The City’s Newest Restaurants
Rapper Bad Bunny and hospitality entrepreneur David Grutman teamed to open Gekko in Brickell this past summer. The atmospheric restaurant is a Japanese-inspired steakhouse and lounge, and features a dramatic dining room designed by Rockwell Group.
In nearby Wynwood, the arty neighborhood is welcoming Fabel Miami, a new rooftop supper club and speakeasy inspired by European islands like Mykonos and St. Tropez. Fabel will host a private benefit for the Robot Heart Foundation during Basel.
For a quicker option, stop by Zazzy’s Pizza, which recently opened an outpost in Miami, Florida.
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In the Design District, Major Food Group opened the swanky Italian restaurant Contessa Miami, and on Miami Beach, new options include Greek restaurant Avra and 2 Korean Girls, a pandemic pop-up that opened a permanent location at the Shelbourne Hotel.
All of the Museum Shows
The city’s art museums are debuting a host of new exhibitions in time for Art Basel. At the ICA, Nina Chanel Abney’s solo show “Big Butch Energy” will feature a new installation, and the Pérez Art Museum is presenting “Liminal,” the first North American survey of Leandro Erlich’s work.
The Bass Museum is presenting a duo exhibition of Adrián Villar Rojas with Mariana Telleria, “El fin de la imaginación,” with newly commissioned sculptures and installations.
In addition to exhibiting 2022 artist-in-residence Alexandre Diop, the Rubell Museum is also showing new work by artists including Jo Messer, Tesfaye Urgessa and Patricia Ayres. In Wynwood, the Museum of Graffiti is spotlighting the four-artist Brazilian collective VLOK with the opening of “Olé.”
New Public Art Installations
This year’s Faena Prize for the Arts winner Paula de Solminihac’s new large-scale installation “Morning Glory” is headed to Faena Beach. At Henry Liebman Square, art duo FriendsWithYou is unveiling their new public artwork “Starchild,” a 50-foot-tall orange metal sculpture which symbolizes light, power and nature.
Colombian artist Nicoläs Villamizar will be painting a live mural on the patio at The Standard Spa on Dec. 1, inspired by the human body and organic shapes.
Over at the Ritz-Carlton in South Beach, artist collective MONAD Studio will unveil 3D-printed “sonic sculptures” in the hotel lobby. In the Design District, architect Germane Barnes, who was awarded the district’s 2022 commission, will also be debuting a work with a sound element, taking the shape of an immersive installation of moving capsules accompanied by wind chimes in nearby trees.
The Parties
Of course, it wouldn’t be Art Basel Miami without fashion. Armani will be in town, launching Giorgio Armani Love Art Basel Miami, an endeavor blending fashion, art and technology. The project includes new work by Italian artist Marcantonio, who explores the theme of love through nature. To celebrate, the brand will be hosting a party on Nov. 29 at its Design District store.
Prada will also be popping up at Basel with Prada Extends, a live music project celebrating the connective power of music. The event, on Dec. 1, will be curated by British Canadian electronic musician Richie Hawtin aka Plastikman, who has created the soundtrack for some of Prada’s recent runway shows.
Saint Laurent will host a cocktail on Dec. 1 in celebration of its beachfront gallery exhibition curated by Anthony Vaccarello. Saint Laurent Rive Droite will feature 25 images from Madonna’s 1992 book “Sex,” which will be rereleased in a limited edition of 800 copies.
Hellesey will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a dinner on Dec. 1, cohosted by actress Tati Gabrielle.
Sarabande is making the trip from London, England, with a fundraising dinner on Nov. 28. Balmain, Farfetch and Fendi are all throwing parties on Nov. 30; Farfetch will toast Esteban Cortazar’s 20th anniversary collection, while Fendi will celebrate the opening of their Case Boutique with a cocktail party. Balmain, meanwhile, will debut an exhibit with Cuban contemporary artist Alexandre Arrechea at Villa Balmain, which will be comprised of physical and digital art, NFTs and a Web3 experience.
Louis Vuitton will continue their presence at Art Basel Miami Beach with an exhibition of curated art pieces from the likes of Yayoi Kusama, Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince, Alex Katz and Jean Larivière. This year marks a decade since the first collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Kusama, and in recognition new pieces will be on display as a teaser of an upcoming collaboration.
And on Dec. 2, Valentino will host a cocktail party at the W Hotel in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Art Basel Miami Beach, which they’ll follow up with a party at a nightclub nearby celebrating their second Party Collection, a selection of festive holiday-ready looks.
Art Basel Miami Beach looks more and more like a fashion week each year — time to start planning your schedules.