The Frills and Drills of Miami Art Week

While I hold down the fort in Chicago this year, I can’t help but reminisce about working in a gallery during Miami art week from years past. Miami art week falls on the first week of December, so I seem to find myself eating turkey and cranberry sauce with family one day, and then jetting off the next for Miami’s annual art exposition. Most would say Art Basel Miami Beach takes center stage, but there are many other art fairs, museum exhibitions, and other art-related experiences to enjoy during the week. The Pérez Art Museum, the Bass, and the Rubell Family Collection are always on the must-see list. Regarding art fairs, there is Untitled, a curated art fair situated on the white sands of South Beach. Across the bay on the mainland is NADA Miami, a tried and true stand by for the Miami art fair scene housed within the Ice Palace Studios. The lengthy list of fairs include Art Miami, Scope Miami Beach, Pulse Art Fair, Context Art Miami, Design Miami, and Pinta Miami with many new satellite fairs popping up every year. With that in mind, there are hundreds—perhaps thousands—of exhibitors from across the world hunkering down in the Sunshine State’s Magic City for a week in hopes to turn a profit from the considerably expensive costs of participation.

Gearing Up

For galleries, preparation for December’s fairs can begin anywhere from six to twelve months in advance. Deciding which fair—or fairs—to apply to and then putting together an application usually consists of a curated description of the gallery’s vision for the booth, a list of artists and their bios, images of the proposed artwork, a description of the gallery’s history along with a list of recent gallery exhibitions and art fair participation. A few months before heading to Miami, galleries will start to select the actual work they will bring to the fair—some of which may not even be completed yet—and design the booth plan. They will also start to organize art fair shuttles or other shipping arrangements to transport the artwork, add the specific fair to their fine art insurance policy, and secure travel and accommodations for staff. The gallery will also put together a list of VIPs—collectors, art consultants, curators, and artists—who will receive a free pass from the fair. The coveted pass will not only get you into the fair, but will usually give you access to curator-led tours, entry to other Miami art fairs, and options to attend off-site collection tours, talks, brunches, and evening parties.

The Week Has Arrived

Before fully digesting that Thanksgiving dinner, exhibitors arrive in Miami to install their booths and troubleshoot the inevitable mishaps that will come their way. Who knew you would need to realign all of the hanging hardware on the back of the freshly framed works on paper? And, why didn’t we pack the six-inch level to hang the wall labels? After a couple of days of hanging artwork, adjusting lighting, and moving extra work to art storage, the VIP and press previews have quickly arrived. Before the general public is invited to roam the aisles, the fairs set aside times for VIPs to get a first look at the booths. These previews attract high profile collectors, celebrities, and art world socialites. The gallerist gives their spiel over and over to the droves of art types circulating the fair. After the few remaining fair-goers have left to continue their evenings of fancy dinners at NOBU or post-opening parties on the beach, it’s often time for the galleries to hang available artwork to replace any pieces they may have sold. The next morning arrives and exhibitors now have at least three full days of working the booth, meeting with consultants, collectors, curators, and discussing artworks with your average tourist before 7 pm on Sunday evening hits and it’s time to de-install, pack, crate, and ship out.

Until Next Year

It’s been a long week, but it’s over before you know it, and you’ve barely had a moment to enjoy the Miami weather. After returning home, it’s time to follow up with everyone you can and reflect on both the failures and successes of the week before retreating into holiday mode.

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