The 20th anniversary edition of
Art Basel , which took place in Miami in early December, featured
16 national galleries among the
283 participants , from 38 countries and territories, presenting projects of the highest quality: from rare and
historic masterpieces to new works from today’s emerging artistic voices. Art Basel is one of the
most important events in the world of modern and
contemporary art, and is recognized by everyone interested in the subject. So, below, check out the
highlights of this commemorative edition!
1. “A Desolate Blaze”
This year, a common theme was seen: a
dystopian twist , showing a desolate land engulfed by a still-burning flame. The goal? To explore the possibilities of a new future for humanity. During this year's Art Basel, topics such as
unusual terrains , space exploration and the cohabitation of other planets resonated with many creators, resulting in images that were at once
strong and
beautiful , yet highly
thought-provoking. 2. Mark Grattan's design
American furniture designer
Mark Grattan , who divides his time between New York and Mexico City, created a luxurious, glossy bedroom scene in
soft lavender tones and hard-edged chrome surfaces at the T&C OG Cristina Grajales booth, which gave the tone by also presenting Randy Palumbo's
provocative sculptures .
3. Yayoi Kusama
(Venjhamin Reyes/CASACOR)
Fendi Casa , the furniture arm of the 30-year-old Italian fashion label, has been present at the fair for more than a decade. This year, its stand was designed by Vienna-based artist
Lukas Gschwandtner . Now the label is also opening its first
flagship in the United States, in the Design District.
5. Sexy by Madonna
Saint Laurent participated in Miami Art Basel with the exhibition “
Sex by Madonna ”, curated by Anthony Vaccarello to celebrate the reissue of Madonna’s book Sex. Released in
1992 , the book Sex became controversial worldwide due to to its bold erotic content and liberated views of sexual self-expression.
6. Kohler Hammam
During Art Basel, Kohler unveiled the first
hammam (also known as Turkish bath, steam bath or steam sauna), a type of bath that involves staying in a hot, steamy environment. Built with
custom tiles and
made by hand , the project was conceived by Nada Debs and the Kohler WasteLAB team. Kohler WasteLAB aimed to
reimagine the approach to waste by finding the value in material destined for landfill and engaging in a manufacturing process where nothing goes to waste. Visitors to the Kohler space were invited to explore a
traditional hammam journey for three spaces.
