Famous Names at Art Basel Miami

"Mr. Kipper" by Basquiat (1983)

After months of anticipation, Art Basel Miami has come and gone -- and I have the aching feet to show for it! Happily, any concerns about my stamina lagging were for naught. It was just too exciting to see so much great artwork in one venue. As in past years, almost all of the artists were new to me. But occasionally I'd come across a work by an artist whose name I already knew. It felt like I'd run into an old friend, even if I didn't recognize him at first.  

Take, for instance, "Mr. Kipper." I was surprised when I read the wall card and learned this painting was done by Jean-Michel Basquiat. It's so colorful, not to mention downright representational. The portrait depicts Martin von Haselberg, a photographer and performance artist with whom Basquiat was friends. Von Haselberg and Brian Routh worked together as a duo known as the Kipper Boys. Hence the name of the painting. More interesting to me is that he was married to Bette Midler. But back to the art. While the painting might not cry out Basquiat at first glance, the scrawls and smears for which he's known are there. I personally like this work much better than his more graffiti-style oeuvre. To read Christie's commentary on "Mr. Kipper," click here. 

"Spanish and Pagan Gold to Red mix 2 satin"
by Anish Kapoor 2020

Interacting with art is one of my favorite things. What can I say? I'm a child a heart. I suspect that's one reason why Anish Kapoor's art is so popular. If the name's not ringing any bells, Kapoor created "Cloud Gate" (also known as "The Bean") for which Chicago is known. I doubt any tourist has missed the opportunity to get a shot of her image reflected in the shiny sculpture. But not all of his work invites selfies.

"Spanish and Pagan Gold to Red mix 2 satin" is from Kapoor's concave mirror series. As is typical for the artist, his "canvas" is aluminum. The result is a gorgeous shimmering work that draws the viewer in. I could sit here all day looking at my picture of the work, so you can imagine its impact in person. 

A couple of fun facts about Kapoor. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 2013 for his services to the visual arts. His many awards include the LennonOno Grant for Peace. Other recipients range from Lady Gaga to Michael Pollan to Iceland. And just last year Kapoor took over UK's Houghton Hall & Gardens. Click here to see his work in situ. Oh, to have seen that exhibit! 

"Wrapped Painting" by Christo (1963)

Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude are known for their large scale installations. Most recently, they wrapped the Arc de Triomphe with 25,000 square metres of recyclable polypropylene fabric and 3,000 metres of rope. Previous "realized projects" include the installation of more than 7500 saffron colored fabric panels in Central Park and the wrapping of the Reichstag in Berlin. So I was surprised when I came upon a Christo wrapped painting, in part because it was a mere 23x30 inches. 

Of course Christo's practice of wrapping objects didn't begin with architectural monuments. I just had never thought about it. He started small, swaddling everyday items you would find in your home. His intention was/is to encourage viewers to contemplate the objects as mere items without an underlying meaning. Initially, he used opaque material for his wrappings, leaving viewers with only the shape of the object to consider. Over time, he moved to the use of transparent material. Part of the fun of the works is trying to figure out what lies beneath the wrapping. And so the viewer isn't told the name of the semi-hidden painting in this work. For some reason, Manet's "Olympia" comes to my mind -- if the model had flipped over onto her stomach. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject! 

To explore Christo's installations, click here. They are glorious. And to read more about his smaller scale work, click here. 

"Nothing" by Maurizio Cattelan

I'll leave you with the answer to a question on many an art lover's mind. What would Maurizio Cattelan exhibit this year as a follow up to his duct-taped banana?  The answer -- 56 taxidermied pigeons. Okey dokey. 

While the pigeons are technically broken into two works of 35 and 21 birds, respectively, they were scattered about Perrotin Gallery's space in no apparent grouping. Many were perched on the top of the booth's walls. It was a little unsettling. Several of the birds could be founding watching over this elaborate gilded mirror which Cattelan has entitled "Nothing." Your guess is as good as mine as to what the title of the work means or whether the pigeons come with the price of the mirror. 

The artist's fascination with pigeons extends back to 1997 when he installed 2,000 of the taxidermied creatures at the Venice Biennale, complete with faux droppings. The name of the work: "Tourists."

Regardless of the number of birds, Cattelan's point is the same. In an interview with The Art Newspaper, he said, "I am questioning the nature of how we display art, which is particularly important in the rigidity of an art fair. The pigeons are 'observing' from above the movements of the visitors below, suggesting a different confine between inside and outside, what is seen and who is seeing. We live in a society where we are under constant surveillance, like being in The Truman Show; up to the very end you don't know if you're the subject or the object of what's going on." It's an interesting perspective, and I look forward to seeing what Cattelan comes up with in the future. 

Next up: Favorite 3D Works from Art Basel