese art

Brave the Lucerne-based Galerie Urs Meile shows in the exhibition with a steel work of Not Vital, and a large format image of the young artist Julia Steiner. Of primarily on Chinese art specialist gallery owner has it in Miami is not easy. The interest of American collectors in China is still not very large, and the trade dispute between the two States would have prevented. participation in the fair is almost. Originally, the import of Chinese art should be with the high duties assigned, but at the last Moment, the US government refused. So Urs Meile can now show a whole Cabinet with the new Work of Zhang Xuerui.

among the big players in the international art scene, Hauser & Wirth. The gallery is also placed prominently, and the crowd at the Stand large. Already a few hours after the start of the trade Fair, the most recent portrait of Amy Sherald, with the title "When I let go what I am, I become what I might be had been sold" for 175'000 dollars to an American private collector. Sherald has become the African-American shooting star, since she has painted the official portrait of the former First Lady Michelle Obama.

Political aboriginal art

what is Striking is that more of the works of Afro-American and African artists. About Billie Zangewa, the great textile work at the booth of the gallery Blank from Cape town shows – indicative of the sector Nova, where there are some exciting discoveries. In the sector Position of one of the few politically trenchant artists: the aboriginal Vincent Namatjira, by contrast, who lives five hours drive away from any civilization, and in his Works, nevertheless, with controversial political leaders such as Trump or Putin.

at the fair, as always, very much expensive and the Museum of art to see. At Helly Nahmad about a Rothko from 1955 to cost $ 50 million. Or a gift Egg by Jeff Koons for 9.5 million as an eye-catcher at the booth of Edward Tyler Nahem. Very Keith Haring, which was sold by the Lévy Gorvy Gallery several times.

"It will be bought, but the check book no longer sits so loosely as in previous years," says a gallery owner who does not want to see his name in the newspaper. The Sunny weather, want to be all optimistic. Until tomorrow, Sunday, permanent 17. Art Basel Miami Beach is expected to as good, but certainly not as the best fair in the history.

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 07.12.2018, 20:03 PM