Broadcasting Basel Banter

It's that white-patent-leather-loafer-wearing Casanova's night out in South Beach after a day of flipping flapjacks at Denny's, and he's wondering, Who are all of those gaudy socialites near the convention center?

Rein in the horses, you hip-swiveling caballero. These blue bloods are in town gushing over contemporary art, amigo, and will have little to say to the likes of you. Maybe you should try exploring the cultural Zeitgeist on 1610 AM radio, guanajo, and pepper your lame pick-up rap with some tasty boho tidbits instead.

Miami-based artists Eugenia Vargas Pereira and Odalis Valdivieso are collaborating on "Talking Head Transmitters," a low-frequency guerrilla performance yak-fest they will be broadcasting from the back of a van during Basel-mania.

Tune in to 1610 AM December 1 through 4 as the pair spices up the airwaves for two hours nightly, giving those within earshot a taste of their provocative high jinks.

"The general public doesn't get to participate in a lot of Art Basel events," chimes Vargas Pereira. "We are inviting visual artists, curators, collectors, sound artists, social workers, psychologists, and others to discuss art issues and cultural risk-taking."

The democratic nature of radio and the public interaction it affords inspired the duo to give art tourists and locals a broader glimpse of what's happening on the scene. They are inviting everyone to dial 786-346-5153 and participate in their fluid low-frequency forum.

"We'll be broadcasting with simple technology using a two-watt device, and people will only be able to pick up our signal from a half a block away," Vargas Pereira explains. "This was the best way for us to have a lot of interaction with others and keep it fun. Watch for the van circling the convention center and join us."