The Best Gallery Shows to See During Art Basel Miami Beach

Some of the best art to see during Miami Art Week requires stepping away from the fair floors and into Miami's buzzing gallery scene. From indigenous painters and performance artists to legendary local abstractionists, from Asian-American to Haitian heritage, there's plenty to see. Here are our picks for the best gallery shows to see during Miami Art Week.

Unless otherwise noted, all listed events are free to attend and open to the public.

"Alien: A Conceptual Framework" at David Castillo

There's no science fiction at David Castillo Gallery's show. Instead, the gallery explores the Asian-American and Pacific Islander experience — a rare topic in Miami, where such demographics are a pronounced minority — in a show called "Alien: A Conceptual Framework." Curated by Yesiyu Zhao, the show features art that connects to themes of history, immigration, discrimination, globalization, and alienation. Participating artists include Lily Wong, Mike Lee, Nadia K. Waheed, Ho Jae Kim, Keita Morimoto, Kyungmin Lee, and Sung Hwa Kim. Tuesday, December 3, through February 28, 2025, at David Castillo Gallery, 3930 NE Second Ave., Miami; 305-573-8110; davidcastillogallery.com.

"Ayiti Toma III: Spiraling, Silence, & Sirenes" at Central Fine

A perfect antidote to the overload of white walls at the various art fairs, the pink paint job and sand-covered floors at Central Fine's current show aren't just there for novelty. The group show of Haitian artists subtitled "Spiraling, Silence, & Sirenes" dives into the oft-misconstrued religious practices of vodou, including the drawing of vèvè prayer sigils on the floor, vodou flags on the walls and the image of La Sirene, an ocean deity. Curated by Tomm El-Saieh, whose family gallery in Port-au-Prince is one of the country's most prominent, and twinned with a presentation at Luhring Augustine in New York, the show features art from the likes of masters such as Frankétienne, Frantz Zephirin, George Liautaud, and more. It's a chance to explore the resilient culture of a nation and people often portrayed in an inaccurate, harmful light by media and politicians. "Ayiti Toma III" opened on Sunday, November 24. On view through January 14, 2025, at Central Fine, 1226 Normandy Dr., Miami Beach; 786-899-0977; centralfine.com.

"Blank Space" at Primary

It's a show about nothing, but it's not Seinfeld. Little River's Primary is putting on a group show that "asks nothing of the viewer but presence," with "no single phrase or polished narrative" — that sounds refreshing. The biggest name in the show may be Robert Crumb, the illustrator famous for his provocative cartoons and characters such as Fritz the Cat. Other participating artists include Tunnel Projects founder Luna Palazzolo-Daboul, Dustin Emory, Srijon Chowdhury, David Jeremiah, Philip Smith, and Wade Tullier. The gallery will also show "God Made Bob, Bob Made Rock," a presentation of sculpture by Miami-based Robert Lorie, in its outdoor garden. Opens Saturday, November 30, at Primary, 7410 NW Miami Ct., Miami; 954-296-1675; thisisprimary.com.

"Break in Case of Creative Crisis" at Dale Zine

Are you stuck? Is your creative practice suffering thanks to the abysmal state of the world? Gabino Azuela and Jackie Crespo know how you feel. The duo behind the Mexico City-based studio Can Can Press is putting on a show called "Break in Case of Creative Crisis" that will hopefully inspire those in similar ruts. We don't know much about what the show will look like, but the thesis is enough to pique our interest, and the opening night party on Tuesday, December 3, should be fun thanks to DJ sets from Helado Negro and Mia Carucci. Tuesday, December 3, through January 31, 2025, at Dale Zine, 50 NE 40th St., Miami; dalezineshop.com.

Elyla at KDR

Allapattah's KDR Gallery will inject some mestizx energy into Art Week with a show from Elyla, the performance artist who represented Nicaragua at this year's Venice Biennale. Their video installation, Tierra Retumbante, draws on Elyla's explorations of Nicaraguan mestiza identity, probing the country's self-proclaimed indigenous heritage by exploring myths around the volcano Popogatepe. Fashion is a big part of the show, with brilliant costumes based on the colonial-era theater piece El Güegüense and high-heeled caites sandals. The show will debut on Sunday, December 1, during Progressive Art Brunch. Sunday, December 1, through January 11, 2025, at KDR, 790 NW 22nd St., Miami; 305-392-0416; kdr305.com.

Jaime Hayon at Mindy Solomon

Mindy Solomon usually opens three shows at once in its cavernous Allapattah gallery, but for Basel, the gallery is focusing on just one for the first time. Spanish artist Jaime Hayon gets the honor with his show "Bestial." Through sculpture and painting, he presents expressive artwork focusing on the animals interspersed throughout art history. Be prepared for a magical menagerie of colorful creatures. The show will debut on Sunday, December 1, during Progressive Art Brunch. Sunday, December 1, through January 4, 2025, at Mindy Solomon, 848 NW 22nd St., Miami; 786-953-6917; mindysolomon.com.

"Constructive Arguments: Aesthetic Dialogues With the Work of Lynne Golob Gelfman" at Lincoln Road Mall

One of South Florida's most important abstract painters, Lynne Golob Gelfman, is coming back into the spotlight at Lincoln Road Mall. The artist's estate is setting up a show of paintings by the late artist and those she inspired, including Loriel Beltrán, Olga de Amaral, Leyden Rodriguez-Casanova, and Frances Trombly. The show opens on Monday, December 2, with a tour by curators Tobias Ostrander and Natalia Zuluaga; on Friday, December 6, PAMM director Franklin Sirmans will moderate a panel discussion featuring Beltrán, Amy Galpin, and Stephanie Seidel. Monday, December 2, through Sunday, December 22, at 1108 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach; lynnegolobgelfman.net.

Nikita Kadan at Voloshyn

Nikita Kadan's work as one of Ukraine's most important contemporary artists is a familiar sight at fairs like Art Basel Miami Beach. This year, he's being given a solo show at Kyiv-based Voloshyn Gallery's Miami outpost. The dark tableaux in "The Radial Bone" meditate on the destructive impulses of humankind that have animated the wars, historic and contemporary, that have ravaged Kadan's homeland. As a Ukrainian, the artist is no stranger to war, and his powerful, arresting work is sure to be a thought-provoking distraction from the glitz and glamour of Art Week. Sunday, December 1, through January 25, 2025, at Voloshyn Gallery, 802 NW 22nd St., Miami; 786-461-5800; voloshyngallery.art.

Patrick Dean Hubbell and Josué Sánchez at Nina Johnson

Two shows on Indigenous cultural heritage will debut at Nina Johnson Gallery in Little Haiti during Miami Art Week. Diné (Navajo) artist Patrick Dean Hubbell, also a cattle rancher on Navajo Nation lands in New Mexico, will show work exploring indigenous people's philosophy in "You Guide Me Through." Meanwhile, Peruvian artist Josué Sánchez, a renowned muralist back home, will make his United States debut with a show of paintings dwelling on Andean Indigenous mythologies and worldviews. Monday, December 2, through January 11, 2025, at Nina Johnson, 6315 NW Second Ave., Miami; 305-571-2288; ninajohnson.com.