MIAMI — I have made it to Friday without forgetting my press pass in an Uber or developing cafecito-related heart palpitations, and by Miami Art Week standards I’d call that a win. Yesterday we discussed serious matters, like the financial sustainability of the art-fair ecosystem, but today we are tired and regret having that third margarita at Bacara, so we will look at art.
I saw a dizzying amount of standout work at Art Basel Miami Beach, NADA Miami, and Untitled Art, but the week’s most underrated ticket was the Open Invitational, a new fair for nonprofits and galleries focused on artists with disabilities, or “progressive art studios.” Co-Founder David Fierman, whom I caught up with during Monday’s opening night, emphasized the importance of centering different ways of seeing the world.
“There’s a lot of purity in this work that is lacking in some of the higher echelons of the market,” Fierman told me. “Let’s have a story where people make a positive impact on people’s lives and do it in a really sustainable, human-to-human way.”
On that note, and without further ado, I’m sharing below my favorite works at Art Basel Miami Beach, NADA, the Open Invitational, and Untitled Art — from Mapuche artist Seba Calfuqueo’s ceramics to Michael Angelo Mangino’s pithy text paintings and Alissa Alfonso’s whimsical sculptures.
Hop and Lydia Peternell, co-founders of Studio Route 29 in New Jersey, a “progressive art studio” that supports the creative practices of adults with developmental disabilities
Rebecca Bell is a news writer for the Bloomfield Free Press, specializing in sports, education, and technology. She has been writing about these topics for years, and she's passionate about helping people understand what's going on in their world. Rebecca loves to write about things that matter to people—whether it's a new education initiative or an innovative way to increase your child's athletic performance.
