Anitta Kicks Off Art Basel Miami Beach
Art Basel has returned to Miami Beach. Officially, things have yet to open but the parties have begun as the celebrities, artists and collectors touch down in the city.
On Monday evening, gallerist Marianne Boesky hosted an intimate cocktail reception for collectors and artists including Jammie Holmes, Nikolai Haas, Sarah Meyohas and Celeste Rapone at Mandolin Aegean Bistro in the Design District. Nearby, Craig Robins hosted the exhibition opening for “A Train of Thoughts” at Dacra headquarters before making his way outside to Jungle Plaza, where JR unveiled his larger-than-life “The Chronicles of Miami” mural, with an open to the public kick off event. Guests included Robins, Jackie Soffer, David Adjaye, Riocam and Robert Gallardo. Taking to the stage was none other than Anitta, who tried her hand at DJing.
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“A year ago we were actually shooting one of the locations to make this mural here,” JR told the crowd. “We had a giant truck and people would walk in and we’d photograph them individually and record their story. We went all over Miami to record more than 1,000 stories.”
“This is such a big gift for Miami, this beautiful mural,” Anitta said when it was her time at the turntables. “JR asked me to be here and I told him I could come only if I could show Miami a little bit of Brazilian funk. So tonight we’re going to play Brazilian funk with all these important fancy people from Miami for Art Basel, the way we deserve. You ready?”
In Wynwood, Ginori 1735 and Kering hosted a cocktail reception, catered by Casa Tua, for the new edition of the Reborn Project in the lush backyard of The M Building. The project, curated by Frédéric Chambre, includes a collection of ceramics made in collaboration with ten artists. The evening was cohosted by president of Kering Americas Laurent Claquin and president and chief executive officer of Ginori 1735 Alain Prost.
“I’ve never seen them finished, so tomorrow will be a great surprise,” said Cathy Vedovi, who owns The M Building and also contributed to the project. Her plate design was inspired by turtle shells and the Miami seascape, with gold detailing. “I went twice to the factory because I really needed to explain that I wanted it to be modern. In the beginning they made the leaves like a Renoir painting, and I said no, this is not for grandma — this is supposed to look like a very classic pattern but it should be quite modern.” The set retails for $40,000.
“I’m crazy about Saint Laurent and the white and black, so this was my idea to show who I am,” said French architect Isabelle Stanislas, another of the featured artists. “My work is really minimal and based on lines,” she added. “When you put food on the plate, you want to see the food too, so the food now is like an art. I wanted to make it so that the food can be the colors inside the white and black plate.
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