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Art Basel Vernisage

There is such a buzz of excitement around all of Miami – as I was driving down Collins Ave from the airport, I saw at least three other art fairs loading in so there is a good bit of action and expectation in the city right now. Today was just a really busy day – not exactly a day for viewing much, but I did see a great Botero. I don’t remember who has it – or for that matter who bought it already – but all I could say was wow. It just stopped me in my tracks It’s a painting of a nun who is just exploding with internal conflict with these two little parsed lips desperately holding it all in. Just a fantastic painting.

I spent most of my time just trying not to bump into people – and I realize ABMB really opens tomorrow – so I expect it’s going to be really pretty crowded this year.

On the social end of things we had a free concert from Peaches on the beach – she seems a bit past her prime – she would have been great three or four years ago -she’s playing at the opening of Art Positions (these are the containers at the beach) but at least the organizers are trying to keep that area young (and she is german) so I can see how the choice was made. Plus she orbits the whole art thing a bit anyway.

Friday night Dennis Hopper is introducing a screening of “Easy Rider” which although Hopper has a art connection, it is still a pretty cool thing

But the big news was my meeting Russell Simmons – granted I only meet him for like 10 seconds but we are talking about Russel Simmons here – totally cool. I’m not even that big a hip hop fan. By the way, RS is one of the founders of DEF JAM records and the PHAT Farm clothing line. He was at a party being thrown in honor of Kehinde Wiley.

I discovered a really great magazine called “Parabol”. Each issue is curated like a show, but the really cool thing is the size – folded out its 33 inches tall by 23 inches wide opened its 33 by 46 inches. When its open its like the width of a double bed – the typography just screams off the page and there is no better way to look at art when its reproduced at such a great size. Many of you know I’ve been looking for issues of a magazine from the eighties called “The Manipulator” it has the same qualities as “Parabol”.

That is kind of it for ABMB today, however I was given a program guide for The Pompidou and the big news is that there is a Herge Show starting this December. Herge is probably best known for his comic “Tin-Tin” and who doesn’t love Tin-Tin. (note to Jimmy Cohrssen – I want at least one t-shirt from that show)

Tomorrow I’ll be visiting INK, ABMB, Aqua Art Fair and the Art Positions – so its a pretty big day.

One last note – hotels here have been charging almost double what they usually charge and people are screaming. Some folks are paying 600 – 700 a night for poor service at a premium price – so my 70 dollar hotel seems like a great value.

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