detroit at art basel miami beach
Sydney G. James, Playground Detroit, David Klein Gallery
After 20 months of grounding by Covid, including last year’s cancelation of Art Basel Miami Beach, the excitement over its resuscitation made the decision to attend this year’s fair easy. Additionally, Detroit had solid representation in several venues and I was hyped to support and report.
My first stop, pretty much right off the plane on Tuesday afternoon, was the Wynwood area where street artists were working on their pieces. I love seeing work in progress because it grants a window into the artist’s process. When I caught up with Sydney G. James, only a bit of her initial grid—made from words, places and people of significance to her—remained draped across her subject’s waist. Her masterful rendering of her muse’s face—whom she uses often. Check this newsletter’s article on her DAM piece—in luxurious skin, an unwavering stare and whose hair that, when the light hits it just right, glows, reclines but doesn’t quite relax.
“Serving Tee is a simple composition that pays tribute to the Black woman story of creating and making space for themselves and others to just unbothered. My (not so hidden) Easter egg is an ode to the legendary Cornbread, the first credited graffiti artist. This piece is my day of honoring my body of work as a fine artist as well as honoring the history of graffiti and street art.” -Sydney G. James
Made it over to SCOPE on Wednesday, a satellite fair on Miami Beach. Playground Detroit’s booth was on an outside windowed wall, creating the Atlantic their backdrop. Several of Detroit’s up and coming artists were exhibited. The largest and most commanding piece was Bakpak Durden’s A Constellation in Winter. Due to its size, it doesn’t possess the detail of their smaller oils—read the article on those—but still carries potent emotional content organized so the hands tell the story.
Thursday was for Art Miami/CONTEXT. This venue’s galleries were some of the best in the world from Seoul to France. The spectrum of languages being spoken provided the fair’s soundtrack. David Klein Gallery featured several works from their talented stable. Rosalind Tallmadge’s topographies remind of Anselm Kiefer who, along with several other male painters, dominates this heavily layered abstract oeuvre. Tallmadge makes the genre her own by employing considered feminine elements like sequined fabric and glittering silver and gold.
Kelly Reemsten is a perfect thematic complement to Tallmadge, even if she’s undeniably obvious in her challenge of traditional female roles.
ABMB shows everything from the very pinnacle of the art food chain, the completely absurd—this year’s encore to the now legendary duct-taped banana is work made entirely from Cheeto dust—to the downright abysmal. NFTs—non-fungible tokens—were available for purchase, including one artist purportedly selling her eggs as such. Oy. A considerable number of galleries and artists were clearly jockeying for the Money, presenting what they believed were the latest selling trends. I get that we all need to earn a living, but I don’t buy art for what it might fetch at auction. I buy art that makes my soul light up and often reminds me of someone or someplace I hold affection for; not to mention supporting the community I live and work in. Gratefully there was ample good work at reasonable price points. I am proud to report that Detroit was fully in the mix, showcasing a range of exceptional talent coming out of our city. Brilliantly you don’t have to go all the way to Miami to acquire it, even if the beach is slightly more delightful than Detroit in winter.
Sydney G. James is currently on view through Dec 30th at M Contemporary Art 205 E. Nine Mile Ferndale
Bakpak Durden is currently on view through Dec 18th at Playground Detroit 2845 Gratiot Ave Detroit
Rosalind Tallmadge is currently on view through Dec 18th at David Klein Gallery 1520 Washington Blvd Detroit
*images are mine
SHOWS OPEN THIS WEEKEND
Oakland University Art Gallery