by Onajídé Shabaka - 14 Dec., 2006

   Basel Miami - 6 Dec., 2006

    by Onajídé Shabaka

[Echoing other publications, Art Basel Miami Beach will be used here now as Basel Miami. Because the days leading up the opening of the major fair events, the decision was made to focus the concentration of Miami Art Exchange on taking the opportunity to making some connections with some of the people I had been in contact with during the past year. Other circumstances from earlier in the year curtailed plans for some other activities but, that's all I'll say at the moment since it would take much too much time to explain the details.]

This year's Basel Miami was anticipated in many quarters as the most important event of the year. It certainly was the most important event for many local galleries and artists. Since I was without a camera during the past month I had no reliable way to post any images until the day before Basel Miami. Even then, being a new digital camera and like all computers, it takes a bit of time to get it configured in the way that I have been over the past several years. Film may not be used as much as it used to but, the processing time and fewer locations to process make it fading into the past very quickly. However, film produces images that are different than digital and are very much a valid material for image making.

While roving the floor of the convention center I ran into a number of people I have only seen rarely during the year or, in the case of out-of-towners, at last year's fair. Local gallerist, Fred Snitzer, had a large booth plus a gallery opening on Saturday the 12th. At least he had something to eat, unlike some other dealers who had been waiting for hours for people to return with food. Apparently, those people got distracted; easy to do.

Frederic Snitzer of Frederic Snitzer Gallery

I did not do a good job this year of making down artists names and titles but, the below sculpture had a very nice tactile quality about it that reminded me of icing on a cake. It looked precarious sitting on that small pedestal which, got moved several times during the fair.

My web development friend and partner had a blowup samurai suit for Halloween that I tried on, in jest, which he immediately video recorded on his celphone. This fat man sculpture was for his sake and, a reminder to watch out for celphones because you could be being recorded at almost any time! However, what I do not like about this sculpture is that it's perfectly round and lacking the Bill Parcells pear shape so evident in most humans that get that large. But, then, would the piece have been as interesting?

After socializing and networking at Art Basel Miami Beach (couldn't help myself) I headed back across the causeway to the Wynwood area and found Ronald Feldman - Pierogi, both of NYC, open for a visit. I had met Feldman earlier in the day at the convention center. Former resident, Ward Shelley, had some interesting work there. It was good to see him personally during the days of the events but, not on the Vernissage day. Pierogi provided me with a CD but the art work below was not listed.

Joshua Dorman
(detail, title unknown)

Joshua Dorman
"Depending Journey"

The Flat Files are another important element of Pierogi—they house portfolios of original works by over 700 artists. One thing could certainly be said in general about all the art fairs and spaces, there were plenty of works on paper to be seen and, much of it very good work. Lynn Talbot (below) had a number of highly colorful works available.

Lynn Talbot

And there was also a strange installation with sound by Brian Dewan at the middle of the multi-roomed space that took more time than I had after looking at other works in the space. I spent most of my time looking at the work of Bahamian artist Tavares Strachan, which I will talk about separately.

Brian Dewan

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