America’s most-anticipated international contemporary art fair kicked off its 2024 edition. This year, Art Basel Miami Beach brings together more galleries than ever, plus an exciting lineup of showstoppers, like a $30 million Picasso painting. The fair is open to the public from December 6 to 9 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Art Basel Miami Beach 2024 Features 286 Galleries
Featuring 286 galleries from 38 countries, the 22nd edition of Art Basel Miami Beach is the largest to date. The fair showcases both established and emerging artists across several sectors. The main sector, Galleries, comprises leading international galleries and the artists they represent. A small selection of these galleries also exhibit curated presentations for the Kabinett sector, which Art Basel describes as a “jewel-box sector for thematic presentations.” The Survey sector spotlights pre-2000 projects and lesser-known artistic practices, while Nova focuses on works created within the past three years by emerging talents. Young galleries present solo exhibitions in the Positions sector, and the Meridians sector features large-scale projects that transcend the conventional booth display.
VIP Day Sales and a $30 Million Picasso
Following VIP days on December 4 and 5, major galleries at Art Basel Miami Beach reported strong sales before opening to the public. Blue-chip gallery David Zwirner reported 24 sales totaling $12.9 million, including a $3.5 million Infinity Nets painting by Yayoi Kusama. Hauser & Wirth sold a total of 20 works for a total of $15.16 million. Among these were a 2024 pastel by George Condo that fetched $2.5 million and a 2014 canvas and tarp piece by David Hammons, which sold for $4.75 million. Pace Gallery reported $4.16 million in sales, including a $1 million painting by Sam Gillam, and Gladstone Gallery sold a $2 million work by Keith Haring.
Couple with Cup by Pablo Picasso seems to be the most expensive work on view at Art Basel Miami Beach this year. Valued at $30 million, the 1969 painting is being offered by Acquavella Galleries, which is based in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Meanwhile, Helly Nahmad Gallery, a fellow New York City institution, is selling a monumental abstract painting by Gerhard Richter for $27 million.
Get the latest articles delivered to your inbox
Sign up to our Free Weekly Newsletter
The History of Art Basel Miami Beach
Art Basel was founded in the 1970s by a trio of gallerists in Basel, Switzerland. It has since evolved into one of the most renowned art fairs in the world, attracting global galleries and collectors to annual events in Basel, Hong Kong, Paris, and Miami Beach. Art Basel expanded to the United States with its first Miami Beach edition in 2002. The debut fair celebrated the city’s unique multicultural identity, showcasing 160 galleries from 23 countries and welcoming 30,000 visitors. It now coincides with Miami Art Week, which features satellite fairs, local art shows, and a first-of-its-kind digital art fair.
