Alexander Hankin's Top Picks At Art Basel and Design Miami

New York has made its annual journey to Miami and all is right with the art world! 

It's just for a week though, don't worry.

A frenzy of collectors and art aficionados flooded the floor yesterday, desperate to get their culture kick. Art Basel Miami Beach and Design Miami are officially back and let's just say the iconic fairs are packing a serious punch.

If I have to play favorites, some of the best galleries were Gagosian, Nara Rosslier, Nanzuka, Perrortin, Pace and Skarstedt. 

And if you're looking for a standout art piece that'll creep into your thoughts long after you've viewed it, there's 'Audrey' by Rodolpho Parigi, a painting at Nara Rosslier. The striking image is in only three colors and uses shadows to draw the viewer into a cyborg image of Audrey Hepburn. 

It must be all the talk of uncanny valley in the air because my other favorite work was Hajime Sorayama at Nanzuka Gallery. His signature sexy robot was giving me serious Grease vibes in her shiny metal jacket. 

Studio Drift also had an amazing NFT work displayed at Pace - a bunch of yellow lights hung up that when viewed with an iPad allows the viewer to see into an entire universe. 

If you’re in the city don’t forget to check them out at The Shed - they are up until December 19th!

Another not to miss moment of the fair is new work 'Contact and Release' by Brendan Fernandes. This performance piece located in the Merdians section of the fair features beautifully dressed dancers moving through wooded objects. 

Trust me, you'll be totally transfixed.

Across the street at Design the level of talent was also nothing short of notable. 

Friedman Benda always delivers and had a playful mix of artists on display, including a fabulous pink ceramic chandelier show stopper. 

Kohler had an unreal installation by my favorite, Daniel Arsham - a large mountain and pond which pays homage to his new sink design for the brand. 

Fendi too delivered in a major way with their whole collection a brilliant mix of wood and metal work. 

Very chic and sleek, no?

After a pandemic-induced hiatus, years worth creativity and genius are truly on display this year. So make sure you take a break from the parties and visit the fairs, because that’s really supposed to be why we’re all down here anyway, right?!