Related Articles
-Editorial
Art Basel Miami Beach returned with full force in 2024, marking its first edition under the leadership of new director Bridget Finn. The event, which ran from December 6 to 8, 2024, with VIP preview days on December 4 and 5, solidified its status as the premier art fair in the Americas. With record attendance, groundbreaking exhibitions, and remarkable sales, this year’s edition left a lasting impression on artists, collectors, and visitors from around the globe.
This year’s Art Basel Miami Beach featured 286 galleries from 38 countries and territories, with two-thirds of the exhibitors coming from the Americas. Over 75,000 people attended the event, including prominent collectors, art enthusiasts, and representatives from prestigious museums and foundations such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the Tate in London, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Attendees from the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Africa also contributed to the fair’s global allure.
Exhibitors reported strong sales across all market segments. Masterpieces and contemporary works by renowned artists like Pablo Picasso, Jean Dubuffet, Keith Haring, Judy Chicago, and Kara Walker were acquired for prestigious public and private collections. Emerging artists also had their moment, with notable sales of works by Péjú Alatise, Kim Dacres, and Melissa Joseph. Collectors seized the opportunity to acquire rare, career-defining works, with many pieces destined for prominent museums and private collections.
Under the guidance of Bridget Finn, Art Basel 2024 introduced 34 new galleries — the largest influx of new exhibitors in more than a decade. The fair also showcased a refreshed approach to exhibitions and collaborations. The Meridians sector, which highlights large-scale artworks, was reimagined this year. Relocated to the south end of the exhibition floor and presented without walls, the space encouraged open dialogue between art sectors and visitors. This year, 17 monumental works were featured, with projects from artists such as Alice Aycock, Portia Munson, and Roberto Huarcaya.
Art Basel’s Conversations series returned with its highest attendance on record. The three-day series featured talks from notable artists, curators, and thought leaders in the art world. American writer and editor Kimberly Bradley curated this year’s program, which kicked off with a standing-room-only keynote by Iranian American artist Shirin Neshat. The Conversations program offered the public an opportunity to engage with the creative process, art history, and the future of the art world.
The City of Miami Beach continued its Legacy Purchase Program, now in its fifth year, by acquiring a significant ceramic wall installation, Allegory of Florida (2023) by Nina Surel. The piece, purchased from Miami-based gallery Spinello Projects, will be permanently displayed at the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC). The initiative strengthens the city’s long-term commitment to supporting the arts while providing the public with lasting access to significant contemporary works.
The Comité Professionnel des Galeries d’Art (CPGA) and Villa Albertine presented the CPGA-Étant Donnés Prize at Art Basel Miami Beach, recognizing French contemporary artist Johanna Mirabel for her figurative paintings from the series Adieu la chair. Mirabel and Galerie Nathalie Obadia jointly received a $15,000 prize for their contributions to the contemporary art scene. This award highlights the international impact of the fair and its role in championing emerging and established voices in the art world.
Art Basel launched a new app in partnership with Microsoft, enhancing the visitor experience with cutting-edge digital tools. The app featured an interactive companion called the Art Basel Lens, using Microsoft’s computer vision technology to offer guided exploration of artworks. The app provided visitors with real-time navigation, exhibit information, and personalized recommendations, bringing a modern twist to the traditional art fair experience.
The fair also delved into the growing convergence of art and technology with Digital Dialogues, a two-day program at the New World Symphony Orchestra in Miami Beach. Co-hosted by TAEX, the event focused on the world of crypto art, digital art, and on-chain creative works. This initiative fostered discussions between traditional collectors, artists, and emerging voices in the crypto art community, underlining Art Basel’s role in shaping the future of art.
The Art Basel Shop returned in its most expansive form, with three locations at the MBCC. Curated by Sarah Andelman, the shop featured collectible items designed exclusively for the fair. The Shop included the “AB by Artist” line, with products by Brazilian artist Paulo Nimer Pjota, and other unique pieces from artists like Judy Chicago and Tyler Hobbs. The space also hosted public events and workshops with local and international artists, creating an interactive experience for attendees.
“It was an ecstatic feeling to finally open the doors of our show to visitors, after more than a year of planning with our exhibitors, artists, and collaborators,” said Bridget Finn, Director of Art Basel Miami Beach. “I am extremely proud of the innovations we introduced this year – from the repositioning and reconceptualization of the Meridians sector to the roll-out of a new booth model, which brought fresh voices and perspectives to the main sector of the show. Galleries presented truly ambitious and rare works, some of which were career-defining for the artists, and many pieces found their way into prestigious collections, sparking meaningful conversations for the future of the art world.”
UBS, a long-standing partner of Art Basel, celebrated 30 years of collaboration with the event. This year, UBS showcased major works at its Art Basel Lounge, including The Largest Commissioned Work to Date by Sagarika Sundaram. It also presented an immersive showcase by Sarah Zapata in collaboration with ARTNOIR.
John Mathews, Head of Private Wealth Management Americas at UBS, highlighted the company’s longstanding support for Art Basel, stating, “As we celebrate 30 years of partnership with Art Basel, including our support of the vibrant Miami Beach fair since its inception in 2002, our programming this year reflected UBS’ commitment to fostering cultural engagement and collaborating with the leading artists of our time.”
