Art attack: your time is valuable and so is the Art Basel experience. How to maximize a tour of its potentially dizzying array of international contemporary art and attendant satellite fairs

Johanna Marmon

The December days that mark the arrival of contemporary art fair Art Basel Miami Beach are attorney and collector Alan J. Kluger's favorite time of year. He recently returned from a multi-city tour of Spain, spends three weeks annually in South America (scoping out Latin American artists, his passion) and was in Switzerland earlier this summer for Art Basel, the sister show of the stateside spectacular. But all of that, says Kluger, a partner at Miami-based Kluger, Peretz, Kaplan & Berlin PL, has nothing on Art Basel Miami Beach (ABMB). "Art Basel Miami Beach is the No.1 art fair in the world," he says, "It's a fascinating week."

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Fascinating, yes. But with 200 galleries from 30 nations under one roof at the Miami Beach Convention Center--not to mention 17 unaffiliated fairs running concurrently and an endless parade of VIP events and parties--the word "overwhelming" also springs to mind. Add to that an array of video- and sound-art lounges, an open-air cinema and a beachfront crop of shipping containers filled with cutting-edge art, plus 40,000 visitors from around the world, and suddenly you have something bordering on madness.

Where to begin? Start with the realization that it will be virtually impossible--or would take superhuman stamina--to see everything. However, with a little planning, visitors can see a lot of important art. "The trick is to constantly read about art," says Richard Shack, a respected Miami collector who, among other art-related affiliations, is the chairman emeritus of the Museum of Contemporary Art in North Miami. "Go to galleries as frequently as you can before Art Basel, and you'll come away with a feel for what you particularly like," he advises.

The key to getting the most out of ABMB is doing the legwork beforehand. "Before you go, spend some time with a complete listing of what's at the show," says Arthur Halsey Rice, a contemporary-art collector and partner in the Fort Lauderdale-based law firm of Rice, Pugatch, Robinson & Schiller PA. "Devote as much time as you can to researching. And once you're there, ask questions about artists you're interested in."

Visitors who do their homework, adds Shack--who hosts a VIP open house with wife Ruth during ABMB to showcase their extensive private collection--have less chance of feeling overwhelmed and can more easily seek out galleries that pique their interest.

Attending the Show

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The fair runs from Dec. 6 to 9 at the Miami Beach Convention Center; expect crowds every day. For a slightly thinner crowd (but still a crowd), look for a ticket to Vernissage. This invitation-only advance showing on Wednesday, Dec. 5 is often where many of the sales happen. Although Vernissage invitations are tough to come by, if you work with a local gallery, an art advisor or even a wealth manager, it is worth asking if they have tickets.

It is tough to determine which galleries will have the most important and valuable works. As of press time, most still had not decided which pieces to bring. And collectors on the level of Shack (who has been named one of the top 200 collectors in the world, though he rejects the idea) are reluctant to name specific Art Basel Miami Beach galleries as must-sees; to him, that would defeat the notion of individuality that defines art. He did say he is particularly looking forward to seeing the Marian Goodman Gallery (from New York and Paris) and the Goodman Gallery (from Johannesburg, South Africa).

For his part, Kluger--set to host a private dinner for gallerists who hail from Miami, South America, Mexico, London and New York in his home during ABMB--is excited about the ever-growing stable of Latin American galleries represented during the fair each year. On his list, among many others, are Brito Cimino (from Sao Paulo), Galeria Fortes Vilaca (Sao Paulo) and Ruth Benzacar Galleria (Buenos Aires).

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ABMB is known as the icon of contemporary art fairs, specializing in art created after World War II. But visitors can view an impressive array of pieces by modern masters as well, including earlier 20th century works.

Montreal-based Landau Fine Arts, one of the world's top modern galleries, is planning to bring some "showstoppers" to ABMB, owner Robert Landau says. His gallery--which houses works from the likes of Le Corbusier, Giacometti and Miro--has exhibited works at ABMB since it began in 2002. "Art Basel Miami Beach counts on us to bring classical modern works," Landau says. Peter Vetsch, communications manager for ABMB, adds that galleries like Richard Gray Gallery (Chicago, New York), Acquavella (New York) and Adler & Conkright Fine Art (New York) also will be important exhibitors of modern classics. "Of course," Vetsch says, "it all depends on what you're after."

About 10 percent of this year's galleries--chosen by a selection committee from a record 850 applicants--are notable newcomers in both the contemporary and modern spheres. Esther Schipper (Berlin), Roberts & Tilton (Los Angeles) and Galleria Christian Stein (Milan) fall into the former category, whereas dealers in modern masterworks include Galerie Cazeau-Beraudiere (Paris), Helly Nahmad Gallery and Michael Rosenfeld (both from New York).

While it goes without saying that art is nothing if not subjective, there is a crop of both living and dead artists whose work will likely be in high demand at ABMB--and command high prices, according to Charles Dupplin, an art expert at the Bermuda-based Hiscox, a specialty insurer that works with collectors around the world. Dupplin cites living artists such as Damien Hirst, Richard Prince, Jeff Koons and Gerhard Richter as ones to watch, while works by Francis Bacon, Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol and Willem de Kooning will also command attention.

In general, the value of both contemporary and modern art has risen during 2007--by 55 percent and 44 percent, respectively, according to an index of auction data compiled by Hiscox. "[Contemporary and modern art] has had a tremendous run," Dupplin says, though he cautions the market may soon slow down a bit. "Every sort of record has been broken in Europe this year by the highest auction prices, by four or five times." But, he adds, "Anything that goes up that much might see a correction." He points to the ripple effect the recent credit crunch in the US is having on world markets as an indicator that buying at ABMB may not be as frenzied this year. "There's a distinct possibility that the people who have been buying the art and driving up the prices are those who will be feeling much less rash. We might see interesting times in the contemporary market," he adds.

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Alan Bamberger, a California-based art consultant and appraiser, says ABMB will be a good indicator of how recent worldwide economic changes will effect the art market going forward. "Art prices for certain artists have increased absurdly, and I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop," he says. "There's been a substantial art market bubble. Basel will begin to tell the tale of how the changes will ripple out."

Beyond the Main Fair

Of course, not all of the action during Art Basel Miami Beach is relegated to the Miami Beach Convention Center, or even the container show on the beach. This year, there are 17 satellite fairs and exhibitions, held in locations such as Miami art hotspot Wynwood, scattered throughout hotels on South Beach and even as far away as South Miami. During this year's fair, for instance, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden will debut a large-scale exhibition of 10 sculptures by one of the American pop art movement's seminal artists: Roy Lichtenstein. According to Fairchild, the exhibition (scheduled to run through May 31, 2008) marks the first time Lichtenstein's sculptures will be shown in a botanic garden.

Spin-off mainstays of ABMB include Scope Miami and Pulse. Scope, which had its inaugural show in 2002, is known for presenting cutting-edge contemporary works, with an emphasis on emerging dealers, curators and artists. Like last year, Scope will fill a 40,000-square-foot pavilion with 90 exhibitors in Wynwood's Roberto Clemente Park--blocks away from important collections such as the Rubell Family Art Collection and the Margulies Collection at the Warehouse, both of which are hosting events during ABMB. Contemporary art fair Pulse Miami is moving this year, from a tent it formerly occupied to a 40,000-square-foot space at SoHo Studios, also in Wynwood.

The largest and longest-running non-ABMB fair of them all. approaching its 18th annual show, is Art Miami. In the past, the fair took place during January at the Miami Beach Convention Center. This will be its first time running concurrently with ABMB, in a 100,000-square-foot tent in Wynwood. Director Ilana Vardy says Art Miami set out to draw galleries this year that focus on mid-career contemporary and modern artists, a contingent missing from many of the satellite fairs.

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"We knew that there would be a large percentage of galleries that didn't get into Basel and who also needed a big space," Vardy says. It is an idea that is echoed by Alexander Gray, a New York gallerist and first-time exhibitor at Art Miami who is also on the fair's selection committee. "Many people feel the work at Basel is out of their reach in terms of price, and then on the complete other end of the spectrum, which dominates the satellite fairs, are young and emerging galleries and artists whose work might not be accessible," Gray says. "So this gap that the new Art Miami is filling is intriguing and attractive."

Vardy hopes overlapping ABMB will increase sales--the goal of any gallery exhibiting at the art fairs. "In the past two years or so ... because of so much activity in December, the buyers and collectors were tapped out come January," she says. "By moving our dates we'll be able to strengthen it." Vardy says Art Miami will exhibit only about 100 galleries it its huge space.

Overwhelmed yet? There is still more to see and do. The inaugural In Fashion '07 will exhibit more than 200 signed contemporary fashion photos by well-known photographers in a tent at the Surfcomber Hotel in Miami Beach. And virtually all of South Florida's myriad art galleries will present installations and host parties to coincide with ABMB.

At least one new gallery will debut during the frenetic week: Paris-based Galerie Bertin-Toublanc, which chose Wynwood as the location for its first stateside branch. "I really think that Miami is the new center of contemporary art in America," says owner Armelle Bertin-Toublanc. "It's right in the middle of North American and Latin American culture."

That is what drew the organizers of Art Basel to Miami in the first place. "Miami is ... a multicultural and cosmopolitan city which offers all that one needs to conduct a successful art show: a lively art scene, successful museums and magnificent private collections," says Samuel Keller. Art Basel's director since 2000. (This is his final year as head of both the Switzerland and Miami Beach Art Basel shows.) "When Art Basel Miami Beach came to Miami, the city was more a spot on the tourist map. But in the last five years, Miami has also become an important spot on the international cultural art scene," he adds.

It is something of which collector Shack, who was part of the original committee that helped bring Art Basel to Miami-Dade, is infinitely proud: "It's simply phenomenal. It's history being made, and it makes Miami a major destination for art."

RELATED ARTICLE: WHAT THEIR WEEK LOOKS LIKE

South Florida CEO asked three prominent South Florida collectors what their Art Basel week looks like:

"I'm the principal of Design Miami, so we work in collaboration with Art
Basel. We put on a major design show, we host several party events
during that period and there are also so many good friends in town
during that time. It's an active week for me."--Craig Robins, president
of Dacra Development

"Art Basel week is a very busy week. I [visit] a lot of the friends that
show art in their houses. I meet with a lot of investors that come from
all over the world. And then I enjoy all of Art Basel and the satellite
shows that are going on."--Jorge Perez, CEO of The Related Group

"We are on the Art Basel VIP tour. My Art Basel week is fairly full, a
lot of fun. I spend a lot of time looking at the show, which is open to
serious collectors a day early. What's a lot of fun is that most
everybody who has a private collection opens their doors."--Milton M.
Ferrell Jr., CEO of Ferrell Law PA

COPYRIGHT 2007 CEO Publishing Group, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning