MUCH ADO ABOUT NADA MIAMI: TOP 10 PICKS!

ANDREAS MELAS & HELENA PAPADOPOULOS, ATHENS, GREECE

INDEPENDENT CURATORS INTERNATIONAL (ICI)

NADA Miami Beach took place from the 6th-9th of December, 2012. This year the organization celebrated its tenth anniversary and exhibited over 60 international galleries, including 22 new exhibitors added to the fair.  From the press release: “NADA is very proud to be celebrating its tenth anniversary in Miami Beach. Each year, the fair has continued to move forward in both quality and collector support and 2012 looks to be the strongest edition to date.” Heather Hubbs, Director. Indeed, this year has been good for NADA. 2012 featured the first NADA New York and also the second summertime edition of NADA Hudson (in Upstate NY). Both were great and offer a new way to experience a fair, not only choosing to focus on younger, hip international galleries but also by veering away from the traditional booth sizes, rows, etc. NADA Miami Beach took place at The Deauville Beach Resort, a bit far away from the Art Basel madness, but once there the resort offered a relaxing, enjoyable setting at least for most. One of the complaints I heard from those who don’t like the location was the fact that it is held in a hotel and the presence of the space is evident as soon as you enter the lobby. This fact didn’t bother me as I quite liked having different rooms or sections to enter as a way to divide the amassed galleries. Three different main sectors, featured names such as Napoleon Ballroom,  Richelieu Ballroom, and Le Jardin. Within each space exhibitors and NADA project spaces were present. In a loose comparison to Art Basel, I felt that NADA was the strongest of the satellite fairs. The gallery selection offered some of the best up-and-coming galleries on a global level and the energy at the fair along with the chance to meet with so many friends was invaluable. In most situations exhibitors and their artists stay at the hotel and one gallerist described the scene as “art summer camp, but in a good way”.

Completing each section of the fair was quite satisfying but also revealed the scope and expansion that they are experiencing annually and I easily passed eight hours walking through the booths, giving my attention to various nooks and crannies where one might not expect to find art. Another section of the fair, introduced this year in particular was NADA Video Lounge, installed in the hotel Jazz Club, just off the lobby. Videos were shown in a loop and at the time of my visit, I was the only visitor to the room, but as we all know, watching videos requires a certain amount of cognitive attention, patience, and time that many during an art fair are not willing to give. The program, titled Under My Skin and curated by Grela Orihuela featured 17 artists representing 15 galleries both Joe Sheftel Gallery and (Art) AMALGAMATED were showing two different artists each. The entire loop took about 30/45 minutes, having sat through each video and then again halfway through a second time, specifics get blurry. Regardless, the addition was well curated and each contribution spoke of the physicality of the body in one way or another.

The New Art Dealers Alliance is an important art fair and one to watch as it continues to expand and play host to some of the most relevant, art galleries and organizations in the contemporary art community.  Now without further adieu, in no particular order and including the above images, my T O P TEN PICKS from N A D A MIAMI BEACH.

RACHEL UFFNER GALLERY, NEW YORK

THE HOLE, NEW YORK

TOOMER LABZDA, NEW YORK

LESLIE FRITZ GALLERY, NEW YORK

DEREK ELLER GALLERY, NEW YORK

TEMNIKOVA & KASELA GALLERY, TALLINN, ESTONIA

KATE WERBLE GALLERY, NEW YORK

PERES PROJECTS, BERLIN