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| Patrice Worthy, Publisher PWorthy Archives |
Art Basel Miami wraps up today and I will be the first to
admit I love the event. Art Basel, like Scope, and Design Miami are
organizations that understand art and inspiration are found in the unlikeliest of
places. Though many of the satellite fairs and events happening at Art Basel Miami
can be exclusive, the official fairs tend to be good newbies who genuinely want
to learn about art. It was at Design
Miami that I met Sir David Adajaye. I learned about the architects and
architecture influenced by Black culture and that experience is still with me. I
say that to say this, when it comes to art fairs, do your OWN thing. It may
seem counterintuitive with all the glamourous parties and celebrity guests, but
taking the time to learn about art is invaluable. You never know who you’re
going to meet or what you’re going to learn about at panel, discussion or talk.
Be a nerd for a day.
The Art of Black Miami showed me what can happen when the
Black community comes together to support artists. I learned about the rich history of Black neighborhoods
of Miami and the strategy to leverage art and culture to stave off gentrification
in Black neighborhoods. The model is working and making the Art of Black Miami
one of the coolest Art Basel events. While in Miami, check out PAMM they have some
awesome exhibitions. After spending most of my downtime time in museums, I’ve
learned that’s it’s the winter when museums get the most traffic. Why? They’re
warm, cozy, and offer free indoor activity - viewing art. This spirit of the winter
is begging us to slow down and turn inward. There is nothing better than going
on a museum date, sipping hot cocoa, and taking time to reflect.