The 10th anniversary of Art Basel Miami is already underway and I was not going to pass up an opportunity to experience it. More than 250 galleries from around the world will be showcasing 2,000 artists both from the 20th and 21st centuries. Whether you are a classic art lover, enjoy performance art or even like video art, there is something for everyone.
Depending upon the event you have the privilege of attending you can be hobnobbing with the who's who of the art world or even Hollywood. If you don't have such a privilege, you can easily walk around the South Beach area and organically discover different events that are free and open to the public. You can also check out sites like Soflanights.com that have a nice list of events that openly share an email for their RSVP list.
If you are interested in venturing out of the South Beach area to experience some satellite events for Art Basel, then the place to be is Midtown Miami. The area encompasses both the Design District and the Wynwood Arts District with blocks of galleries and exhibitions, as well as restaurants all nestled in an urban setting where you can enjoy a mix of art, design, music, and food.
What's fascinating about the Wynwood Arts District is that a mere eight years ago there were no more than four galleries, whereas today that number stands at 45. And this is where Spotify chose to be part of Art Basel.
Spotify teamed up with Ricochet Lounge to host an exclusive event called Music Loves Art. The event, which ran December 1st through the 4th, featured live performances by Nas, Theophilus London, TV on the Radio, DJ sets by Mark Farina, Venus X, and Tiger Love, as well as featuring visual and performance art by Luis Gispert, Rashid Johnson, Kalup Linzy, and Mickalene Thomas.
On Saturday, Mickalene Thomas actually featured art and music specifically by women, which I thought was a nice touch. Ricochet, which just opened it's doors in November, envelopes what Midtown Miami has to offer with its seamless mix of design, culture, food, art, and music.
"It's not that the Midtown area is nothing like South Beach, but that it's very much like South Beach back at the beginning of the renaissance, when it was accessible and bohemian, with no pretense and with no doormen deciding who got in and who didn't." says Alan Roth, one of the owners of Ricochet.
This is just one of many events where Ricochet plans to feature local, national, and international hot young artists. For a chance to attend the events, they are giving away tickets around the clock through their Facebook promotion. Simply go to their Facebook page and like, share, and comment away. For every 100 new fans that like their page, they are giving away several sets of tickets. You can also call the lounge directly and reserve a table.