By: Mary Jo Almeida -Shore
As many of us complete our 12- step Art Basel recovery program, and begin to stress about New Year’s week (which, in the spirit of “If it’s worth doing it’s worth overdoing,”- lasts about a week), we know what you’re thinking…Art Basel- isn’t that LONG over?! Well to answer, “You didn’t really think we’d be able to cover all the fabulocity Basel has to offer in just one week, did you?” After all, it is the world’s biggest art show! So here are just a few more great events we didn’t get to last week- for sheer lack of space and strength.
On Tuesday, November 30, Pamela Masik wowed her audience during her live interactive art performance set to music, “Awakening” at Downtown Miami’s Marquis Residences Sky Pool Deck, located on the 14th floor of the 67 story building. A selection of works from Masik’s Caged Bird series lined the walls which was the topic of conversation among the stylish guests, including: Alicia Cervera, Candela Ferro, Frank Amadeo, Iran Issa-Khan, Jonathan and Criselda Breene, Kothan Fernandez, Laura Buccelatti, Lori Ordover, Rainer Becker, Rik and Raquel Watters and Sam Robin to name a few. Masik’s Caged Bird collection includes a series of photos that convey the ideas of sexuality, boundaries, and the illusion of security. “I believe this series to be my most honest and personal work to date and hope it will strike a chord with the audience on many levels.” Those who missed this event still have a chance to check out the Masik pop-up gallery, which is open through December 17th in the Wynwood Arts District (50 NW 29th Street).
On the same night, Benrimon Contemporary hosted an intimate dinner and cocktail party at Townhouse Hotel honoring New York artist Trey Speegle and his latest large-scale mural It’s Later than You Think, which was inspired by a 1950’s vintage paint-by-number panel of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper. Dinner guests, Leon Benrimon, Lillian and David Benrimon, Patrick McMullan, Heidi Lee, Lady Monika Bacardi, Fred Bernstein and Petra Mason and husband Ausbert de Arce, were each given a brush and paint canister that corresponded to a number on the mural and were invited to paint on the canvas, under the careful eye of the artist and gallery assistants, of course. After dinner, guests headed upstairs to the rooftop for the after party.
Pop and multi-media artist, sculptor and urban realist, Miguel Paredes, held four exclusive events during Art Basel at three separate locations, starting on Wednesday, December 1 with an opening reception celebrating his Artist-in-Residency at the National Hotel on Miami Beach, which attracted more than 2700 guests who enjoyed beats by Buddha Bar’s DJ Sam Popat and cocktails by Bombay Sapphire. The following evening, Paredes hosted an intimate viewing with famed rock-photographer Danny Clinch debuting the duo’s collaborative work featuring musician Jack Johnson. On Friday and Saturday evenings, Paredes welcomed more than 3,000 visitors to Paredes Fine Art Gallery, treating them to great music by DJ Popat, complimentary cocktails and bites by RA Sushi South Miami.
Leading Latin American art publication, ArtNexus threw its annual Art Basel bash at the posh ONE Bal Harbour Resort & Spa on Friday, December 3. Guests gathered around the pool deck, sipped champagne and cocktails courtesy of Grey Goose vodka and enjoyed delicious food stations. Some attendees curled up in plush fur blankets due the chilly weather. Partygoers including: ArtNexus Associate Publisher, Susanne Birbragher, Paulina Rubio, Ingrid Hoffman, Tui Pranich, Jorge Villamizar, Julio Le Parc, Juan and Jorge Arevalo, Susie and Walid Wahab, Daniel and Kathy Haime, Alejandro Grimaldi and Shari Liu enjoyed a musical performance by Jorge Villamizar.

Jerry Opdenaker, Cricket Taplin, Paul Thrussell, Kandy Sandel
The next morning (or for some, “later that night”) over 2000 art collectors, art critics, artistic personalities, curators and art lovers from around the world converged at the Sagamore Hotel, for one of our favorite annual Art Basel events – the Sagamore Art Basel Brunch, now in its ninth year. The brunch was hosted by the hotel’s owners Martin and Cricket Taplin, along with host committee members Martin and Constance Margulies, The Bass Museum of Art, the Patricia & Phillip Frost Museum, Lowe Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, Wolfsonian at Florida International University and Miami Art Museum. The Sagamore Hotel unveiled selections from the Cricket Taplin Collection in an exhibit composed of video, painting, sound, photography, sculpture, performance and mixed media artwork throughout the week, including a fiberglass sculpture by Jorge Méndez Blake – There is No Easy Way from the Earth – which was installed in the hotel’s swimming pool. During the brunch the O Dance Company’s Paul Thrussell and Kandy Sandel performed an artistic water ballet show, choreographed by award winning choreographer Jerry Opdenaker.
VIP guests in attendance at the Sagamore included artists Tom Lieber, Olaf Breuning, Emil Lukas, Mark Milloff, Spencer Tunick, Barbara Neijna, Jane Manus, Marc Ganzglass, Aaron Davidson, Melissa Dubbin, Robert Chambers, Liam Gillick, and Dahlia Morgan. Also in attendance: Mark Rosenthal, Curator of the Twentieth-Century Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Marion Boulton Stroud, Director of The Fabric Workshop and Museum, George Lindemann, Bonnie Clearwater, Kirk Landon & Pamela Garrison, Sylvia Karman Cubina, Sasha Erwitt, and many others.
Later that night, Calix Gustav Gallery held a reception celebrating Flash, internationally acclaimed fashion illustrator and designer Barbara Hulanicki’s first state-side exhibit, comprised of a series of colorfully infused rock and fashion pictorials, which reflect the artist’s life experiences as well as her wild and free imagination, the exhibit also housed a grand, hot pink chandelier made of Bebe stilettos, wedges and platforms custom made by Hulanicki. Calix Gustav owner and curator Amanda Fernandez-Leon along with Hulanicki, artist Jonathan Stein and participating designer Metis Tarta of Esvedra Designs were on-hand for the festivities.
Toys for Tots at Temple House
On Friday, December 10, local promoter Omar Gonzalez and Vice Mayor Michael Gongora headlined the 4th Annual Toys for Tots Toy Drive benefiting the Miami Children’s Hospital at Dan Davidson’s legendary Temple House. Over 500 toys were donated for children in need at this upscale private event. Notable guests such as Jorge Exposito, Louis Aguirre, Dan Sehres, Dr. Julio Gallo, Tony Ferro, Lauren Foster, and Elaine Lancaster enjoyed delicious cocktails and bites and were treated to a surprise performance of Christmas carols by our favorite local songstress, Maryel Epps.
“The primary goal of this private reception is to make sure no child gets left behind this Christmas” said Vice Mayor Gongora, who will be personally delivering the toys to Miami Children’s Hospital this week along with Gonzalez and other members of the host committee. Unwrapped toys are still being collected outside of Gongora’s office at Miami Beach City Hall 1700 Convention Center Drive on the 4th floor, so stop by and drop one off!