Newsweek attempts to discern the sociological and psychological factors that drive the high price of art.  “Some people actually prefer to pay more than makes sense.” [AO Newslink]

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Marina Abramović fielding questions after the preview screening of Marina Abramović The Artist is Present at Soho Beach House. All photos on site for Art Observed by Caroline Claisse.

Marina Abramović was on site at Soho Beach House to present her new documentary Marina Abramović The Artist is Present, which was recently confirmed to show at Sundance Film Festival, and will air on HBO next year. The showcase featured a looping 15-minute preview clip—made while the film was still in production—and between each screening was a Q & A session with the artist and her filmmakers Jeff Dupre and Matthew Akers. Moving from the second floor screening room, a cocktail reception at the 8th floor poolside bar followed. The after-party was attended by the artist herself, along with Dasha Zhukova, magazine editor Jefferson Hack, and Waris Ahluwalia, among others. Both the viewing and the party were sponsored by NOWNESS, an online publication on luxury lifestyle and entertainment. A slide show of fashion, travel, art, and gastronomy was projected by the pool.

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In his editorial in the Guardian “The Hideousness of the Art World” a mercurial Charles Saatchi, a determining force in Contemporary art’s recent history, doubles back with a view: “Even a show-off like me finds this new, super-rich art-buying crowd vulgar and depressingly shallow”  [AO Newslink]

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Vanity Fair’s satire of the Art Basel Miami Beach’s events: “The Greatest Art Basel Party in the History of Mankind” on behalf “HSBC Bank, Fiji Water, the Government of Finland, and the Edible Arrangements Corporation of North America” [AO Newslink]

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All photos by Caroline Claisse.

On December 1st Mexican-born artist Gabriel Orozco sat down with Michelle Kuo, Editor-in-Chief of Art Forum, kicking off the series of “Art Basel Conversations” in Miami this week. The yearly panelist series begins each fair with an actual artist contributing to the conversations, and Orozco’s multicultural influence and Latin American roots suited this year’s intent to bridge global connections. The artist’s focus skirted his Tate Modern retrospective that debuted in January, reflecting instead on the metacognitive forms of recognition and orientation in his work, most notably life-size Corplegados, or “folded bodies,” on site at Basel, and later on the archaeologically excavated whale skeleton work, Mobile Matrix (2006), and the recast skeleton of Dark Wave (2006).

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All photos on site for Art Observed by Caroline Claisse.

Art Observed was on site for night three of André Saraiva’s Le Baron party in the Florida room below the Delano.
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Marina Abramović, Waris Ahluwalia, and friend in the back of Paris Paris. All photos by Caroline Claisse.

The grittier, satellite party to Le Baron, André Saraiva’s ‘Paris Paris’ pop-up karaoke club opened its exclusive downstairs doors Wednesday night. Paris Paris is something of a throwback, taking place in the original home of Le Baron after the latter jumped from the basement of Shelborne to Delano, with a few stops in between. Artists Marina Abramović, Aaron Young, and Nate Lowman, among others, arrived sometime after midnight, a full-band-backed karaoke session awaiting. Featuring mixologist Charles Vexenat’s Pernod Absinthe infused “Green Beast,” Paris Paris remains open through Saturday night, with Saraiva closing out the week with a Sunday BBQ at the Standard Hotel.

Karaoke on the stage

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Artist Erwin Wurm in attendance at the Bass Museum of Art for his opening of Beauty Business. All photos on site for Art Observed by Caroline Claisse.

Erwin Wurm: Beauty Business held its opening reception at the Bass Museum of Art Wednesday night, along with several other Art Basel Miami Beach related events. The adjacent Collins Park displayed the Art Public sculpture park sector of the fair, and across the street Mr. Brainwash‘s 2nd annual “Under Construction” building takeover held its own party. Inside the Bass, crowds wandered through Wurm’s large gray architectural experiments and distorted sweater sculptures. Walls at each end of the ramp up to the exhibition space were dressed in sweaters themselves, covered in knit cotton with a neck hole and sleeves. Drinking Sculptures were arguably the main attraction and the most literally interactive. Wooden desks elevated or turned sideways invited viewers to open drawers and consume the bottles of vodka and whiskey stored within. One large wooden box on the floor had two holes in which to climb into and place one’s feet, shoulder width apart for a drink.

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The Gallerist as “industry matriarch:” The Wall Street Journal interviews Barbara Gladstone, purveyor of works from such artists as Matthew Barney and Anish Kapoor. [AO Newslink]

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Allora & Calzadilla, Umbrella and Bell (2011), front; Anish Kapoor, Untitled (2011), behind. At Lisson Gallery, booth J1. All photos on site for Art Observed by Caroline Claisse.

International collectors and art enthusiasts filled the Miami Beach Convention Center for the Wednesday preview of Art Basel Miami Beach 2011. While the maze of gallery booths could seem overwhelming, buyers were able to navigate through for a solid day of sales and works placed on reserve. Larger galleries such as Gagosian, David Zwirner, and Sprüth Magers sold several works and editions thereof. Speaking with Neil Wenman of Hauser & Wirth, “We’ve had a great response on the opening day. In particular for works by Thomas Houseago, Rashid Johnson, Paul McCarthy, Matthew Day Jackson, Richard Jackson—all works sold and all available editions.” Jenny Holzer’s new paintings at Sprüth Magers sold for upwards of $300,000, as well as Condos and Krugers at the booth. Lesser-known galleries were pleased to gain the exposure the fair offers; if not selling right away, interest was high and therefore also prospects for the remainder of the fair. Gallery Arratia Beer said the crowd was very engaged and informed, also saying, “The fair feels very international. It’s also good to see young internationals here too.” The newer Latin American presence was reportedly strong, both exhibiting and buying, as expected in Miami as opposed to the Frieze or FIAC fairs across the Atlantic earlier this year. Celebrities on hand included Julian Schnable, Eli Broad, Brett Rattner, Naomi Campbell, and Sean Combs/P. Diddy.

Larry Gagosian

Entrance D at the Miami Convention Center

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