5 Ways to Enjoy Miami’s Art Scene This Week

It’s the first week of December, which means all eyes of the art world will turn to the sunny shores of South Florida where Miami Art Week kicks off December 4. More than 20 art shows (as well countless parties) will descend upon the city. With over 230 galleries representing 4,000 artists, Art Basel returns for its 16th year as the undisputed headline act. No surprise there. However, not all of Miami’s artistic energy is captured in that big tent at the Convention Center. Art Basel is supported by strong sister shows and a thriving Miami art scene that thumps year-round. If you want to get a fuller taste of Miami’s art scene this week, try these five other options (after you’ve hit Art Basel). 1. Visit the newly opened Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA Miami) Located in the Miami Design District, the brand new 37,500-square-foot ICA Miami building, which opened on December 1, will become an instant attraction in Miami’s cultural landscape. To mark the opening, the museum will exhibit “The Everywhere Studio,” examining how the artist studio has evolved over the last 50 years. It will include over 100 works in painting, sculpture, video and installation by more than 50 artists, among them Andy Warhol, Bruce Nauman, Carolee Schneemann, Cheryl Donegan, Dieter Roth and Elaine Sturtevant. Admission to the museum is free of charge. Tickets must be reserved online in advance of your visit. 2. Walk the streets of Wynwood and explore its incredible street art While much of the art fair action is centered in Miami Beach, Wynwood remains the beating heart of the city’s artistic spirt and Wynwood Walls among its most recognizable expressions. Considered one of the largest outdoor street art museums in the world, Wynwood Walls will be introducing 12 new murals to the collection during Art Basel week. Perennially, Wynwood Walls is one of the art season’s most Instagrammable fixtures. Take this opportunity to see it IRL. 3. Explore the renovated Bass Museum Following a $12 million renovation and expansion, The Bass Museum, located in Miami Beach, recently re-opened with exhibits by Ugo Rondinone, and Pascale Marthine Tayou. For Art Basel, Mika Rottenberg will also have a solo show. And, even if you cannot make it inside, The Bass also hosts a popular, free outdoor sculpture exhibition in Collins Park during the week of Art Basel. 4. Explore your functional side at Design Miami At Design Miami art is all about function. In a welcome relief from the week’s steady diet of tradition art (canvass, sculpture, etc) Design Miami, located next door to Art Basel, includes exhibits on furniture, lighting and objets d’art that are reinterpreting how art interacts with our daily lives. They also host a series of public Design Talks , for which Douglas Elliman is a patron. 5. Hang-out at the Perez Art Museum (PAMM) Designed by Herzog & De Meuron, the Perez Art Museum is a must-see for lovers of art of the 20th and 21st centuries. This year, the Dara Friedman exhibition will be a major draw. Search elliman.com for homes available in South Florida .