MIAMI — I have made it to Friday without forgetting my press pass in an Uber or developing cafecito-related heart palpitations, and by Miami Art Week standards I’d call that a win. Yesterday we discussed serious matters, like the financial sustainability of the art-fair ecosystem, but today we are tired and regret having that third margarita at Bacara, so we will look at art.
I saw a dizzying amount of standout work at Art Basel Miami Beach, NADA Miami, and Untitled Art, but the week’s most underrated ticket was the Open Invitational, a new fair for nonprofits and galleries focused on artists with disabilities, or “progressive art studios.” Co-Founder David Fierman, whom I caught up with during Monday’s opening night, emphasized the importance of centering different ways of seeing the world.
“There’s a lot of purity in this work that is lacking in some of the higher echelons of the market,” Fierman told me. “Let’s have a story where people make a positive impact on people’s lives and do it in a really sustainable, human-to-human way.”
On that note, and without further ado, I’m sharing below my favorite works at Art Basel Miami Beach, NADA, the Open Invitational, and Untitled Art — from Mapuche artist Seba Calfuqueo’s ceramics to Michael Angelo Mangino’s pithy text paintings and Alissa Alfonso’s whimsical sculptures.
Hop and Lydia Peternell, co-founders of Studio Route 29 in New Jersey, a “progressive art studio” that supports the creative practices of adults with developmental disabilities
Leslie Moore is a travel, automotive, fashion and arts writer for Greyden Press. She has a passion for exploring new places, trying new things and learning about life in general. When she isn't writing she enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with her family and friends.
