Being One with the Art at Art Basel 2023

"Thought in Mind" by Woody de Othello (2023)

People approach Art Basel Miami in different ways. For some, it's business -- a networking opportunity or a chance to find art for clients. For others, it's an opportunity to get out their wallets and add to their collection. But for me, it's a time to see what's hot in the art world while having some fun. As always, I tried to see it all, and the only way to do that is to be systematic. Inevitably, though, I got sidetracked when I spied something two aisles over that was too exciting to wait to see. And of course I'd occasionally take advantage of a fun photo opp (the surest sign I wasn't there as a buyer).

Case in point: "Thought in Mind" by Woody de Othello. Othello is known for his assemblages of everyday artefacts. "They are extensions of our own actions," Othello has said. True enough. 

While looking at this work, a memory came to mind of being in Italy in the 1990s and seeing the occasional person talking on a Maxwell Smart-style cellphone. It seemed so crazy. Now, of course, most people wear AirPods and walk around looking like they're talking to themselves. (I'm a hold out so far.) But I digress. Othello is definitely an artist to watch. At just 31 years old, he's already been in the Whitney Biennial. (Click here to see that work.) I look forward to future interactions with his creations.

With installation by Osgemeos (2023)

Perhaps the most photographed exhibit in all of Art Basel was the immersive "room" with art by Osgemeos. There was a very orderly queue to take pictures (and no gallerist in sight to make us feel self-conscious). 

The word "osgemeos" means twins in Portguguese and, yes, the creators of this installation are identical twin brothers. They have been making their distinctive style of art since they were kids. Creating art is their way of communicating with each other and the world. 

Osmegeos' practice includes painting, sculpting (hence my new friend here) and film production.You probably won't be surprised to learn they've created street art, including murals for Wynwood Walls in Miami. (You can see those works by clicking here.) But their "canvas" can be pretty much anything you can imagine. In 2009, they turned a plane into a piece of art that traveled the world for several years. This challenging project took more than 100 hours to complete. Click here to see that work. I love art that brings joy to the world. For more on Osgemeos, click here. 

"Slow (Bag Sculptures)" by Erwin Wurm (2023)

Erwin Wurm's "Slow (Bag Sculptures)" was getting a lot of attention from the female visitors to the fair. Little did I know that this purse was modeled after an Hermes Birkin bag. Very chic indeed.

Wurm didn't set out to be a sculptor. When he enrolled in art school in Vienna, he had every intention of becoming a painter. But the powers that be admitted him to the sculpture department and that was that. Wurm said in an interview that "All I knew of sculptures is that they were 'black things with pigeon poop.'" He was all in, though, once he learned about the medium and realized how much latitude it gave him to create. 

Erwin is best known for his one minute sculptures in which viewers interact with mundane objects (and sometimes each other) to create an ephemeral sculpture. Perhaps my most fun art outing ever was when my friend Wendi and I visited a one minute sculpture exhibit in Berlin without any idea what we were about to experience. Click here to see us in action. 

This is not to say there's not substance to Wurm's work. Like de Othello, Wurm considers the objects in his sculptures as extensions of the people who own them. An owner of an Hermes bag, for instance, might be viewed as trying to project wealth and sophistication and social status. For one of his designer bag public art projects, click here. It is definitely not a black sculpture (but it might have some bird poop on it). And to read an interesting interview with Wurm, click here.  

"Earth Play" by Seung-taek Lee (Dec. 8-10, 2023)

I'll leave you with a work with a clear message -- "Earth Play" by Seung-taek Lee. You might have noticed that the date the work was created was Dec. 8-10, 2023. That's because the sculpture is an inflatable globe that takes a slightly different shape each time it's exhibited. Its first appearance was back in 1989, long before eco-art resonated the way it does today. 

When the work is exhibited at outdoor art festivals, it is called "Earth Performance." Sometimes it's tied to the back of a bicycle and driven around. Other times participants interact with the globe-shaped balloon, chasing it and rolling it across the grass. Over time, the Earth becomes worn and torn and deflates because the participants haven't taken proper care of the object. And therein lies Lee's message. 

Born in 1932, Lee has been around the art world for many decades. He was one of the first Korean artists to venture into the realm of experimental art. He is known for his practice of "negation" and "non-sculpture." Sometimes he "collaborates" with natural elements like wind, smoke, fire and water. I'm thinking it's something you have to experience to understand. But I do get what Lee was going for when he created the misshapen Earth on display at Art Basel. Perhaps I should have looked a bit more serious in this picture. For more on Lee and his art, click here. 

And with that, it's time to turn the page on 2023. May your new year be filled with friends, family and whatever type of adventures you love.