Last week was absolutely glorious for art lovers in Miami. Art Basel is the largest contemporary art show in the country, and its success cannot be denied. Street artists from all over America covered our walls in pure bliss, and sales were much improved from last year.
The art market roared back to life during its annual trip to Miami Beach, with galleries reporting double-digit sales growth.
Bouncing back from last year's weak showing, nearly 75 percent of galleries at Art Basel Miami Beach said sales revenue grew at least 15 percent over 2008. More than a third reported a sales hike of more than 30 percent.
The results confirm anecdotal reports of a weeklong sigh of relief by art galleries from around the world that rented space in the prestigious Miami Beach show, as well as the nearly two dozen satellite fairs that feed off the Basel hoopla.
That's the money stuff, the part of the scene I am not into. The hoopla in the streets was legal wall painting, and it included Shepard Fairey of Obama Hope poster fame.
The Primary Flight website documents this week's festivities, these are my favorites.
Shepard Fairey is the genius that created the Obama "Hope" poster that has become an oft-imitated icon of lots of things. He is also a street artist, and this year's Miami wall was his biggest ever. Dedicated to the punk ethos, he actually included my boys. Meat Puppets and Minutemen are the best bands ever, now they are immortal.
My daughter with Retna. He is from LA, and one of the cooolest cats I ever met. This year's piece is a wall to wonder by. You can see these from the highway. Rush hour on I-95 will never be the same.
This was a collaborative piece by four different artists. Just happened to stumble upon it on my way home Saturday morning.
Pandas in Miami. Word.
Her creator lives in Japan, but she will always be right down the end of my street.
The energy of the color and line in work like this cannot be overstated. There is an intensity in cutting edge street art that screams so loud that the eyes might explode. Imagine parking your car in front of this.
I feel so blessed to live less than three miles from another wall by Tatiana. Then, this weekend, to watch her paint a new one? Bliss.
Dude's name is Dolla. He paints for free. Go figure, and enjoy. My eyes have been living outside my skull for a week. I need to close them now.