It’s that time of year again, so in lieu of our normal New York art world happenings post, we’ve sorted through hundreds of Art Basel Miami Beach invites and picked some favorites. What follows is an absolutely definitive, scientifically perfect, inarguably airtight list of the best things happening down in Miami this week. Well, OK, really it’s just a few things that look pretty cool to us. But, we promise, if you make your way to most of the events below, you’ll have a great time at Art Basel. That is, if you’re invited to everything…
And keep watching the site for constant updates from Miami—we’ll have our whole team down there, reporting from all the fairs and parties. The Observer Arts Twitter is a good space to watch, too. Things are going to get really fun, and we can’t wait.
See you guys in South Beach!
TUESDAY
Fair: Design Miami/ Collectors Preview
The premier contemporary design fair that runs concurrently with Art Basel in Miami and Switzerland each year, opens to collectors and VIPs at noon. Before you buy your Koons, swing by the Design Miami/ booths and pick up beautiful wares by the some of the world’s most renowned designers.—Alanna Martinez
Meridian Avenue and 19th Street, Adjacent to the Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Beach, Noon-6 p.m., invitation only.
Event: TV Party presented by Neuehouse
Glenn O’Brien is bringing back his beloved punk rock public access show, TV Party. His old co-host was Blondie guitarist Chris Stein, but now he’ll be joined by graffito and nightlife jetsetter and jester Andre Saraiva.—Nate Freeman
Location undisclosed, Miami Beach, 7:00 p.m., invitation only
Opening: “i feel ya: SCAD + André 3000 Benjamin”
What’s cooler than being cool? Ice cold! I said, what’s cooler than being cool? Ice cold! Oh, and also a show of Andre 3000’s jumpsuits—alongside work by Greg Brunkalla and Jimmy O’Neal— presented by the Savannah College of Art and Design.—N.F.
Mana Miami, 318 NW 23rd Street, Miami, 8:00 p.m., invitation only.
Party: Performa’s 10th Anniversary and Ryan McNamara’s “ME3M 4 MIAMI”
Let’s just list the sponsors for this one: Maserati, Artnet, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards, Interview magazine, Dsquared2, Thompson Miami Beach.—N.F.
Thompson Miami Beach, 4041 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 10:00 p.m., invitation only.
Party: The W Magazine Art Issue celebration
“Stefano Tonchi and Ian Schrager invite you for an evening of cocktails, dinner, performance by Blood Orange and disco by DJ Harvey.”—N.F.
The Miami Beach Edition, 2901 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 8:00 p.m. until “the early morning,” invitation only.
WEDNESDAY
VIP preview of Art Basel Miami Beach
Ah, the opening of the doors at an art fair. Possibly the only time you’ll see billionaires sweat.—N.F.
Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, 11:00 a.m., VIP cardholders only.
Dinner: Celebrating Peter Marino, recipient of Design Miami’s Design Visionary Award
Yes, Peter Marino has taken over the Bass Museum with a sprawling exhibition of works by and inspired by the designer and architect clad in black leather, but he’s also getting the inaugural Design Visionary Award from Design Miami/. Not a bad week for The Pedro.—N.F.
Location undisclosed, Design District, 8:00 p.m., invitation only.
Concert: V Magazine presents a performance by Miley Cyrus at The Raleigh
I have a sinking feeling that the hitherto inconceivable combination of Tommy Hilfiger, Jeffrey Deitch and Miley Cyrus will be the memory from Art Basel Miami Beach 2014 most markedly seared into my brain.—N.F.
The Raleigh, 1775 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 10:00 p.m., invitation only.
Dinner: Celebrate the Snarkitecture Marble Run at the Delano South Beach Lobby with Usher and Daniel Arsham.
Daniel Arsham usually teams up with his good buddy Pharrell, but with Skateboard P busy doing Chanel things in Salzburg with Karl and Cara, he’ll have to settle for Usher. A party at Le Baron’s pop up at FDR at the Delano follows a dinner, and let’s hope the DJ plays “Love in this Club.”—N.F.
The Delano, 1685 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 10:00 p.m., invitation only
Event: Artsy Dance Party
Yes, you could describe a lot of Basel events as “artsy dance party,” but this one is specifically for the startup Artsy. And it does have a ton to celebrate, as they’re hiring like mad and just leased another floor in its building. In classic startup fashion, the invitation contains this disclaimer: “Parking is restricted; we strongly suggest Uber.”—N.F.
The Moore Building, 4040 NE Second Avenue, Design District, 10:30 p.m., invitation only.
Fair: Fieldwork at Art Basel in Miami Beach presented by the Art Production Fund
Public Art Fund’s Nicholas Baume has been invited for a second year in a row to curate Art Basel Miami Beach’s public sector at Collins Park, in collaboration with the Bass Museum of Art. Expect sculptures and performances by Ryan Gander, Liz Glynn and Dawn Kasper, Georg Baselitz, Ernesto Neto, Yinka Shonibare MBE, Nancy Rubins, and many more.—A.M.
Collins Park, between 21st Street and 22nd Street, 8:30-10 p.m.
Event: Fulton Ryder presents PLUSH, an artist’s book by Marilyn Minter, 6-9 pm
Marilyn Minter is releasing her first ever artist’s book, along with Fulton Ryder—Richard Prince’s appointment-only Upper East Side book shop. Titled PLUSH, it will feature some NSFW full-frontal images by Ms. Minter in her signature style.—A.M.
Fulton Ryder Bungalow #251, The Miami Beach Edition Hotel, opening night 6-9 p.m.
THURSDAY
Fair: NADA VIP preview
The New Art Dealers Alliance returns to the Deauville Beach Resort with 74 galleries in tow. You’ll want to get in first for all the good stuff.—A.M.
The Deauville Beach Resort, 6701 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., invitation only.
Fair: Pulse Preview Brunch
It’s a big year for Pulse Miami Beach: its 10th anniversary! It’s got a new director, Helen Toomer, and she’s shaking things up by moving the fair to a tent at Indian Beach Park. Ready yourself for a whole new Pulse.—A.M.
Indian Beach Park, 4601 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., invitation only.
Talk: Lynda Benglis Talk at ABMB
Interim director of ICA Miami Suzanne Weaver and sculptor Lynda Benglis will kick off the Art Basel Miami Beach talks sector that will look back on the artist’s career 40 years after her infamous Artforum ad made art world waves.—A.M.
Hall C Auditorium, Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, 10-11 a.m.
Performance: “Shadow Pool, A Natural History of the San San International” by Jonah Freeman and Justin Lowe
We’ve heard this referred to as an installation, a performance, a fashion show, a lecture, and a concert by the band Black Bananas. What is it? Who knows! You should go!—N.F.
The Forum at Miami Beach Edition, 2901 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 10:00 p.m., invitation only
Party: Dom Pérignon — Metamorphosis
Los Angeles has the Oscars, New York has the Met Ball, Washington D.C. has State Dinners, and Miami Beach has Dom Perignon’s annual Art Basel party hosted by Alex Dellal, Stavros Niarchos and Vito Schnabel.—N.F.
Wall at W South Beach, 2201 Collins Avenue, 1:00 a.m., invitation only.
The Perez Art Museum and DIS magazine present Future Brown featuring Kelela
DIS magazine will be in the New Museum Triennial! That’s pretty exciting. But before that, they’re throwing parties at PAMM with globetrotting metarap crew Future Brown.—N.F.
Perez Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, 8:00, invitation only
FRIDAY
Lunch: Argentinian Asado by Francis Mallmann at Faena Miami Beach
Who wouldn’t want to chow on some Argentinean barbeque alongside the likes of Alan Faena (who designs billion-dollar housing developments) Rem Koolhaas (who designs Middle Eastern cities that span 1.5 billion square feet) and Len Blavatnik (who’s worth $21 billion).—N.F.
Faena Miami Beach, 3201 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 1:00 p.m., invitation only.
Concert: MoMA PS1 Presents Zero Tolerance/James Blake
The Queens institution will bring its Zero Tolerance exhibition down to Miami, and then teams up with YoungArts to present the postmodern R&B singer James Blake in performance.—N.F.
Location undisclosed, Miami Beach, 9:00 p.m., invitation only
Party: Jack Shainman Party with Solange Knowles and DJ Kemit
Solange Knowles and DJ Kemit will team up to man the ones and twos at Jack Shainman Gallery’s annual beachside fete at the Surfcomber Hotel, with Hank Willis Thomas and The Cause Collective’s In Search of the Truth (The Truth Booth) on view.—A.M.
The Surfcomber Hotel, 1717 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 9 p.m. invitation only.
Screening: Big Eyes by Tim Burton
Tim Burton’s Big Eyes, the story of Walter Keane’s art world success thanks to paintings of waify girls with large eyes done by his wife Margaret, will screen at the Colony Theatre free to the public, followed by a panel discussion with members of the production team.—A.M.
Colony Theatre, 1040 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, free with limited seating.