Every December the who’s who of the art world descend on glamorous Miami Beach for Art Basel. This year – the art fair’s 20th year – a total of 283 exhibitors from 38 countries will exhibit from December 1-3 2022 (private days will be November 29 – 30). The 20th anniversary edition marks two decades of growth and impact by Art Basel as a cultural cornerstone in South Florida, across the Americas, and beyond. We’ve put together the ultimate luxury guide to Art Basel Miami Beach 2022, including where to stay, eat, drink, party, and of course which exhibitions and fairs will be worth visiting.
Where To Stay in Miami Beach
We recommend W South Beach or Miami Beach EDITION. Both hotels are guaranteed to be filled with the art world’s glitterati, and while W South Beach has W Hotel’s unique contemporary designs, the EDITION is more for those who enjoy sophisticated luxury.
W South Beach
The W brand’s most successful US property, W South Beach, reigns as the Art Basel social center and Miami’s go-to hotel for the rich and famous. Known for having the largest luxury suites in South Beach and the only hotel on the strip where every room has an oceanfront balcony view, W South Beach’s recent $30 million renovation includes newly designed rooms, new spa, pool cabanas, and a refreshed art collection.
Curated by owner Aby Rosen from his personal collection, W South Beach’s art collection valued at $100 million is its own art museum that displays 21 original Warhol pieces, three of which are a collaboration between iconic duo Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol, throughout the hotel’s lobby spaces.
Miami Beach EDITION
Miami Beach EDITION is a stunning lifestyle hotel known for its epic parties held in both their swanky pool, and their onsite nightclub, Basement. Their nightclub features a bowling alley and an ice-skating rink, meaning every event held there and every night out is never, ever, boring. As well as the extravagant nightlife offering, there are also a selection of restaurant concepts by Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, meaning you’ll be well-fed no matter what hour it is.
Miami Beach EDITION
Where To Eat
There’s a plethora of fabulous restaurants in Miami, from old-school diners to the luxury and the elegant. Our team like a mixture of the two: luxury gastronomy for lunch and dinner and then retro diners for the hangover breakfast the morning after where you’re less likely to bump into people you know (unless you’re a Miami local, that is).
L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, of the Bastion Collection, is the only two Michelin star restaurant in Florida, making it a must-try while in town for Basel. Sit at their signature dining counter facing directly into the open kitchen and watch the chefs curate the ultimate culinary and mixology experience. L’Atelier’s modern French menu includes the late great Chef Robuchon’s iconic signature dishes, alongside new, ever-changing seasonal creations utilizing ingredients sourced from top local and regional purveyors
151 NE 41st St, Miami, FL 33137
Cecconi’s
Set in a gorgeous garden courtyard in Soho Beach Club, Cecconi’s serve fresh pasta and Italian seafood in a classy setting for those with more refined tastes. We suggest trying a selection of the Cicchetti (the meatballs are to die for) and the lobster spaghetti to get a true flavour of the food at Cecconi’s. Of course it should all be finished off with an Aperol Spritz to make you feel as though you really are in Italy.
4385 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL
Pao by Paul Qui
Pao by Paul Qui is a modern Asian restaurant located inside the luxury Faena Hotel, and is the epitome of luxury dining in Miami. The dining room seating surrounds a Damien Hirst unicorn sculpture worth $6million, meaning you can mix your art with your gastronomy.
3201 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL
Big Pink
Big Pink is a retro diner owned by the legendary Myles Chefetz, and is without a doubt the most popular late-night dining spot in Miami. Open until 5am on weekends, the menu is huge, and while it may not be high-end it’s character and food is just what you need after the Art Basel parties.
157 Collins Avenue Miami Beach, FL
Blue Collar
Similar to Big Pink, Blue Collar provides American comfort-food and is our favourite ‘local’s gem’ for breakfast. There is nowhere more perfect in Miami for a casual and low-key hangover brunch, with the ‘Brandon’s Breakfast’ being the most popular option amongst the AGLAIA Team.
6730 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL
Bodega Taqueria y Tequila
Bodega is a simple taco-stand on South Beach, but don’t let the size fool you – a secret entrance leads you to nightclub that serve potent tequilas and dancing until the early hours. When you’re ready for food simply walk outside and grab some of Miami’s best steak chimichurri tacos.
1220 16th Street, Miami Beach, FL
View our full list of restaurants to try during Art Basel 2022
Cecconi’s Miami Beach
Where To Drink
There are so many great bars in Miami you need to make the most of them, especially the Art Basel pop-up bars. We’ve listed our top four bars in Miami below for you to add to your list, but make sure to stop by any pop-ups you stumble across too!
Watr at the 1 Rooftop
The swanky rooftop of 1Hotel is the place to start your Art Basel party experience. Head up there for a drink with a view before hitting one of the after parties of club events.
2341 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL
La Côte at Fontainebleau Hotel
The glamorous oceanfront bar at the Fontainebleau Hotel has a relaxed, chic vibe, and is always full of beautiful people. Head there in the afternoon for a bite to eat, and stay for the cocktails. If you’re staying at the hotel, don’t forget a swim in the iconic pool!
4441 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL
Rose Bar at The Delano
Rose Bar is intimate and beautiful, with the entire bar a shade of pink. Truffle popcorn is popular here, as is the Golden Rose Champagne Cocktail.
1685 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL
Sweet Liberty
Sweet Liberty is the place to end the night after a day of exhibitions and evening of parties. Predominantly a bar, Sweet Liberty also serve delectable food with home-cooked classics. The bar is open until 4am (and they serve food until 4am, too), so add it to your after-party list and get on down there.
237-B 20th Street, Miami Beach, FL
Bagatelle Miami
Transport yourself to the beloved French Riviera at South Beach’s celebrity hot spot, Bagatelle Miami inside its new location in the Ritz Carlton South Beach during Basel. Guests can indulge in Saint Tropez’s “la belle vie” moto with eclectic DJ performances, personalized service and an exquisite seasonal menu. The chic space features classic Parisian décor and an impressive art collection.
1669 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
1Hotel Rooftop Bar
Which Exhibitions And Fairs To Visit
This year is one of the best years yet for Art Basel Miami, and aside from the exhibition at Collins Park and the signature Art Basel fair at the Miami Beach Convention Centre, there are dozens of galleries and fairs happening around the city in 2022. Our top five recommendations include the usual stand-out fairs, as well as a couple of new exhibits and exhibits outside of the ‘official’ Art Basel programme.
Lady Liberty: A Bonnie Lautenberg Retrospective
Bonnie Lautenberg will present an exhibition at The Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. Lady Liberty: A Bonnie Lautenberg Retrospective will open on November 16 2022, going through March 26 2023. The new solo museum show celebrates powerful images of women from two decades of art by Lautenberg. Spanning her multiple series of photography and conceptual art, Lautenberg admires the women in these works for their spirit of freedom.
The exhibition includes her portrayals of the Statue of Liberty confronting some of today’s most challenging issues. In response to the recent Supreme Court vote to overturn Roe vs. Wade, Lautenberg created Tears of Roe – a large-scale lightbox with tears running down the Statue of Liberty’s cheeks and the word Roe added to her crown, lamenting the current challenges to women’s freedoms making headlines today.
The Betsy South Beach Exhibits
The Betsy-South Beach has announced exhibits for Miami Beach Art Week and Art Basel 2022, curated by Betsy co-owner Lesley Goldwasser. The Betsy Hotel exhibits art in 20,000 square feet of gallery space located throughout the property with nine galleries as well as halls and stairway areas open during regular business hours (9 AM – 11 PM) during Miami Beach Art Week 2022. The Betsy has exclusively focused on global photography in all but one of its 9 public galleries; the remaining gallery features the work of emerging artists working in sculpture, painting, illustration, and mixed media.
Miami Art Week installations at The Betsy Hotel include The Betsy’s Outdoor Sculpture Garden exhibiting Zimbabwean stone carved sculptures inspired by traditional Shona mythology; The Betsy Poetry Rail, presenting the words of 12 writers who ‘shaped Miami,’ located between Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue at 14th Place; more than 300 historic images of The Beatles and Rolling Stones (the Paul Saltzman and Bob Bonis Collections), situated in hallways and stairways; and work from architectural photographer Robin Hill, Miami Beach documentarian Andy Sweet, Hollywood set photographer Robert Zuckerman, and travel photographer Alessandro Sarno.
This event is free and open to the public
SCOPE Miami Beach
Founded by artist and gallerist Alexis Hubshman, SCOPE is back for another year, returning to its bespoke pavilion on the sands of Ocean Drive and 8th Street. Honoring its perpetual mission to provide a platform for discovery, SCOPE will welcome 134 diverse contemporary exhibitors featuring The New Contemporary, a genre that stands as a critical contribution to both global politics and local community engagement.
NADA
The New Art Dealers Alliance is a fantastic fair which never disappoints. NADA’s goal is to showcase new or underexposed contemporary art, and always proves fascinating with some particularly interesting exhibitors. This year NADA Miami will show 146 exhibitors, to be held November 30 to December 3, 2022 at Ice Palace Studios, is dedicated to showcasing new art and to celebrating the rising talents from around the globe. NADA Miami is the one of the only major American art fairs to be produced by a non-profit organization, and is recognized as a much needed alternative assembly of the world’s youngest and strongest art galleries dealing with contemporary art.
Cristin Tierney’s Dread Scott, Select Historic Works
A highlight in The Survey section, which is designated for work created before 2000, will certainly be Cristin Tierney’s booth of historic works by Dread Scott presenting a study of violence from the last 15 years of the 20th century. Cristin Tierney Gallery’s presentation at Art Basel Miami Beach revisits Dread Scott’s early years, showing a selection of historic work by the artist.
The works span the last 15 years of the 20th century, during which time Scott developed the interests and techniques that he would continue to explore in subsequent years. Included are five different works or series: Hardcore (1986), photographs from punk concerts in Chicago; Bensonhurst, Violence is an Equal Opportunity (1990), a sculpture encasing a pistol and bullets with the words “IN CASE OF EMERGENCY BREAK GLASS”; Harmed and Dangerous (1993), portraits of people of color holding guns; Ghetto (1994), photographs of Black children playing outside; and Turn of the Century (1999), a print contrasting a graphic photo of a lynching with activist and convicted murderer Mumia Abu-Jamal.
Shown together, the five works can be read as a study of violence: they examine who can exercise it without fear of repercussion, and the privilege inherent in that ability. The issues explored by Scott in his early years have not disappeared; they remain urgent and unsolved, with many artists (including Scott) continuing to tackle these themes in the present. This presentation of works from the ‘80s and ‘90s illuminates how Scott helped to lay the foundation for the contemporary art landscape we see today.
© Sally Mann. Courtesy of Edwynn Houk Gallery, New York. The Edwynn Houk Gallery exhibited at the Miami Beach Convention Centre at Art Basel 2017.
Which Parties To Get Yourself Invited To
Art Basel isn’t Art Basel without a few parties thrown in, we round up the most exciting events happening throughout the week in Miami in 2022. Please note: parties are announced days/weeks in advance, so this part of the article will continue to be updated as they are announced.
Epic Pool Parties – Nightly Parties
This year for Art Basel Miami, Electric Ibiza, Jonathan Cowan Productions, and the Sagamore Hotel once again team up to deliver you an unrivaled 5-day pool party series. Expect carefully chosen DJ lineups from the top DJs in the world. They will be performing on a festival-style main stage, with full production and special fx, cutting-edge audio and visual technology, food outlets, elevated bottle service and enhanced VIP options including pre reserved Tables, Private Cabanas, and Beds.
The Sagamore Hotel, an art deco architectural extravaganza and the focal point of Miami Beach, hosts the always unforgettable festivities. This year, there is even more space for dancing, comfortable lounging, and soaking up the winter sun. Tickets are now available; you may purchase a single-day ticket or a 5-day pass with unlimited access and re-entry.
Rockwell Nightclub Miami and 1OAK NYC Rockwell Pop-Up 2019
How To Buy Art Basel Tickets
Buy Tickets For Art Basel 2022 Online Here
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Louise Walker is AGLAIA’s Editor in charge of all content creation and management. She splits her time between London and Miami, and can always be found at a swanky hotel bar sipping on a Negroni. Contact her for any questions or if you would like to become an AGLAIA Contributor: hello@aglaiamagazine.com
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