Artistically Social

D & G Fine Art is Poised for Artistic Excellence

Amy Rosenberg is an attorney and arts and environmental advocate who founded the Arsht Center’s young patrons group and is the co-founder of the environmental non-profit organization Dream in Green. Amy is a member of Art Basel’s Junior Host Committee and sits on the boards of LegalArt, the Funding Arts Network, New World Symphony’s executive committee and the Florida Association for Women Lawyers.

With Art Basel rapidly approaching, SocialMiami’s Amy Rosenberg asked several Miami personalities to share their memories of Art Basels past and what they are most looking forward to this art fair season.

Brian Antoni, author of South Beach: The Novel
One of my favorite memories of Art Basel took place last year at the Rubell Family Collection at the opening brunch. Jennifer Rubell had set up gigantic circular tables, one with thousands of hard boiled eggs, another with thousands of croissants and another with bacon. Alongside of the bacon platter were rubber gloves to grab the slices. The image of all these fancy people putting on rubber gloves to grab hunks of fried pig has stayed with me.

This year I’m looking forward to the Lauren Augustine booth to see which piece by my sister, Janine Antoni, is displayed and what it is selling for so I can figure how much money to try to borrow from her the next year. Also, Robert Chambers told me he melded two tractors together. I can’t wait to see that. I’m also looking forward to anything Jeffery Deitch does. He is my art God. But really the best thing about Art Basel is stumbling around and discovering a new artist that blows you away. It is like treasure hunting to me.

Cece Feinberg, Cece Feinberg Public Relations
One of my favorite memories is from Art Basel two years ago. I had just finished working on a charity event for Nikki Hilton on Star Island, so I was in a black-tie evening gown – but we got in a cab and headed straight for the old Groove Jet where the Perrotin Gallery was hosting the most amazing French karaoke band and I danced until about 5:00 a.m.

Every year I look forward to seeing some great people from around the world who only come to Miami during Basel. I can’t wait to see Naomi Fisher’s new work at the Fred Snitzer gallery. I also love Design Miami – and I love finding out what my serious collector friends decide to purchase.

Ronan, Owner/Designer SBK
Best memory is definitely my first Art Basel when I came down from New York to creative direct the old Banana Bungalow Motel into the Creek South Beach hotel. The idea was to take all the rooms on the pool deck, ask artists to use the rooms as a medium and launch the hotel as an art exhibition during art Basel 2002. At the opening, Jeffrey Deitch shook my hand and congratulated me. After that experience I stayed in Miami.

SBK (my company) hosted a private screening of the Beautiful Losers documentary with Miami Art Museum’s MAM Contemporaries organization. We’re trying to organize a conceptual drive-in. Hopefully, we can pop that off.

Merle Weiss, Woman about Town

My favorite memory is of the first Art Basel in Miami Beach: the people, the amazing and incredible art, the crowds, the events. Most of all, I loved the last day, when I saw as I was leaving the convention center, the people entering – young suburbanites pushing strollers, paying money to see world class art with the whole “familia.” It made me so proud of this town I call home.

The event I most look forward to is the brunch at the Sagamore Hotel. After I have seen the art in the convention center, perused what is for sale at the various shows throughout town, after I have decided what I must have (and can afford), I want to relax, see everyone in the art world, have a few bloody marys and a neck massage, and talk about everything that was totally fabulous throughout the experience.

Adler Guerrier, artist, work last seen in the 2008 Whitney Biennial

I really enjoyed seeing artist John Baldessari two to three times a day in different venues all throughout the week.

This year I am looking forward to cheese and champagne before noon.

Debra and Dennis Scholl, Art Collectors

One of our fondest memories is the Art Basel that wasn’t… right after 9/11/01 the fair was postponed, but a couple hundred top collectors still came to Miami to support the community and see and talk art. I had a group over to our home and remember looking around and thinking “if this is who is here without an Art Basel fair, I can’t begin to imagine how wonderful it will be when it actually happens!” And, of course, that turned out to be true…

This year we are looking forward to lots of curators and collectors seeing the shows by Zoe Strauss and Carla Klein in our Wynwood space, World Class Boxing.

Other galleries whose offerings we can’t wait to see include Casey Kaplan, Tanya Bonakdar, the project, Sikkema Jenkins and Sonnabend Gallery.

Carol Bell, The Patton Group, Inc.

I have two favorite Basel experiences and they were both brunches – my first was at Craig Robbins Aqua sales center 5 years ago. It was a gorgeous morning and I remember driving through the dusty construction and getting out of my car in my vintage Lilly Pulitzer shift (much more Palm Beach than Miami) and going into this beautiful one story water front building at the foot of the canal. I think it was the first sales center I had ever set foot in at the time… I was pretty new to Miami at that point and I was so thrilled to be surrounded by so many New Yorkers who were involved in the art world. Some that stand out include artist Ahn Duong, Brooke de O’ Campo – who was working with Phillips Auction House and had come over from London to throw a dinner at Casa Casurina (this was a big deal back then because it was before it was so accessible) and I gave her a ride back to South Beach – photographer Patrick McMullan and Cary Leitzes, who was the photo editor at Harpers Bazaar at the time but would leave shortly after to start ArtCo. Fast forward to four years later and last year’s Pucci brunch reminded me of the Aqua brunch just more Miamian’s in fabulous Pucci from head to toe, and instead of an Aqua sales center at the foot of the canal, this Art Basel event was at Norma Quintero’s waterfront home.

This year I am excited to see reactions to Laurent Elie Badessi’s stunning, politically-controversial show “American Dreams’ at Galerie Bertin Toublanc during their one year anniversary party. It is very strong and I think it will bring about a lot of discussion especially with the political climate the way it is.

Surface Magazine is doing a lounge on the roof of the Gansevoort during the day Dec 4 – 6 so I am looking forward to being up there and getting some sun and keeping up with work from the free wireless access they are providing.

Mera Rubell, Art Collector
Engaging with the public every year is a real high. I love the joy of having people come into our space (The Rubell Family Collection). It’s an opportunity to teach but also to learn. It’s a show and tell.

As you might know, the Rubell Family Collection will open its “30 Americans” exhibition during Miami Basel. There will be over 300 works of art throughout 27 galleries spanning the 40,000 square foot space.