10 Things to Look Out For at Art Basel Miami Beach
Ted Loos
Miami’s South Beach always has a pleasant buzz in winter, but during Art Basel Miami Beach the buzz is turned up to a loud roar as the entire international art world descends on a few blocks along the sand for what is, in essence, the world’s fanciest trade show.??
Easy to forget amid the noise that a lot of truly great works have been assembled in a very small area. Here’s what you shouldn’t miss this week, from the best art on display to a star-studded Ping-Pong party at the Delano that sums up the heady mood on these shores.??
1. The glitter-covered, brightly colored works of Mickalene Thomas have been making a splash for some time—First Lady Michelle Obama picked her to do an official portrait. Her reputation will only be helped by the display that New York gallery Lehmann Maupin has laid out at the main fair. The various works on offer feature African-American women in empowered, ultra-glamorous poses, managing to be beautiful enough to stop you in your tracks but thought-provoking, too.