As the Art World Contends With Political Discord, Art Basel Miami Beach Marks an Optimistic Turn for the Markets
As the black curtains parted for Wednesday’s VIP preview on a surprisingly chilly morning in Miami, Art Basel Miami Beach once again unveiled 500,000 square feet of superlative contemporary art. This year, however, the specter of global events roiling the art world was impossible to ignore, with dealers, curators, and artists clashing over political and moral stances throughout the fall. Add higher interest rates to the equation, and it’s no surprise a collective miasma presaged Miami Art Week. But by Thursday, the numbers had spoken and a measured sense of relief flooded the industry: the pull of the premier U.S. art fair endures. At ABMB, collectors absorbed a stream of significant new artists with upcoming solo shows at more attainable price points, alongside a strong roster of museum bonafides.
London’s Pippy Houldsworth Gallery quickly placed Nasim Hantehzadeh’s oil stick painting Near Drowning, 2023, for $26,000. The LA-based, Iranian artist creates bewitching patterns based on calligraphy, Persian rugs, and genitalia, and is still undervalued.