Art Basel – Day One
Thursday, December 6th, 2007
I did a lot of foolish things in coming to Miami Beach for Art Basel alone. First, I took a red-eye flight that put me into Miami Beach at 4:30 a.m. Bad timing. I should have been here the night before or several hours later. This is not a town that wakes up much before 10:00 a.m. Second — and most obvious — is that I came alone. The convention center hosts over 200 galleries showcasing more than 1,500 artists and far too often I desperately wanted to turn to someone and exclaim, "ohmygosh" or "isn’t that hideous!" Truthfully, I only walked two or three aisles during my first visit and that has not accounted for the fact that there are numerous additional locations of exhibits.
But there is solace in platters of stone crab! I am walking distance to Joe’s Stone Crab which provided my first lunch and will be hard to beat.
Generally, the event is a difficult far to navigate as the planners, while offering listings of events on their website, failed to include an adequate map beforehand so that one could determine what is happening where. In this regard, I am comparing this event with the incredibly successful and well-planned Time-Based Art in Portland, Oregon. Granted, not nearly as heavily attended, but an easier event to plan for, especially for a first-timer. Finally, before I head out for dinner, this is an event for insiders and the über rich with connections. It is hardly an understatement that those with money get access and attention. But I’ve got three days left and hopefully the slight feelings of displacement and bewilderment will subside.