Art For Art's Sake

When I moved to Miami in '79, I kept hearing it referred to as a "cultural wasteland." There was plenty of stuff to do and see, it seemed to me, like a bunch of art movie theaters, and some museums, but I guess compared to Northern cities it was the provinces...

Somehow, over the past 20 years, our city has evolved to a major art capital, hosting the world famous Basel show each year, and tons of galleries and new museums. I few years ago, during an art walk, I met an impressive young dealer, who had moved here from Boston. She told me that Miami, along with NYC and LA, is considered one of the major art cities, at least as far as contemporary art is concerned.

I really wish I appreciated art. I don't, largely. I mean, I guess I really like photography, and realism. But when I visited Art Basel a few years back, as the guest of a neighbor who is an exec with the fair, I felt like an idiot. Some of the stuff, which was selling for TONS of money, was well beyond my ken....or even Barbie...

I guess it's good for the city -- tourism spikes, and all the hotels sell out. And they're not cruise ship type tourists who buy t shirts and eat at Hooters -- these are international wealthy art collectors.

Wifey and I are planning to attend one event. Since I'm a member of the Miami Book Fair, an event I DO care about, we got invited to a brunch at Miami Dade College on Friday am as part of one of the satellite fairs.  It ought to be a nice morning -- we'll park in my office and take the People Mover to the event. But that will be it for us.

Apparently for top art galleries, they do more business during Art Basel Week in Miami than they do the rest of the year. Good for them. I hope they get plenty of billionaires who want replicas of ocean waste on a fake beach in their mansions. That was actually a display I saw when I visited the PAMM, or Perez Art Museum of Miami a few years back.

Still, it's nice to live in a place where lots of stuff goes on -- in case we decide to participate.

Last weekend we had dinner with some nice folks -- they have a house near the Villages north of Orlando, and were saying they hoped to move there in a few years. Wifey asked what there was to do, and the answer was, basically, some decent restaurants.

Wifey and I don't get it. When you have more time, near or at retirement, it seems to us THAT'S the time to live where there is a lot to do, not the opposite.  But to each his own, as the expression goes.

So I'll give the art thing another try on Friday. Maybe there'll be a beach scene all in black, since that's how the artist sees it.

Either way, maybe the food will be good...