The best Art Basel Miami 2016 satellite art fairs

The most well-heeled art collectors and voyeurs will click their way across the street from Art Basel Miami Beach’s vernissage to admire impeccable and practical objects shown by the 35 exhibitors at Design Miami. These aren’t your run-of-the-mill tables and chairs, mind you, but furnishings elevated to the level of fine art. For the first time, Louis Vuitton presents an installation of Objets Nomades, a collection of furniture that reinvents the House’s Art of Travel. Big-shot designers, gallerists, celebrities and their posh companions come together in a stew of style and champagne to display all aspects of design, from architecture to wristwatches. Each year, the fair commissions talents to create a large-scale installation to decorate the entrance. Where UNBUILT—a canopy of pink, three-dimensional models milled by the Harvard University Graduate School of Design—once stood, SHoP Architects will build a temporary plaza called Flotsam & Jetsam. Catch the beach-inspired installation before it’s moved to the Miami Design District's Jungle Plaza following the show. Meridian Ave and 19th St. Nov 30–Dec 4; $25–$60.

Photograph: Courtesy Nick Bookelaar

Arguably the most important auxiliary fair of Miami Art Week, Scope is as much a local institution as Art Basel proper, showcasing museum-grade contemporary works steps from the Atlantic Ocean. In its 2016 iteration, Scope Miami Beach exhibits 125 established international art galleries from 22 countries and 57 cities. While details of the official (and exclusive), invite-only Scope Miami Beach party has yet to be announced, last year’s soiree at Nikki Beach with rapper-comedian Lil’ Dicky was a raucously packed house. 801 Ocean Dr. Nov 29–Dec 4; $25–$35.

Kristopher Karklin, Upstairs, No Vacancy Series, 2008
Photograph: Courtesy of Scope/VivianeArt

More than 70 galleries from all over the world will be on display under a massive pop-up structure in Mid-Beach. For its 12th edition, Pulse Miami Beach enlisted guest curators Rebecca Jampol and Jasmine Wahi to lead the fair’s first open call under the umbrella theme “Body As…” The pair handpicked 10 finalists from 800 total submissions. At the fair’s entryway, visitors will find digital artist Anne Spalter’s Miami Marbles. Using photographs and video replicas of last year’s Miami Art Week, Spalter digitally alters and distils images of the city’s atmosphere, architecture and foliage to create contemporary landscapes. An augmented reality component will also allow guests to engage with the orbs through an interactive interface. Indian Beach Park, 4601 Collins Ave. Dec 1–4; $15–$40.

Fulvia Mendini, L'incantatrice
Photograph: Courtesy Pulse Miami Beach/Antonio Colombo Arte Contemporanea

As the only major American art fair to be run by a non-profit, NADA is known to push the envelope with its choice of exhibitions and artists, most of whom are emerging talents from around the world. For its 14th edition, the art fair pops up inside the glamorous Deauville Beach Resort, bringing with it a slew of fresh artworks from as many as 43 first-timers. Expect kitsch and irreverence from exhibitors representing 36 cities and 17 different countries. Deauville Beach Resort, 6701 Collins Ave. Dec 1–4; $20–$40.

Servane Mary, Untitled (Property)
Photograph: Courtesy of Servane Mary/APALAZZOGALLERY

One of the newer fairs, Untitled hit the sands of Miami Beach in 2012 like a bolt of art lightning. It has quickly become one of the most visited and important destinations during Miami Art Week. This year, 128 galleries from 20 countries, along with nonprofit exhibition spaces and individual architects, artists and curators, will converge at this fair, which is set apart by its especially interactive special projects and performances. Argentine conceptual artist Noemi Escandell will exhibit Diario El Blanco, made up of a plinth stocked with blank newspapers that bear the headline ‘Escriba la noticia que desea leer’ (Write the news that you want to read). Visitors will be invited to fill in their own news and leave for others to read. To participate in Rirkrit Tiravanija and Tomas Vu’s collaboration, DO WE DREAM UNDER THE SAME SKY?, attendees are encouraged to take Pussy Riot-inspired surfboards out into the Atlantic. The installation also features a shower for surfers to rinse off in following their session in the water. Ocean Drive and 12th St. Nov 30–Dec 4; $20–$40.

Photograph: Sandra Hamburg/Untitled, Art
 

True to its name, Superfine!’s values are rooted in providing an equitable alternative to the typical white-box space by presenting artwork that is affordable and representative of the local art scene. To wit: Haitian-born, Miami-based artist Asser Saint-Val’s massive 20’x20’ helium sculpture, which will greet guests at the fair’s entrance. In a decidedly refreshing turnabout, the fair will be hosting a panel titled “Sorry, I’m Not a Collector,” aimed at addressing concerns faced by art-world outsiders when presented with the idea of beginning a personal art collection. 56 NE 29th St. Dec 1–4; $7.77–$33.33.

Diego Montoya, Ascend with You
Photograph: Courtesy Superfine!/Diego Montoya

Art Miami—the stalwart among Art Basel Miami Beach’s satellite fairs—is the longest-running contemporary art fair in the city and the one known to kick off Miami Art Week festivities with aplomb. As in previous years, Art Miami’s glamorous VIP preview takes place at the Pérez Art Museum Miami, while the fair itself is housed in the Art Miami Pavilion in Midtown. Visitors can expect to see more than one thousand works from artists such as Frank Stella, Andy Warhol, Willem de Kooning and Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody. Martin Schoeller’s portrait of Angelina Jolie, which depicts the actress with blood dripping from her mouth, is one of the pieces anticipated to sell quickly this year. 3101 NE First Ave. Nov 29–Dec 4; $30-$250.

The sister fair to Art Miami, Aqua attracted a record-breaking 10,500 people last year with its strong representation of emerging and mid-career artists and galleries. For its 12th edition, the fair has partnered with the Association of Women Art Dealers (AWAD) to host a special morning panel (Friday, December 2) titled “Unconscious Bias and the Art World,” which will be moderated by Susan Mumford, founder and CEO of AWAD. Aqua Hotel, 1530 Collins Ave. Nov 30–Dec 4; $20-$90.

Photograph: Aaron Davidson/Aqua Art Miami

Aqua and Art Miami’s third sibling is Context, which this year has upped its number of galleries from 90 to 100 participants across 50 different cities. As a result, the fair has moved one block north to a larger pavilion in Midtown, which will house “Sound Positions,” featuring 12 listening stations, and a sculpture garden for site-specific installations. London’s Paul Stolper Gallery will show a special lightbox display by musician, artist and composer Brian Eno—known for his work with David Bowie and Elvis Costello. 118 NE 34th St. Nov 30–Dec 4; $45–$250.

Brian Eno, Asynchronous, 2016
Photograph: Courtesy Paul Stolper Gallery

For its 10th anniversary, themed “Crossing Cultures,” Pinta Miami’s expansive showcase inside Mana Wynwood will celebrate the fair’s continued mission of connecting Latin American artists with the world. Expect to see a greater international presence among exhibitors, as well as previous attendees, including Julio Le Parc, whose first U.S. exhibition at PAMM will be on display concurrent to the fair. Mana Wynwood, 2217 NW Fifth Ave. Nov 30–Dec 4; free with donation. 

Photograph: Courtesy Espaço Eliana Benchimol/Pinta Miami