Curated Exhibitions an Integral Part of an Expanding Art Basel Miami Beach

Eyes are starting to turn to Miami in anticipation of Art Basel Miami Beach's 2013 edition. The art fair takes place from Dec. 5 to 9, 2013 at the Miami Beach Convention Center and rivets attention from around the world. In 2012, the fair drew around 50,000 people with overall attendance placed at 70,000 for the five-day art fair, according to Art Basel. Covering over 500,000 square feet, this year’s art fair grows to present over 200 galleries exhibiting modern and contemporary art by over 4,000 artists.

Art Basel presents galleries in six sectors that provides cohesiveness to the sprawling international art fair where every gallery gives reason to tarry. The Kabinett Section of the fair ensures traditional curated shows are part of the art fair booth presentations. The 2013 edition features 25 galleries who will present concise curated exhibitions in a diverse range of themes and concepts.

Performance and visual art are bridged in several exhibitions in Kabinett. Don't be surprised to see some familiar names from the Hamptons art scene.

Work by Marina Abramovic is a case in both points. Luciana Brito Galeria is unveiling works that have never been publicly exhibited at Art Basel Miami Beach. The new photography series, Places of Power, prepare the groundwork for a project planned by Abramovic in Brazil in 2015. She spoke very briefly about the power and deep spiritual connection she felt while in Brazil during a question and answer session. This followed a talk at Watermill Center in the Hamptons this summer that detailed her plans for her Marina Abramovic Institute in Hudson, New York.

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The performance - visual art connection continues with Theaster Gates's Migration Rickshaw for German Living presented by Kavi Gupta Gallery. The piece is one of 12 ballads created for Documenta 13 in Kassel, Germany. Pushing things even further is the exhibition "Baody: Air, Water and Earth" presented by Henrique Faria Fine Art. The show "documents" artists Yeni and Nan's emblematic photographs, video art and action-based art from the 70s and 80s.

Another advantage to the Kabinett section is that it allows galleries to take chances and present lesser known (or unknown) artists or established artists that may be under the current radar.

Hirschl & Adler Modern is featuring drawings by Outsider artist James Edward Deeds. Man Ray's work as printmaker are being exhibited with Francis M. Naumann Fine Art. Valerie Carberry Gallery is presenting small-scale painted wooden objects from the 50s and 60s by Leon Polk Smith. Meanwhile, Yvon Lamber is presented a poem by artist Damir Ocko titled We saw nothing but the uniform blue of Sky.

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With 25 galleries presenting, there are plenty of highlights to look out for.

Exhibitions to notice, according to Art Basel, include historic paintings by Sam Francis (Van Doren Waxter), Sean Scully’s pastels on paper (Galerie Lelong), Al Taylor prints and mixed media works (Niels Borch Jensen Galerie), a series of eight marble sculptures by Hug Qingyan (Galerie Urs Meile); an installation of Moleskin notebooks featuring 117 drawings by Richard Fauguet (Art : Concept); sculpture and neon by Claire Fontaine (Metro Pictures); and works by Richard Meier (Galerie Gmurzynska).

Recent works by Mel Kendrick are another highlight of Kabinett, according to Art Basel Miami Beach. The solo show is presented by David Nolan Gallery and includes works on paper and recent works from Kendrick's sculptural practice.

In the Hamptons, Kendrick currently has several sculptures on view at Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill, NY as part of its "Artists Choose Artists"  juried biennial featuring artists from the East End. Previously, Kendrick presented an outdoor installation in 2011 on the museum's former grounds in Southampton, NY.

Tracey Emin's latest series of gestural sculptures plus a series of self-portraits will be exhibited by Lehmann Maupin. Emin's work is also being exhibited at Basel by White Cube.

Outside of Basel Miami Beach, Emin will have her first American exhibition at MoCA North Miami. The exhibition, " Tracey Emin: Angel Without You" opens on Dec. 4 and was planned to coincide with the opening of Art Basel Miami Beach. The exhibition is the first exhibition to predominately focus on Emin’s use of neon and its essential role in the development of her work, according to the museum.

Another noteworthy aspects of the curated exhibitions of the Kabinett Section include looks into the long-term practices of artists plus and examined look at Latin American vibrant art scenes. This includes exhibitions featuring Mexican artist Marius de Zayas (Galerie 1900-2000); Columbian artist Danilo Dueñas (Galerie Thomas Schulte); and Brazilian artists Raymundo Colares and José Bento (A Gentil Carioca).

A solo exhibition of American artist Luis Gispert reveals his continuing anthropological study of subcultures providing another view of Latin America. In the show presented by Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Gispert’s works portray the Brooklyn-based artist’s “…fascination with the fetishization of Latin American modernism, Latin American music and the Black Power movement of the 60s,” according to Art Basel.

Participating galleries in the Kabinett Section of Art Basel Miami Beach include Hirschl & Adler Modern (New York City), Gallerie Lelong (New York City), Kavi Gupta Gallery (Chicago & Berlin), Henrique Faria Fine Art (New York City), Luciana Brito Galeria (Sao Paulo), Francis M. Naumann Fine Art (New York City), Valerie Carberry Gallery (Chicago), Yvon Lambert (Paris), Alexander Gray Associates (New York City) and Galerie 1900-2000 (Paris).

Also, Galerie Thomas Schulte (Berlin), A Gentil Carioca (Rio de Janeiro), Rhona Hoffman Gallery (Chicago), Van Doren Waxter (New York City), David Nolan Gallery (New York City), Lehmann Maupin (New York City & Hong Kong), Niels Borch Jensen Galerie (Copenhagen & Berlin) with David Zwirner (New York City & London), Galerie Urs Meile (Beijing & Lucerne), Art : Concept (Paris), Metro Pictures (New York City), Galerie Gmurzynska (Zurich, St. Moritz & Zug), Galerie Nathalie Obadia (Paris & Brussels), Mehdi Chouakri (Berlin), Kicken Berlin (Berlin) and Galerie Krinzinger (Vienna).

Exhibitions in the Kabinett Section are dispersed throughout Art Basel Art Miami. The participating galleries were selected by the Art Basel Miami Beach's Selection Committee.

BASIC FACTS: Art Basel Miami Beach will be presented to the public from Dec. 5 - 8, 2013 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139. Additional installations are presented at nearby beaches, Collins Park and SoundScape Park. www.artbasel.com.

Tickets range from $26 to $90 and can be purchased online in advance or at the door. Click here for information.

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