Art Basel: world’s largest contemporary art fair returns to Miami Beach

The Miami region is getting ready to breathe art. The city of Miami Beach will host Art Basel, the largest contemporary art exhibition in the world. The event, which takes place between December 2nd and 4th at the city’s Convention Center, will bring together more than 250 galleries from 36 countries, exhibiting from paintings, sculptures, photographs, artistic installations and digital works.

Art Basel: pioneer and without borders

Created in 1970 in the city of Basel, Switzerland, the fair is marked by its pioneering spirit since its first edition until today. 51 years ago, it was a vanguard in promoting art without borders, including a diversity of works, artists and audiences, as it was not aimed at the restricted group of European art collectors, but at the diverse admirers of modern art.

Art Basel’s innovative formula worked so well that the fair expanded to other continents: in 2002 it opened in Miami Beach, with the aim of promoting Latin American art, in addition to attracting new audiences, continuing its inclusive strategy. In 2013 it was the turn of the Asian continent to be contemplated by the largest contemporary art fair in the world: the Hong Kong edition ratified the event’s commitment to promoting art globally.

With more than five decades of history, the exhibition remains disruptive, dedicating spaces to galleries and newcomers. In the 2021 edition of Miami Beach, for example, there will be more than 40 galleries participating for the first time in Art Basel. In addition to exhibitions, the fair also promotes discussions about art among the main actors in the sector, which include artists, collectors, museum directors, architects and curators and art critics.

Numbers

Going beyond the artistic field, Art Basel annually provides a report on the art market with the numbers and trends in the sector. According to the latest edition of The Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report, published in March 2021, global sales in 2020 reached $50.1 billion, down 22% from the previous year, driven mainly by the pandemic and the cancellation of in-person events.

On the other hand, online sales reached the mark of 12.4 billion dollars, double the amount registered in 2019, representing 25% of transactions during the year 2020. Is a new trend coming?

To find out, be sure to visit Art Basel Miami Beach. A public success, the 2019 edition brought together more than 80 thousand visitors. In 2020, the in-person event was canceled, which makes the 2021 edition even more anticipated.

Preparations are in full swing. IMT Logistics, a company specializing in global mobility and multimodal transport, is already serving several galleries and artists who will be present at Art Basel Miami Beach and at other Miami Art Week events. The company is responsible for importing with temporary admission, handling and transporting works of art.

Check out the Art Basel Miami Beach 2021 schedule

Location: Miami Beach Convention Center – 1901 Convention Center Dr, Miami Beach, Florida.

Opening hours: December 2nd and 3rd, from 11 am to 7 pm, and December 4th, Saturday, from 11 am to 6 pm

TIAGO Moreira

CEO | IMT LOGISTICS