Ryzenberg On: Art Basel Celebrations

The 305 rolled out the red carpet last weekend for Art Basel Miami Beach and the glitterati took center stage.

What started out 11 years ago as a winter art fair to showcase modern art from around the world, has transformed into the most prestigious art fair in the Americas. The original Art Basel takes place every summer in Switzerland, and it’s sort of like a Fashion Week for the arts (and they both include beautiful people, enviable fashions and suberb art oh yeah, and splendid surroundings)

Hundreds of galleries from around the world gather at the Miami Beach Convention Center and show more than 2,000 pieces of art. This is more of a Mecca for modern art lovers, dealers, collectors, curators and celebrities looking to add a new Warhol to their wall.

But Basel wouldn’t be complete without its well-known bashes, and this year it was no different. Roberto Cavalli attended the Raphael Mazzucco book launch at Mr. Chow, while Harley Viera-Newton attended the Dom Perignon Luminous Party at the W South Beach. Miami Heat Superstar Dwayne Wade, Lily Donaldson and Naomi Campbell made a cameo at the DSquared2 cocktail and dinner and style icon Daphne Guinness hosted a dinner for M.A.C. Louis Vuitton hosted the Art.sy Beachside Barbecue at Soho House and guests included model Dasha Zhukova, Adrien Brody and Waris Ahluwalia.

Other events included a Pringle of Scotland fete hosted by Tilda Swinton, a Missoni dinner and fashion show and countless other cocktails around town.

This is some serious elbow rubbing going on. This is not just movie stars parading around but investment bankers, models, artists and fashion designers pay a visit to Miami and its beautiful beaches during Basel. This is certainly the ‘IT’ scene for December – and what’s more marvelous is that jet setters don’t have to deal with snow and can sip mojitos on the beach wearing the latest resort collections. 

Now what can be better than that?

Ryzenberg On, is Signing Off

PHOTOS: Vogue and Vogue Paris