Art Observed is currently in Miami preparing for tomorrow’s preview of the eighth edition of America’s largest contemporary art fair: Art Basel Miami Beach which will open to the public on Thursday December 3 and run through December 6.  More than 250 of the some of the most prestigious galleries from across the world will present over 2,000 artists of the 20th and 21st Centuries.  Earlier this year at Frieze Art Fair in London, organizers told the New York Times there were reports of ”significant sales from new and established galleries exhibiting at the 2009 fair.” Now, in light of results that exceeded expectations at Sotheby’s and Christie’s evening sales – with the former fetching $134.4m for 55 lots and the latter bagging $74.2m for 39 lots – there is further reason for confidence to be restored in the art world.

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An excerpt of an earlier collaborative performance at The New Museum’s Younger Than Jesus show

On November 20th, ArtObserved attended a Performa event that was unlike many others. The evening started out engulfed in the crowd of stylish audiences, which noisily filled the small entrance lobby and occasionally poured out onto the sidewalk for a smoke or some air. As many languages resonated across miniature gallery, anticipation seemed to rise to a crecendo. Needless to say, The Kitchen filled to capacity.

The artist, a young French native who is now based in Berlin, shuffled in and out of the performance space beyond the large black doors. Hurried, yet composed, he let escape an occasional smile to the public.

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