OnTheCusp.org

Miami Day One (Wednesday)

Well after a couple of de-icing if the plane leaving Indy and some more delays once we landed in Miami, I finally made it to my hotel. Observation: You know the event is taking place once you get off the plane and realise you are surrounded by a strange breed of travelers. You spy hipsters clad in all white suits and polished white platform shoes, numerous women in short dresses and knee high boots, dapper dressed dealer types in tailored pinstripe suits minus the tie. Needless to say, this was not the usual swarm of people at the baggage claim. I happen to be staying at the South Seas Hotel (17th and Colins) which is also hosting the Red Dot Art Fair. Craziness all around on the first two floors as all the galleries are unpacking and hanging their works in their hotel room spaces. I did run into the always pleasant Sam Lee of Sam Lee Gallery in Los Angeles. I met Sam at ridge Art Fair in Chicago last spring where I bought a wonderful drawing by one of his artists, Macha Suzuki. (On a side note, I am currently working with Sam to exhibit works by two of his artists, Macha Suzuki and Chris Doyle, in the upcoming Backyard show that I am curating at the Harrison Center for the Arts.) Most of the events tonight were VIP only so I headed instead to the shipping containers where it was free and much more casual. This was obviously the place to be this night as it was simply packed, making it hard to see each of the containers. I only made it through about half of the spaces and as I felt last year, again I was a bit disappointed in many of them. In my opinion, exhibitors have two options here, create an installation/experience based presentation or find an alternative way to show off their artists work in such a strange environment. The two containers I was most attracted to were Gallery Kamm and Sorcha Dallas, both of which went the route of creating a gallery exhibition space and feel within the shipping containers, there was another space which at this time I have forgotten the name of. Perhaps I will make it back over there again to write it down. And once again WPS1 is broadcasting from the shipping container area. Check out their site for music and interviews from Miami. Thursday comes the first round of the fairs. Stay tuned.

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