harlan erskine — photography/blog

Art Basel Miami Beach 2011, Art Positions park-like-lounge area

This post was cross-posted in The Camera Club of New York’s Blog.

Over the past ten years, I have attended Art Basel in Miami. Each year is a little different with an evolving program of events. The city of Miami has grown up along with this fair. There are so many events to attend that it can be overwhelming. Art Basel Miami Beach is a social event as much as it is about buying and selling art. If you have never attended, it’s a great opportunity to see photography, both old and new, mixed with other art in unexpected ways in this grand capitalistic experiment. Check out my highlights below.

Art Basel Miami Beach Vernissage 2011, Art Public Opening Night, bass museum of art – erwin wurm: beauty business, Mr. Brainwash Miami Beach pop up.

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Day 2

Clifford Owens at the On Stellar Rays booth.

NADA Fair, Design District and YACHT show.

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Day 3

Dietrich Wegner, Studies in Solitude, Cloud 1 at Carrie Secrist Gallery

Pulse Art Fair, Nike Shoe Launch at Shoe Gallery, Wynwood Walls, Random Party.

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Day 4

Andrea Galvani, Higgs Ocean #6 and #7 at Meulensteen

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Day 5

Edward Weston, Nautilus Shell, 1927 at Edwynn Houk Gallery

Standard Hotel Pool Party, Art Basel Miami Beach re-visit.

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Andreas Gursky, Rhine II, 1999, C-print mounted to plexiglass, 73 × 143 inches.

This post was cross-posted in The Camera Club of New York’s Blog.

A few weeks ago the Andreas Gursky print, Rhine II, was auctioned for $4.3 million, breaking the record previously held by Cindy Sherman. Guardian Article: The world’s most expensive photographs – in pictures. I always admired Rhine II. I think it was one of the first prints by Gursky I encountered. Its striking formalism speaks of a manufactured landscape, but also of pattern, color and texture. I’m not sure it if is stronger then his 99 cent store image which previously held the record of the most expensive photograph. I encountered this image earlier in my photographic education so I appreciate it differently, I suppose.

This got me thinking about the economics of the art photography market. Normally we don’t really know how popular an art photographer’s work is. Sure, we see their prices at a gallery and the editions they are claiming they will print, but it’s hard to determine the final sale prices and whether their show actually sold out. For the big names, auctions are the best way to see what’s going on.

Recently, I went to the Camera Club’s benefit auction for the first time. It got me thinking about economics, as well. This event is a strikingly open way of seeing the popularity of an art object for the established and emerging artists who participated. It’s not as exacting as a Christies auction, but it folds back the art curtain a bit.

Cindy Sherman, Untitled #96, 1981

I’m down in Miami this week for Art Basel Miami Beach. The economics of art are all around me. Here they are secretive and deceptive. Please post your comments below if you have any questions for the art fairs and galleries here.

Harlan Erskine, Art Basel 2006 for THE BLOWUP MAG.

If you’re in New York, Gursky has a show currently up at Gagosian Gallery—coincidentally timed for this new auction record. I’ll be sure to check it out when I get back. Here it the info:

ANDREAS GURSKY
NOVEMBER 4 – DECEMBER 17, 2011
Gagosian Gallery
522 West 21st Street New York, NY 10011

The final day of Art Basel I revisited the main show to see what I had missed from the opening night. I love viewing art in person that I have only seen on the internet or in books. One key element to understanding art is seeing the scale and the quality of the production firsthand. Unlike some of the side fairs, the big show in the convention center is filled with consistently well produced art. It is really a pleasure to experience it.

I realize putting 600 pixel wide pictures up here doesn’t do them much justice. Hopefully, it serves as a record of what caught my eye. This year’s Art Basel was a step up from 2008. As we move toward 2010 I hope this is a positive sign of things to come. Enjoy.

Kehinde Wiley, “Equestrian Portrait of King Philip II,” 2009. Oil on canvas: 122.375 x 138.375 inches. at Deitch Projects, New York, NY.

Jon Kessler, “Mob Scene,” 2009. Mixed media with motors, cameras and LCD screens. LCD Array: 66.5 x 53 x 24 inches, Mechanism: 84 x 57 x 20 inches. at Deitch Projects, New York, NY.

Kader Attia “Satellite Dishes” 2009. Light Box at Galerie Krinzinger, Vienna, Austria.

A pairing of older and newer works from Thomas Struth. The left two are from 1978 when Struth was shooting in New York. The top is “115th Street and 2nd Avenue, New York / Harlem, 1978″ and the bottom images is “99th Street at 1st Avenue, New York / Harlem, 1978.” They both were printed in 2002. The right large piece is “Museo Del Prado 3, Madrid” 2005. C-print. 80 5/8 x 97 5/8 inches at Marian Goodman Gallery, New York, NY.

Andreas Gursky “Dubai World III” 2008 c-print 93 5/16 x 134 13/16 inches (incl. frame) at White Cube, London, UK.

Just around the corner from there was another Andreas Gursky this one I had seen before in a book is called “Copan” 2002. C-print 81 x 103 inches at Matthew Marks Gallery, New York, NY.

Across from Gursky was a Thomas Demand “Fotoecke / Photobooth” 2009 C-print 70 3/4 x 78 inches at Matthew Marks Gallery, New York, NY.

Robert Longo “Untitled (Men in Cities)” Black and White photos, 1976 – 1982 / 2009 at Metro Pictures, New York, NY.

Andrea Robbins and Max Becher, from top: “Black Cowboys:Bill Pickett Rodeo 09 no.1″ and “Black Cowboys:Bill Pickett Rodeo 09 no.2″ both 1999 archival ink jet prints at Sonnabend Gallery, New York, NY.

Elger Esser, “La Grande Be, France” 2009 C-print 72 1/2 x 78 3/4 inches at Sonnabend Gallery, New York, NY.

Bernd and Hilla Becher, “Winding Towers (Anlagen)” 2007 (photographed from 1968-1997) 9 black and white photographs at Sonnabend Gallery, New York, NY.

Beate Gutschow “S#2″ 2005 Light jet print, 57 3/8 x 49 1/2 inches at Sonnabend Gallery, New York, NY.

Mario Garcia Torres “The Improbability of Common Sense” 2009 Acrylicand silkscreen ink on linen.

Kader Attia “Rochers Carres”, 2009 at Galeries Christian Nagel, Berlin and Galerie Graesslin, Frankfurt, Germany.

Scott McFarland “Sugar Shack, Caledon Ontario” 2009 Digital C-print 72 x 105 inches at Regen Projects, Los Angeles, CA.

Doug Aitken “Free,” 2009 at 303 Gallery, New York, NY.

Florian Maier-Aichen “Untitled (Passo Stelvio) 2009 C-print 70 3/4 x 98 1/4 inches at 303 Gallery, New York, NY.

Yinka Shonibare, MBE “Willy Loman: The Rise and Fall (Paradise)” 2009 C-type print 90 x 70 inches) at Stephen Friedman Gallery, London, UK.

Yoshitomo Nara at Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan.

Mikhael Subotzky at Goodman Gallery, Capetown, South Africa.

Mikhael Subotzky at Goodman Gallery, Capetown, South Africa.

Ernesto Ballesteros from the series “Covered Light Sources” Permanent black marker on photography, at Galeria Nara Roesler, Sao Paulo, Brasil.

Paul Pfeiffer “Fragment of a Crucifiction (after Francis Bacon)” 1999 at carlier | gebauer, Berlin, Germany.

Robin Rhode “8 Ball,” 2007, 16 digital prints at carlier | gebauer, Berlin, Germany.

Quite possibly my favorite piece of the day was this Paul Pfeiffer gold chromed TV in the front left of the booth. “Caryatid (Wrestling)” 2009 at carlier | gebauer, Berlin, Germany.

It seemed like everyone in the media mentioned this Roxy Paine piece, “Maelstrom” 2009 at James Cohan Gallery, New York, NY. I had seen a different version of it on the roof at the Met but I still enjoyed it in the indoor environment. Maybe indoors is a better home than the roof where it competes with the sprawling views of central park.

Duane Hanson, “High School Student,” 1990 at Emmanuel Perrotin, Paris, France.

Ryan McGinley “Wes (Scarlett Split),” 2009 at Team Gallery, New York, NY.

Caio Reisewitz, “Guanabara,” 2009 C-print 70.8 x 90.5 inches at Luciana Brito Galeria, Sao Paulo, Brasil.

Mitch Epstein “Recreation: American Photographs 1973-1988″ 2004 Dye Transfer 16 x 20 inches at (?)Sikkema Jenkins and Co., New York, NY.

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Rineke Dijkstra from Left, “Amy, Liverpool, England, December 22, 2008,” and “Beth, Liverpool, England, December 22, 2008″ both Archival inkjet prints 2008 at Marian Goodman Gallery, New York, NY.

Final stop of the night was a big group birthday bash for me and my early Sagittarius friends. Which was caped off with the best group birthday cake ever!!! Thanks to master baker and artist Jen Stark.

Beg Borrow and Steal” Catalogue front cover.

The First stop of Day 5 Art Basel Miami was the Rubell Family Collection. Each year they curate a new show timed for the Basel festivities this year the show is called “Beg Borrow and Steal” and it will run through May 29, 2010. If you’re in Miami around then I highly recommend checking it out.

RUBELL FAMILY COLLECTION, Beg Borrow and Steal 2009

Jennifer Rubell “Old-Fashioned,” 2009. 1,521 Dunkin Donuts Old Fashioned Donuts.

I ate some “Old-Fashioned”

They tasted “Old-Fashioned”

Nate Lowman, “More or Less,” 2003. Mixed media installation.

Foreground: Peter Coffin, “Sculpture Silhouette (J. Koons ‘Balloon Dog’ 1994-2000),” 2009. Powder coated aluminum. Background: Richard Prince, Untitled (joke 7), 1987
Powdered graphite and gesso on canvas.

Jason Rhoades, Untitled (Chandelier), 2004. Glass, wire, neon, Plexiglas, fabric and plastic.

Left, Peter Coffin, “Untitled (Designs for Colby Poster Co. # 5, 9, 33, 19, 51),” 2008. Letterpress ink on five coated cardstocks. Right: Dan Flavin, “Untitled (Monument for V. Tatlin),” 1964-1965. White flourescent lights, Ed. 1/5.

Peter Coffin, “Untitled (Designs for Colby Poster Co. # 5, 9, 33, 19, 51),” (detail) 2008. Letterpress ink on five coated cardstocks.

Maurizio Cattelan, La Rivoluzione Siamo Noi, 2000. Polyester resin figure, felt suit and metal and plastic coat rack.

Second Floor installation at “Beg Borrow and Steal.”

Stephen G. Rhodes, “Interregnum Repetition Restoration (Upholstered),” 2008. Single-channel video and mixed media.

Steven Shearer, “Puffs,” 2006. C-print mounted on aluminum.

Steven Shearer, “Puffs,” (detail) 2006. C-print mounted on aluminum.

Damien Hirst, “Dance Naked,” 1997. Stainless steel, glass, surgical equipment and plastic skeletons.

Rashid Johnson, “Promised Land,” 2008. Spray enamel, mirror and wood.

Aneta Grzeszykowska, “Untitled Film Stills,” 2006. Seventy C-prints.

Aneta Grzeszykowska, “Untitled Film Stills,” (detail) 2006. Seventy C-prints.

The Miami landscape near the Pulse Art Fair.

Khaela Maricich aka the blow played at the Pulse Art Fair.

Khaela Maricich aka the blow played at Pulse.

Khaela Maricich aka the blow playing in Lindsay Lohan mode. Here is the scoop from Pitchfork..

Khaela Maricich aka the blow playing in Lindsay Lohan mode, shoe detail. Maricich really did finish the show by saying, “Could you imagine Lindsay actually performing that? Could you get an idea? Now take that image and subtract it from what I just did. The sum of that is the difference between a girl like me and a girl like Lindsay.” perfect.

Induce at Freegums and Poplife Sky’s the Limit event held at the Electric Pickle.

at Electric Pickle

Dr. Jay at the Freegums and Poplife Sky’s the Limit event held at the Electric Pickle.

I took it a bit easy on the Friday of Art Basel and only ventured out to see some of the satellite fairs starting with a very sad Photo Miami. I’m not 100% sure but they were inside of a old Circuit City location and the wold building just dropped with Bankruptcy. I really don’t think separation of a medium in an art fair as a very sustainable model.

Sure I enjoy photography more and I look for it when I am at an Art fair. But walking around in an all photography fair felt flat to me. Maybe it was just the overall quality of everything there was weaker then normal? Either way I only ended up taking a few pictures of work I liked. Also my friends who were with me and didn’t have a press pass had to pay the insane price of $20 to get in. They were not happy nothing in there was worth a $20 entrance fee just to look at it.

PHOTO MIAMI 2009

Photo Miami cover photo by Sean Higgins, Raga Jog, 2009, courtesy of Collette Blanchard Gallery.

Rinko Kawauchi at Mountain Fold Gallery, New York, NY.

After that sad experience we drove off to the NADA Art Fair. This Year’s NADA fair was in the Deauville Beach Resort in North Miami.

NADA 2009

Daniel Gordon’s “Flying Pictures” at Leo Koenig Inc., New York, NY

Tony Matelli’s Weed, painted bronze at Leo Koenig Inc., New York, NY

Jacob Dyrenforth at Renwick Gallery, New York, NY.

Jacob Dyrenforth (detail) at Renwick Gallery, New York, NY. I love this detail. Do you think I could have plugged in my iPhone?

Another Daniel Gordon. This is from at Callicoon Fine Arts / Photios Giovanis, Callicoon, NY. Its not surprising that was everywhere at this years fairs. Reciently he was included in the ‘New Photography 2009,’ MoMA show reat the ‘NY Times Review here. What does surprize me is how different his two bodies of work look.

Daniel Gordon at Callicoon Fine Arts / Photios Giovanis, Callicoon, NY.

Jasper Niens’ installation piece “5 ROOMS” at Galerie West, the Netherlands. Consisted of a small maze of hallways and doors, echoing Dan Graham a little.

Zipora Fried at On Stellar Rays, New York, NY.

Zipora Fried at On Stellar Rays, New York, NY.

The best booth of all the fairs goes to twenty twenty projects, Miami, FL. Believe it or not but the book was turned into a FM transmitter / low power radio station. Re-broadcasting a famous Miami pirate radio station that has since been shut down.

Hanging at the pool, Deauville Beach Resort in between looking at art.

Ellen Harvey, “The Room of Sublime Wallpaper II,” 2009 at Stephan Stoyanov Gallery, New York, NY.

Ellen Harvey, “The Room of Sublime Wallpaper II,” 2009 (detail)

SVA MFA Alum Yamini Nayar was showing these great built enviorments this one entitled “BY A THREAD,” 2009, 30 x 40 inches at Thomas Erben Gallery, New York, NY.

Brendan Fowler, on the left side – “Fall 2009 (Flowers Outside Silk Flowers Show in LA 1, Fall 2008 West Coast Tour Poster – C, Flowers on Walk With Andrea/Terry/Cindy 1, 2 Screen Flower Print), 2009, Digital C prints, silk screen ink on paper, frames, plexi, 46.5 x 49 x 5 inches (variable) at Rental Gallery, New York, NY

The third day I was in Miami was a long day of Fairs and events. The first Fair I visited was Pulse. This year the Pulse Art Fair moved from its former location in the Wynwood area to the Ice Palace Film Studios, which is more south and closer to downtown then last year. Many fairgoers may remember that this was were the NADA Art Fair was housed for several years.

Miami based artist and great friend of mine Freegums had a wheat paste up across the street from Pulse advertising his event coming later in the Art Basel week.

PULSE MIAMI 2009

‘Okay Mountain Corner Store’ by Austin collective Okay Mountain was a fair highlight. ‘Corner Store’ was a commission from Arthouse, a Austin, TX contemporary arts center.

Inside the Okay Mountain corner store.

The Artlog booth had great new work by my friend Manny Prieres.

In the same Artlog booth right next to Manny Prieres’s drawings were some new Friends With You watercolors.

I caught some of Columbian Performance artist Maria Jose Arjona‘s performance, with Siamese fighting fish. I can’t decide if this is poetic art performance or a tragedy waiting to happen.

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The Jen Beckman Gallery showed a booth full of paintings by Painter Sarah Mckenzie

Cody Hudson aka struggle inc. had fresh new work at Andrew Rafacz Gallery.

The Dean Project showed this piece by Sangbin Im ‘Seoul,’ 2008. 40 x 87 inches. This take on a cityscape photo manipulations was an interesting contrast to Andreas Gursky’s perfect cityscape which was displayed at the Miami Art Basel Miami Beach Art Fair.

RWFA Rick Wester Fine Art showed several pieces by Meghan Boody. This one is titled ‘It was one of those exquisite days that come in winter, in which it seems no longer the dead body, but the lovely ghost of summer,’ 2006 printed in 2009. Until seeing this booth I hadn’t seen these and although I am still thinking about them it’s interesting for me to see other artist working with children and constructed images.

Eva and Franco Mattes aka 0100101110101101.org. ‘Addio,’ 2008

These portraits by Michal Chelbin show at Andrea Meislin Gallery is part of a larger series called Locked and depicts Stas, a 15 year old inmate of a maximum security prison in Russia. Recently this series was awarded fourth place in the Taylor Wessing prize at the National Portrait Gallery. They are strong images. Sadly they seem to lose all their power from their relatively small size and bad placement. Art fairs reward larger sizes. There is just so much art fighting for your attention. Mural sized photography commands more space on the wall and is earlier to view. Unless a small work is given a lot of wall space (and thus importance) they tend to fade into the background.

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The Glue Society, “THE DAY THE DRAGON ATE THE SUN,” 2009. Duration: 2 minutes. HD film.
During the morning of July 22nd 2009, the longest solar eclipse of the 21st century passed over Shanghai. Shot using 14 synchronized cameras, this film captures the effect of this phenomenon upon the city and its people while exploring the relationship between ancient mythology and modern China.

The Glue Society, “THE DAY THE DRAGON ATE THE SUN,” 2009. detail.

SVA Alum Dinh Q. Le’s sculpture and pictures were all over the Elizabeth Leach Gallery. The grouping of images along the back wall is called “Bicycle Repair Signals,” 2009 and the sculpture in front of the pictures is titled “I am Large. I Contain Multitudes (1),” 2009.

PPOW Gallery dedicated their entire booth to the images and installation of Portia Munson.

A set of Alex Prager images at M+B.

U-Ram Choe ‘Una Lumino Ortus,’ 2009 at bitforms.

The Yossi Milo Gallery had this nice arrangement of Sze Tsung Leong Horizons series. It’s great to see that the Art Fair hanging has been kept largely in tact for this series.

Right on the next wall at Yossi Milo Gallery were two prints from their current show by Robert Bergman. I have yet to see the show – I hope I can make it over there this week.

Also at Yossi Milo Gallery was this arrangement by Lise Sarfati

The http://www.winkleman Gallery had several standout pieces from Eve Sussman and Rufus Corporation including this video titled ‘Red Girls / Blue Girls,’ 2007

Eve Sussman and Rufus Corporation ‘Extended Family‘ from their series ‘The Rape of the Sabine Women,’ 2009

Eve Sussman and Rufus Corporation ‘How to Tell the Future from the Past, v.2,’ 2009. Three-channel video installation, 40 minutes.

Edward Burtynsky, ‘Alberta Oil Sands #6
Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, 2007′ from the series ‘Oil’ at Galerie Stefan Ropke.

Airan Kang’s Installation of LED-lit book sculpture at Bryce Wolkowitz. These ‘Books’ were selling fast and I could see why. I really enjoyed them and they even had some of my favorite books made into these hypnotic tributes.

Adler Guerrier at Miami’s Locust Projects.

Robert F. Hammerstiel’s series ‘Private Stories‘ at Vienna GalleryLukas Feichtner

Another Robert F. Hammerstiel’s series ‘Private Stories‘

After all that walking around at Pulse I was looking forward to what the Scope Art fair had to offer. Judging by what I ended up photographing there wasn’t much that struck my eye. Here are my highlights:

SCOPE MIAMI 2009

Cara Phillips Ultraviolet Beauties at AUREUS Contemporary.

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Sweat Shoppe’s Magic Paint Roller was great to finally see in person. check out the video demonstration here: http://vimeo.com/7012935

A bunch of Jen Stark were in Miami gallery Carol Jazzar. Colorful and precise as ever.

Jean-Francois Rauzier’s ‘Bibliotheque Ideale 2′ was breathtaking and selling well at London Gallery Waterhouse and Dodd.

Design Miami 2009

Although I didn’t have time to stay long at Design Miami. I really wish there was enough time to have come back here. These design and furniture pieces are a really nice contrast to the art works at the fairs.

the first stop in Design Miami was Workshop Workshop, a marathon zine making workshop created by artist Jim Drain, poet P. Scott Cunningham. Tonight’s zine leaders were BFF and Pizza Dog.

This Audi A8 show space was a heavy but fun contrast to the Workshop Workshop zine making party next door.

This Tom Dixon chair has a great back story you can read it in the NY tImes here.

After Design Miami there was a mad dash to see the some of the murals installed in a project produced by Deitch Projects and Goldman Properties called The Wynwood Walls. There were too many great murals to show all of the pictures I got here. This one below is by Os Gemeos.

STAGES
“It is a unique celebration of human potential inspired by Lance and dedicated to the fight against cancer.”

The last event of the night was one of my highlights for the trip. Lost of high quality art, a good croud, free flowing drinks and snacks, great music and a even better cause. The event was coproduced by Miami’s O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.

From left to right. Yoshitomo Nara, ‘Fire,’ Acrylic on wood panel, 91 x 91 cm and Andreas Gursky. Tour de France I’ 2007. C-print mounted on plexiglas in artist’s frame, 90 x 66 cm.

Ed Ruscha, ‘Vital to the Core’ Acrylic on linen, 61 x 89 cm.

Richard Prince. ‘I’m Not Coming Home.’ Collage and acrylic on canvas, 117 x 86 cm.

Cai Guo-Qiang ‘Tree With Yellow Blossoms,’ Gunpowder on paper, mounted on wood as a four-panel folding screen, 230 x 310 cm.

Shepard Fairey threw down the quality tunes for part of the night.

Os Gemeos ‘O Coletor de Cabecas,’ Spray paint and paint on canvas, 160 x 99 cm.

Catherine Opie ‘Untitled (Road)’ C-print, 61 x 81 cm.

At the end of the evening there was a fantastic performance by Bradford Cox performing as Atlas Sound.

Herzog & De Meuron

This is news to me but before Art Basel began Herzog & de Meuron unveiled the plans for the Miami Art Museum which was reviewed by the Times.

For more have a look at the review: NYT: Matching Architecture to the Art in a New Miami Museum

Also, their amazing new parking garage is under construction at the western end of Lincoln Road in Miami Beach. The New York times has the scoop: Square Feet – A Miami Beach Parking Lot, Designed by Herzog and de Meuron.

flight back from Miami. ©harlan erskine 2009

I’m back from Miami. I think this year’s fairs were great lots of interesting art good opening around it and a remixed fair set up created a fresh year for looking art art in the balmy Miami weather.

I will be posting the images and art works that left an impression on me at the fair this week. But for now take a look at these post art fair reports:

Miami Herald writes about the fairs with a quirky “How much for that art?” video feature.
Basel ’09: Less bling, more ka-ching

Another Miami Herald piece talks about sales rebounding. I’m quite fascinated with the economics of Art I wish NPR’s Planet Money would do a story on the economics of the Art Market.
Sales rebound paints pretty picture at Art Basel

ARTINFO has the scoop on Kehinde Wiley’s Michael Jackson painting.
Kehinde Wiley’s Michael Jackson Commission Sells at Art Basel – ARTINFO.com

New York Mag’s Vulture has a fun slide show talking about art that sold at the fairs. I find it amazing that the fairs are so large that I only say about half of the works in this slide show!
Art Basel: The Works That Sold — and Sparked Conversation

New York Mag’s Vulture also has a piece on the top 10 parties and again I have to say I didn’t know half of these were even happening. This list is particularly subjective since I would argue that some of the events I went to would have toped some of these. Fun list anyway.
The Worst Excesses of Art Basel 2009

NYPOST has a story about Sly Stallone’s paintings at Art Basel. Right after I picked up my press pass from Art Basel Miami Beach’s Media center I saw Sly getting out of his black SUV for a VIP preview of the fair. Now I know why he was there a day early.
Rocky hits the canvas

NY Times’ The Moment Blog has a few cool videos highlighting various artist when came down to the fair.
Art Basel Miami 2009 | Aurel Schmidt Video
Art Basel Miami 2009 | Shepard Fairey Video

Here is what went down on the first big day of Art Basel Miami Beach. My day began with the opening of the main fair and ended with a bang O.H.W.O.W. and Max Fish in Miami.

The rush of people waiting to get into Art Basel Miami Beach’s opening night vernassage.

Dieter Applet (made 1977, printed 2007) at Kicken Berlin in their collection “Ninety years of Bauhaus.”

A huge Robert Longo forrest drawing at the Margo Leavin Gallery.

The irristable glow of a Dan Flavin at the Margo Leavin Gallery.

Roni Horn’s “Suite #4,” 1991-94 Suite of 4 offset lithographs at the Margo Leavin Gallery.

Ger van Elk’s “The Co-Founder of the Word O.K.-Hollywood,” 1971, Three color photographs at the Margo Leavin Gallery.

A huge Sterling Ruby peace “American Risk” 2009, dripping for your attention at Pace Wildenstein.

Evan Perry’s warped life-like sculptures are always a crowd draw are on exhibit at the Sperone Waterstone.

Fantastic Obama Inauguration photos by Mauro Restiffe at Galeria Fortes Vilaca made you wander what era they were produced in.

The sad 1980′s era bathrooms at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

“Welcom e Art Basel” announced the Days Inn on 20th and Collins Ave.

The other side said “Have a n ice day” like it always does.

The sculpture at Art Basel Miami Beach Oceanfront nights.

The entrance of the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.

IT AIN’T FAIR 2009 at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.

IT AIN’T FAIR 2009 at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.

Aaron Young, “Locals Only,” Burnt rubber and resin on glass panel, 5′ x 7′, 2009 at IT AIN’T FAIR 2009 at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.

IT AIN’T FAIR 2009 at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.

IT AIN’T FAIR 2009 at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.

IT AIN’T FAIR 2009 at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.

David Lynch and Danger Mouse project “Dark Night of the Soul” at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery. The LED light above the photographs would light up when the music playing was arranged for that group of images.

David Lynch and Danger Mouse project “Dark Night of the Soul” at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.

Iggy Pop making an appearance at the David Lynch and Danger Mouse project “Dark Night of the Soul” at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.

The rooftop performance by French composer Koudlam above outdoor screening of Cyprien Gaillard’s Crazy Horse accompanied by smoke and people waving flares at IT AIN’T FAIR 2009 at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.

an unannounced annonymous performance at IT AIN’T FAIR 2009 at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.

Funny storm troupers guarding(?) the Vagabond.

Max Fish invades the old PS 14 Space for the Fish’s 20 year anniversary.

Looking toward the front of the Bar at Max Fish in Miami.

Looking toward the stage of the Bar at Max Fish in Miami.

New York graff artists gave the Miami bathrooms of the remade Max Fish the New York treatment.

more bathroom views at Max Fish.

One last bathroom views at Max Fish.

Freegums Sky’s The Limit poster is installed across the street from the bar.

As I departed more posters were being installed.

I got into Miami yesterday afternoon under ideal flying conditions. Last night the Design District was buzzing with activity including the opening of the new Friends With You Boutique. Check out the pictures below.

For this year’s Basel I will be blogging / twittering as the fair goes on. I will be posting the highlights of the events and the standout art works that surprise or titillate me. I will also be updating my event lists as I learn more about them. Please send me any events I should know about.