What’s new at Art Basel this year? The layout, the schedule - and oh, who’s in charge
If art is a catalyst for change, then it stands to reason that the fairs that showcase art must change, too. This year’s edition of Art Basel Miami Beach comes with a re-formulated floor plan and a return to Sunday hours, plus new leadership.
We talked with Noah Horowitz, who returned to Art Basel last year as its CEO (formerly he was head of Americas before a brief stint at Sothebys), and Vincenzo de Bellis, formerly curator and associate director of the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, now director of all four Art Basel fairs (in Basel, Hong Kong, Paris and Miami Beach). (Bridget Finn was recently announced as director of the Miami Beach fair and will take the helm next year.)
The following is an excerpt from the conversation.
Q: What’s new this year?
de Bellis: We’ve redesigned the show floor to create an enhanced visitor experience. During COVID, the food options were all removed from the floor. Now they are back. And there are more places to sit and rest as visitors move through the booths. Previous showgoers will still find the anchor galleries in the same locations, so it won’t be confusing.
We also have 25 new galleries from all over the world: Egypt, Poland, the Netherlands, Asia, Latin America. In total there are 277 galleries.
Horowitz: We also have a first-time collaboration with the Tribeca Festival, with music and talks in the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. [Art Basel anchor] investor James Murdoch brings a wealth of commercial and imaginative experience. That includes the Tribeca Festival, in which he is an investor. His interest in entertainment is unbelievably valuable.
Q: What type of artworks will be shown this year?
de Bellis: Primary artwork [by living artists] is still very present. We also have galleries representing artists that have previously been excluded from the canon -- often from remote locations. Others are showing artists that have been somewhat forgotten. And of course there are blue chip artists from the 20th Century.
Horowitz: This is a moment when galleries are presenting more substantive presentations. Galleries are more intentional about the artists they invest in. It spills over here. Miami now has galleries whose presentations are much more resonant.
Q: Early this year, sales at the auctions were slow. They were much stronger just a few weeks ago at the November auctions in New York. What does this mean for Art Basel and other fairs this week?
de Bellis: Hopes are good. Lots of people are coming in. We have so many requests for passes from new people or ones who have not come in many years.
Horowitz: A year ago we had historic sales at the auctions. Now we’re seeing a reset in real time. The galleries are responding, especially with uncertain times. Pricing is really important. The general feeling is that great work that is well priced is selling. It’s definitely a buyers’ market.
Q: What impact do you expect from the war in the Middle East?
Horowitz: It’s tough to say. Everybody is concerned about what is happening. It certainly is affecting people emotionally.
We opened our show in Paris two weeks after this broke out. The Palais de Versailles and the Louvre were closed the weekend before we opened. We still had a strong show.
Despite the conflict, this year in Miami, ticket sales are trending up year over year. Just in the last few days, we’re seeing a lot more confirmations from collectors who have decided to come. We have strong participation by museum groups from all over the country.
Culture bonds people together. This is a space for dialogue. Miami during Art Basel really is a unique experience. There’s the growth in what is happening in Miami. People speculated that the people who came from California and New York would come here and wash out. But what we’re seeing is that they are staying. Miami is not only a great place to be this week, it’s a great place to root in.
Q: Art Basel previously had three fairs, in Switzerland, Miami and Hong Kong. In 2022, Art Basel took over an existing fair in Paris, now called Paris+. Has its popularity negatively impacted Miami?
de Bellis: Paris is a great addition. The city is booming. After Brexit, Paris became again the European capital of art. It’s the center of the fashion and design universe. Paris and Basel are both in Europe, but the cities and the fairs are very different. Each fair has a personality of its own. The Miami Beach fair is the largest fair in the largest market in the world.
Q: Last year you ran the show from Tuesday to Saturday. This year you have returned to a schedule of Wednesday and Thursday VIP days, and public days from Friday to Sunday. Why did you make the change?
Horowitz: During COVID it made sense. We needed to create a more buffered moment. This year, in canvassing our clients, the feedback was that people preferred the Wednesday-to-Sunday schedule. It’s easier for people who may have other business commitments during the week.
