The artistic radar is on 

“Art itself is the natural projection of a soul.”

Art itself is ever-changing and difficult to grasp. My aesthetic sensibility and juxtaposition continue taking me to discover exceptional artwork by unknown artists, as much minor ones as major names, at recent Art Week Miami 2023. The famous international art fair Art Basel Miami Beach (North America Edition) offers a unique opportunity to see amazing contemporary works and extend the inspiring ground. 

Let’s embrace ambiguity in art and life. 

A visual adventure of exploring each layer and perspective of a landscape painting invites me in: at first glance, the dramatic monochrome blue as a key hue conveys a powerful subject – a nature scene, I thought it might be Yosemite but with fractured texture. I look closer then, the male figure with an exciting smile takes a photo; my lens zooms in closer, it reveals the crossover in a different direction, the other male figure seems to be melancholy reflecting in the water. When I see it far again, the whole landscape reappears. The key is to combine the contradiction of the opposite characters and similarity in a way that feels coherent and speaks of an artist’s own ethos and individual aesthetic which, of course, is a skill in itself.

I appreciate the ambiguity in the painting, reflecting that in life, sometimes the most interesting questions don’t always have an obvious answer. What we see is not what we see is necessary. 

I did not know the artist’s name at all before seeing their art, but the name is not important for me to discover art. Now, I find out the artist’s name, and get familiar with his unique stylistic approach and knowledge. It is a learning process. 

Reverence for the past in two wild Lego paintings 

My eyes are fixed on two supersize historic paintings: one is Washington Crossing the Delaware (1851 painting) by the German American artist Emanuel Leutze; the other piece is Sleeping Venus (1510) by the Renaissance painter Giorgione. The artist Ai Weiwei uses endless tiny Lego bricks to produce and display the “new” artworks, reverence for the past, but a new art scene appears, out of the ordinary.

I immersed myself in the Lego paintings, observing each detail of them, from left to right, down to up, repeatedly, with a new perspective and sense. The artist appreciates the original artwork, at the same time, not pastiche or reproduces it, but in bringing together the best of the past in a way that was personal, approachable and relevant to the era in which we live. It adds a degree of warmth, depth and connection with creativity, timeless and culture. The past and present never collide in the art, but rather converge in a style that speaks of icons.  

When blinds meet playful color pallet, I see his world

Another impressive painting draws me in, a rough, free gestural style with rich texture and seriality and vivid colors integrated on canvas with uneven frames. The painting opens a “window” to the audience, to glimpse its inner world with curiosity, by utilizing vinyl blinds and integrating a photograph of Manhattan, New York City into the artwork, it gives me a hint to recognize the artist might be living in New York, and to deliver a sensorial experience of city life and environment. My mind transports to the apartment located at the center of New York City, standing next to the window, allowing us to “listen” and “feel” its chaos, overwhelming us. It suggests us to experience “psychogeography”, a term borrowed from Guy Debord, a founding member of the Situationist International of the 1960s. The bold color depicts the audacity of big city personas. 

I am learning and reflecting the art trend by witnessing more provoking artworks and genuine creativity from leading galleries around the world. 

One standout moment occurred in front of a richly textured sculpture – a six-foot tall vital organ “heart”, the sound loop of the beating heart and its abrupt stopping of the beat pouring out from speakers captured my attention. I walk full circle around the heart, my heartbeat is so close with it, I am curious and want to break open the heart and see what is inside. 

Another whimsical creation that captivates me is a big yellow color phone leaning back against a big comb, from Karma gallery. What do you think what it means? I saw “support.” One of the most interesting things in appreciation is to expand our imagination beyond the art itself. 

One of the standout highlights is the surreal bright walking bag sculpture by Austrian artist Erwin Wurn, at Lisbon Gallery’s booth,a fashionable luxury handbag atop long and protruding skinny legs in stylish boots. I am inspired from his creativity, breaking from traditional composition and perspective, and revolutionizing the way in which an artist saw and transformed reality. 

Art is the effective and realistic language, we can listen and speak it  

The painting “Tea Time in New Haven, Enugu” is worth lingering. The Nigerian artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby’s family life speaks volumes in its own subtle way: the back wall, chairs, placemats, and shadows cast on the floor are collaged with family photos and clippings from the old Nigerian magazines, transferring to painting and the densely layered composition builds a meaningful memory of the past and a distinct identity for the artist herself.  

I am invited to a private creative room and transported to a playful and magical world, a lively golden sun reflects on a pure child’s heart and eyes, with a meaningful bond of artist OSGEMEOS’s artwork. They use a symbolic visual language inspired by their dreams, as twins, they claim to share, the paintings feature long limbed yellow skinned figures with thin outlines, enlarged faces, and simplified feature. 

The delight is in art 

Inspired by a stone carving of a snail at the Batalha Monastery in Portugal, The Haas Brothers’ newest blown glass and marble Microslimers offer a deeply personal reflection on family. Crafted in riotously colorful glass, the Microslimers emerge from ornate cast bronze or carved marble shells. With buggy eyes and emotive expressions and witty titles, the mollusks are at once humorous and heartfelt. 

I can’t take off my eyes from the painting titled Deep Feeling by the British artist Tracey Emin, evoking my emotional instinct. It is about love, loss, loneliness, hope and grief, as a female experience, and one of our natural parts. The intense and raw emotion has typified her practice, and she is bold and honest to define her own experiences in art. I think art likes a bridge to connect artist and audience. I would define the emotions as just data points for us to consider but are not facts. 

I’ve been familiar with some artists’ works for a while. I am re-entering artist Robert De Niro Sr’s world this time. His works from his period are distinguished by a high-key palette and improvised areas of freely brushed color defined by the strong outlines, and he simplifies the human form into a few bold curves. He was largely unrecognized in his time. 

One of my admirable artists Edmund de Waal’s new work “te lucis ante termimum, 2023”, shows at Galerie Max Hetzler gallery. The undulating, sequential visual rhythm of cylindrical forms established by de Waal’s placement of differently scaled sizes on a shelf conjure a fugue like sense of sound and music. Same as before, I stay longer to “listen” to a profound meditative music. It is a very personal experience to appreciate de Waal’s works. 

My artistic perspective is expanding through discovering the diverse artists’ echo and reverberation worldwide, the constant mercurial tension between old and new, tradition and contemporary that keep the art alive, constantly evolving and moving forward, beyond the fair itself. 

Art itself can tell a story, that they come with a little soul, trigger a memory, or create an association for people, evoking different feelings. Good art never looks the same twice. Art comes within a radar in our heart, and mind. In the discovery, I think, we should not be too focused on the mostly recognized artists’ names or brand; be brave to open artistic radars, be less formal but also more intuitive and experience subtle relationship with art, with surprise, excited and curious to see how the art will present and get into our world. It always is great fun to do! 

(Notes: Art Basel is the leading global platform connecting collectors, galleries, and artists, hosted annually in Basel, Switzerland; Hong Kong; Paris; and Miami Beach. Art Basel’s inaugural U.S. fair in Miami Beach, the city has transformed from a regional art enclave into a global art stronghold, which is set to attract more than 1,200 international galleries to its 20 art fairs, bring endless incredible artists and art enthusiasts to visit Miami and offer internationally renowned programming, exhibitions, and public installations during Miami Art Week. There are three largest global fairs: Art Basel and Untitled Art, also Design Miami/. I witnessed its rich artistic scene and diversity through various initiatives and programs. I highly recommend you participate in Miami Art Week. It is worthy traveling and exploring.)