Art Basel
Ground zero during Miami Art Week is Art Basel, which will take over the Miami Beach Convention Center. This year's edition will see nearly 270 gallery exhibitors (20 of which are new additions) displaying paintings, sculptures, installations, photography, film, video, and digital art by more than 4,000 artists from around the globe. Thursday, December 5, through Sunday, December 8, at the Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach; miamibeachconvention.com. Tickets cost $40 to $500 via artbasel.com.Art Miami
South Beach is the epicenter of Miami Art Week, but many excellent fairs will happen on the mainland. The long-running Art Miami is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year — making it almost twice the age of Art Basel Miami Beach — and its long list of galleries and artists exhibiting their work make it a must-stop for any art connoisseur. The Waltman Ortega and Rosenfeld galleries — the show’s only two exhibitors with Miami outposts — will present the work of artists such as Yayoi Kusama and Alain Le Boucher. The Art Miami pavilion will be open to the public Wednesday, December 4, through Sunday, December 8, and tickets (which include admission to the adjacent sister fair Context) start at $35. Wednesday, December 4, through Sunday, December 8, at 1 Herald Plaza at NE 14th Street, Miami; artmiami.com. Tickets cost $35 to $275 and include admission to Context.Aqua Art Miami
Among Miami Beach’s best Basel attractions is Aqua Art Miami. It always reserves space for Miami-based galleries and artists, and this year, eight of the fair’s 60-plus booths will represent the Magic City through the work of artists such as Nigeria’s Abiola Akintola and graphic designer/provocateur Andy Hirst. Thursday, December 5, through Sunday, December 8, at Aqua Hotel, 1530 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; aquaartmiami.com. Tickets cost $20 to $100.Context Art Miami
Art Miami’s adjacent, concurrent offshoot, Context, recruits galleries from around the world to exhibit the work of young contemporary artists who are making waves in their respective areas. Marcel Katz Art — better known as the Art Plug — will display works by resident artists at Context as well as at Art Plug Power House, which will transform the Little Haiti food hall the Citadel into an art, music, and performance extravaganza. Wednesday, December 4, through Sunday, December 8, at 1 Herald Plaza at NE 14th Street, Miami; contextartmiami.com. Tickets cost $35 to $275.Design Miami
In a colossal tent across from the convention center, Design Miami will hold its 14th-annual edition. As opposed to Basel, which generally displays art created for art's sake, Design Miami — as its name implies — aims to draw attention to creatives worldwide who have a keen eye (and hand) for design in every aspect of life. Sure-to-be highlights are Paris' Galerie Philippe Gravier, which will show its Small Nomad Houses concept of easily assembled tiny homes created by world-famous architects; Belgian gallery Pierre Marie Giraud's sleek and sexy home decor pieces; and the Future Perfect, a U.S.-based platform presenting burgeoning contemporary artists such as Matthew Day Jackson and Floris Wubben. Wednesday, December 4, through Sunday, December 8, at Convention Center Drive between 18th and 19th Streets, Miami Beach; designmiami.com. Tickets cost $27 to $225.
Lucky Competitive Cats by Nobutaka Aozaki will be one of the pieces on display at NADA Miami.
Courtesy of Cultural Counsel