Air-kissing celebrities and high-flying collectors descended on Miami Beach for the VIP opening of Art Basel Miami Beach 2023, where the art crowd's real A-listers were not the ones with Hollywood star power. In a scene that was as much about the well-heeled wheeling and dealing as it was about the curated art on the walls, the real drama unfolded among the art aficionados ready to drop serious cash.
Collector Josh Abraham was quick to flex his fiscal muscle, snagging a piece by Jo Messer from Moran Moran and another work by Reggie Burrows Hodges from Karma. Abraham, eyes set to acquire, confessed to Artnet News, "There's a lot of energy; I've bought a couple things." Still, he's poised to strike again, keeping tabs on Ulala Imai's work, which has clearly caught his fancy.
However, not all reviews were glowing. Collector Jeff Magid pointed out a glaring crack in the archaic fair model. According to his interview with Artnet News, "There's a ton of great art, but it's all sold before the fair starts, and then the things that aren't sold in advance get priced much higher than there's demand for." His recent acquisition didn't come from the fair but an auction instead, which speaks volumes about his stance on the fair's pricing strategies.
Meanwhile, Ramez Qamer, a fairly new face to the Miami scene, opted to take in the fair for the second time this year, now with market temperatures cooling off a bit. This calmer climate allowed him to "really engage in the art at the booths with more measure and thought," as he told to Artnet News. Highlights for Qamer included Cynthia Talmadge's work at 56 Henry, though he's yet to pull the trigger on a purchase.
Art Basel regular Ron Harrar noted the bustling activity compared to last year, suggesting a robust market. He expressed his admiration for pieces like the Lichtenstein at Gagosian and was also taken with offerings from Waddington Custot and Hauser & Wirth. "It’s much busier than last year and that’s a good thing. The market seems to be healthy," Harrar reported back to Artnet News.
