Arts

Remember those unsettling dancing babies? The ones that got passed around the Internet in the days before social media and eventually made their way onto the Fox TV show, Ally McBeal? Those were GIFs.  

GIF stands for graphics interchange format. It's a series of still images, looped --  and last month, after 25 years of existence, it was named the Oxford English Dictionary 2012 American word of the year.

Christopher Janney's sound and light installation for Miami International Airport was unveiled during last year's Art Basel Miami Beach. This year, he's back to discuss the piece on a panel during Design Miami, today (Friday, Dec. 7) at noon. 

While Art Basel takes Miami by storm, the feeder bands have already reached the fine arts community in Broward County.

Pompano Beach gallery owner Tom Rossetti says he is readily jumping aboard the Art Basel bandwagon by launching his second annual "Basel Broward" event this week.

Rossetti started calling for artist entries for Basel Broward about six weeks ago.

I know why I got the assignment to write about the shoes. It's because I'm an older, generally well-meaning white guy whose cluelessness, tinged with naive sexism, would be more hilarious than these actual shoes from Art Basel.

Let me be clear, I see nothing funny about this. And I am a little offended by the idea that men are not capable of forming reasonable opinions of women's shoes.

For all you art aficionados, Art Basel is an amazing time. For commuters in Miami, however, this is pretty grueling. 

Even though Art Basel officially starts today, last night's launch parties pretty much jammed up the downtown area.

This is about the time I would really like to have a helicopter #traffic #ArtBasel#ABMB

Here at WLRN, we are acknowledging one of the secret, insider joys of Art Basel week: the people-watching.

Yes, the art is the core of Basel and the satellite fairs. But the real showcase happens when you inject a mix of international artists, collectors and dealers with our usual mélange of tourists, club kids and local aesthetes.

Only in Miami. Only this week.

Which is why we are asking you to help us document it. While you’re out looking at the people art, send us your favorite only-in-Miami-during-Basel images:

Galleries were flooded, artwork destroyed and the New York art word left reeling when Hurricane Sandy hit at the end of October.

A month later, several of those galleries damaged in the historic storm are now in Miami for Art Basel.

Often “Art Basel” is used as shorthand for the many arts events that coincide with the Art Basel fair itself, which takes place inside the Miami Beach Convention Center. 

But throughout Miami, galleries and artists are exhibiting their work so there really is something for everyone this week.  Below is a small sampling for various persuasions. 

You hate contemporary art: Endless Renaissance at the Bass Museum.