Art Basel prep 2008

All this week: Art Basel coverage. Comes tomorrow, a slightly updated version of the Basel Guide for Normal People from Critical Miami. Here today: some reading to get us into the mood.

1. “The feverish pace of art-buying is done” — an article in Spiegel Online makes the obvious analysis that the frenzy of buying shall to be tempered this year. First drop prices at New York art auctions, then at Art Basel sales, then galleries start closing (the article predicts that 30-40% may not make it), then artist careers wither. Basel may be “the litmus test” of how bad the recession will hit the world art market. Unlike the article’s writers, I’m not counting on Russian collectors to save the day. Drops in oil prices have done to the mood there what the banking crisis did in the US. (via)
2. A more optimistic note from Miami’s Artlurker. Also, Steve Kaplan sees the upside of the de-emphasizing of money, arguing that this year’s fair may be “the most democratic yet,” in the sense that the decrease in cash creates opportunities for less commercial interests.
3. Carlos Suarez De Jesus’ comprehensive guide in last week’s New Times, with maybe all the fairs, events, and goings-on. Key tidbit: Basel, Pulse, NADA, and Scope have all grown this year.
4. Another epic list of events at Soul of Miami blog, oddly with all links to various Tampa Bay Examiner pages, of which the coverage is actually pretty good. So you might as well refer to their overview of the fairs.
5. A Basel FAQ, mainly targeting out-of-towners.
6. Wynwood Magazine’s guide to Art Projects, outside installations gathered at Lummus Park, between 10th and 14th streets.
7. The number of fairs peaked last year with 20. This year it drops to 18: Flow and the Association of International Photography Art Dealers are gone.
8. The Associated Press released a completely slapdash and scattershot list of Basel-related events.
9. Performing at Art Loves Music Wednesday night will be Gang Gang Dance. [Update: everybody and their mother says NO, it’s Yelle ]. Performing at the Nada opening will be Casiotone for the Painfully Alone.
10. If all the fairs and events aren’t quite enough for you, swing by the Sagamore Hotel, which has its own program of events and an art installation.
11. New York Post’s Page Six, with a dubious list of “not to miss” parties.
12. “With everything that’s happening in the world right now, we need to slow down and spend more time looking at works.” An interview with Rosa de la Cruz.
13. Sure to be printing out the Public Programs listing from the official Art Basel site.
14. And as always, all your Art Basel Miami Beach coverage are belong to Art Fag City.