Art Basel Miami Beach 2024 maintains the tradition of overwhelming scale, where attending at times feels more like navigating a vast space than enjoying a leisurely exploration of art. Even during a full-day visit, it can be challenging to see every booth. Yet, amidst the abundance, hidden gems await discovery.
Portia Munson’s Bound Angel (2021) at PPOW Gallery critiques societal ideals of femininity through a haunting table of thrifted angel figurines and a repurposed wedding dress, resonating amidst debates on women’s rights.
At Paula Cooper Gallery’s booth, highlights include Mark di Suvero’s interactive 16-foot Untitled (Swing) (2008–22), and Paul Pfeiffer’s Incarnator (Pampanga) (2024), a wood-carved Christ figure resembling Justin Bieber. The booth also features works on human representation, including Sol LeWitt’s Run I (1962), and Claes Oldenburg’s playful drawings.
Cécile B. Evans presents sculptures at LA-based gallery Chateau Shatto that combine architectural models of the UN General Assembly’s interior with cross-sections of urban terrain made from the city’s detritus. The vacant rooms evoke evacuation, while the bombed-out base of street signs and rubble suggests decay, offering a dystopian commentary on the collapse of institutional structures and their effects on urban infrastructure.
Anat-Ebgi’s booth, part of the Kabinett section, features works by artists like Jordan Nassar, Marisa Adesman, Jessica Taylor Bellamy, Alec Egan, and Tina Girouard. A highlight is Nassar’s “Whence Four Rivers” series, including six hand-embroidered pieces and the mosaic-adorned Bench of Eden (2024). Also featured are Krzysztof Strzelecki’s Waters of Life (2024), a functional ceramic sink, and Faith Wilding’s Leaf Series: The Comforter (1976–78).
Proyectos Monclova’s booth features a mix of abstract and figurative works from nine Mexican artists. Highlights include Gabriel de la Mora’s optical illusion wall works, like 21,593 (2024), and Hilda Palafox’s figurative paintings, such as Sin mirar atrás (2024), showcasing strong, serene depictions of women inspired by the muralist movement.
In the Nova section, which features solo or small-group presentations of recently created works, large-scale displays take center stage. Ken Gun Min’s folding screen and wall-sized canvas at Nazarian / Curcio blend classical East Asian and Western imagery, using European oil techniques with Korean pigments, along with hand-embroidered beads and gemstones. These pieces explore the artist’s experience as a gay Asian man navigating life in Los Angeles and Seoul.
At Charles Moffett, Melissa Joseph and Kim Dacres present a two-person booth exploring unconventional materials. Joseph blends felted textiles with rubber tires, while Dacres creates tire-based sculptures with felted wool. Their works engage in a shared dialogue, with Joseph’s pieces featuring motorized vehicles and Dacres’s sculptures celebrating Black women’s natural hairstyles.
Nina Surel’s solo presentation at Spinello Projects features a monumental ceramic mural, Greta Chamotta (2024), depicting goddess-like figures and oceanic symbols. Inspired by the Taíno goddess Atabey, Surel’s works explore womanhood with motifs like breasts and ovaries.
