Art Basel Miami, 2008, was held in the giant Convention Center in Miami Beach, from December 4 through December 9. Many satellite exhibitions, both large and small, were held throughout the Miami area during the course of Art Basel.
All the accompanying photographs were made at the main Art Basel exhibition at the Convention Center. There are no captions with these pictures; my purpose in making these photographs was simply to show people interacting with art. The cast of characters includes gallery owners and their staffs, art collectors (serious and otherwise), and mostly people who simply wanted to look at art. I fall into the latter category.
There was much great art being shown, as well as some bad art. One could say that there was something for everyone, people with good taste and people with bad taste and people with no taste. Earnest young gallery assistants, mostly in dark suits and white shirts, sized up potential buyers and promoted individual pieces. It is said that business was bad this year, but the crowds were large and some major sales were made. Perhaps it is still better to buy in the art market than in the stock market. It was thrilling to see so many
Good pieces ranged from a very small and beautiful self-portrait in oil by Hans Hoffman at $35,000 to a large and major oil by Francis Bacon at $18,500,000. There were beautiful small oil paintings that were wonderful to see by Klee and Miro, as well as some small surprises from de Kooning. And there were a number of fine Diebenkorns, as well as numerous Picassos and Dubuffets. Most people were wowed by a roomful of Picassos, especially considering that they were all for sale. Very few people asked for prices.
At any rate, here are some of the pictures I made at the Art Basel Miami show. I enjoyed making them and looking at the art myself, and I hope you enjoy looking at the pictures - and the art.