Must-See Shows and Exhibitions During Miami Art Week 2025
Must-See Shows and Exhibitions During Miami Art Week 2025
Miami Art Week 2025, running from December 1 to 7, transforms the city into a vibrant epicenter of contemporary art, drawing collectors, curators, and enthusiasts from around the globe. Anchored by the prestigious Art Basel Miami Beach, the week features an array of satellite fairs, museum exhibitions, gallery shows, and immersive installations that blend creativity with Miami's unique cultural landscape. This year, themes of identity, technology, environmentalism, and human connection dominate, reflecting broader societal shifts. With over 20 art fairs and countless pop-ups, navigating the event can be overwhelming, but focusing on standout shows ensures a rewarding experience. From beachside sculptures to introspective museum retrospectives, here's a guide to the unmissable highlights, offering a mix of established masters and emerging voices.
At the heart of the week is Art Basel Miami Beach, held at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Featuring over 280 galleries from across the world, the fair showcases modern and contemporary works in sections like Nova for recent innovations, Positions for emerging talents, and Meridians for monumental installations. Highlights include booths from Locks Gallery presenting American modernism with pieces by Louise Bourgeois and Willem de Kooning, Berry Campbell focusing on women in abstract expressionism like Helen Frankenthaler, and Mayoral highlighting Spanish postwar artists such as Joan Miró and Wifredo Lam. The fair's Conversations series, free to the public, features talks on art markets and technology with speakers like Jeffrey Gibson and Edwidge Danticat. Public days run from December 5 to 7, providing access to this global art marketplace amid Miami's sunny backdrop.
Beyond the convention center, museums across the city roll out ambitious exhibitions. The Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), with its stunning Herzog & de Meuron-designed building overlooking Biscayne Bay, hosts Woody De Othello's first solo museum show in his hometown, titled "coming forth by day." The Miami-born artist's ceramic and bronze sculptures anthropomorphize everyday objects, infusing them with human emotions and spiritual undertones. The installation includes walls coated in red-orange clay and a herbal fragrance, creating an immersive environment that explores themes of renewal and ancestry. Also at PAMM, "Elliot & Erick Jiménez: El Monte" draws from Afro-Cuban mythology, blending photography with site-specific elements to evoke sacred spaces. The twin brothers' work fuses Lucumí traditions with Greco-Roman influences, presented in a dimly lit chapel-like setting that feels both intimate and expansive.
The Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami) in the Design District presents five solo exhibitions, making it a must-visit hub. Standouts include Masaomi Yasunaga's "Traces of Memory," his first U.S. museum solo, featuring ceramics that resemble geological relics, crafted from glazes and minerals to symbolize decay and rebirth. Igshaan Adams' intricate tapestries and suspended sculptures explore personal and cultural narratives, while Joyce Pensato's retrospective spans five decades of her graffiti-inspired paintings of cartoon icons like Mickey Mouse and Batman, turning pop culture into something haunting. Andreas Schulze and Richard Hunt round out the lineup with abstract explorations. ICA's commitment to free admission and bold programming underscores Miami's role in amplifying underrepresented voices.
In Wynwood, the street art mecca comes alive with the Wynwood Mural Festival and the Wynwood Walls unveiling its 2025 theme, "Only Human." Curated by Jessica Goldman Srebnick, the exhibition features new murals by artists like Cryptik, Joe Iurato, Miss Birdy, Persue, and a collaborative piece by Retna and El Mac. These works probe what remains uniquely human in an AI-driven world, blending street art with introspective themes. Nearby, the Margulies Collection at the Warehouse offers free admission December 1-6, showcasing "Pop Art" with icons like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein alongside "Records of the Past," featuring Lewis Hine's poignant photographs of child labor. The neighborhood's energy peaks with pop-ups, performances, and open studios at spots like Bakehouse Art Complex.
For immersive experiences, head to the beaches. Es Devlin's "Library of Us" at Faena Beach is a 50-foot kinetic sundial sculpture stacked with 2,500 books that influenced the artist's career, from Umberto Eco to James Baldwin. Surrounded by a reflective pool and a 70-foot reading table, it invites visitors to engage with literature in a communal setting. The installation, open December 2-7, includes LED screens and readings, with books donated to local schools afterward. Underwater, the Reefline project debuts Phase 1 with Leandro Erlich's "Concrete Coral," submerging 22 concrete cars seeded with corals to create marine habitats. Guided dives from December 1-5 offer a unique blend of art and environmental activism, part of a planned seven-mile sculpture park.
Gallery shows provide intimate counterpoints to the fairs' bustle. At Spinello Projects in Little River, celebrating its 20th anniversary, "Changes: Reflections on Time & Space" features works from founder Anthony Spinello's collection, including pieces by Farley Aguilar, Agustina Woodgate, and the Jiménez twins. The exhibition pairs early and recent works, highlighting Miami's evolving art scene. Nina Johnson Gallery in Little Haiti hosts "Acid Bath House," a queer maximalist group show with 26 artists like Juliana Huxtable and Carrie Yamaoka, alongside Dara Friedman's sculptural installations on astronomy and Emmett Moore's functional sculptures. In Allapattah, the Rubell Museum unveils solos by Yu Nishimura, whose dreamlike paintings draw from Japanese manga, and Joanna van Son, plus a Yayoi Kusama Infinity Room. Marquez Art Projects presents Kat Lyons' "Full Earth," depicting Florida's landscapes with surreal elements like volcanic terrains and wild animals.
Other notable fairs include Untitled Art on the beach, emphasizing emerging artists with spotlights curated by Petra Cortright; NADA Miami at Ice Palace Studios, focusing on early-career painting; and Design Miami in Pride Park, marking its 20th anniversary with contemporary designs from dealers worldwide. Satellite events like AfriKin Art Fair celebrate African diasporic artists, while No Vacancy installs temporary works in 12 Miami Beach hotels, featuring talents like Pepe Mar and Edison Peñafiel.
Miami Art Week also integrates interdisciplinary elements. The Bass Museum hosts Lawrence Lek's "NOX Pavilion," an AI-themed installation imagining therapy for sentient cars, complete with interactive games. MOCA North Miami features Hiba Schahbaz's "The Garden," a feminist take on paradisiacal myths with over 70 works, and Diana Eusebio's "Field of Dreams," using natural dyes to honor Afro-Dominican heritage. Further afield, NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale's Robert Rauschenberg centennial show and Norton Museum's Dutch Golden Age exhibition offer historical depth.
As the week unfolds, these shows not only showcase artistic innovation but also foster dialogues on pressing issues like climate change and cultural identity. Whether snorkeling over submerged art or contemplating ceramics in a museum, Miami Art Week 2025 promises a sensory overload that reaffirms the city's status as a creative powerhouse.
FAQ
What are the dates for Miami Art Week 2025?
Miami Art Week runs from December 1 to 7, 2025, with most fairs and exhibitions aligning with this period. Key events like Art Basel Miami Beach have private previews starting December 3.
Which museums should I prioritize during the week?
Top picks include Pérez Art Museum Miami for Woody De Othello and the Jiménez twins, ICA Miami for multiple solos like Masaomi Yasunaga, and MOCA North Miami for Hiba Schahbaz's "The Garden."
Are there free events or installations?
Yes, installations like Es Devlin's "Library of Us" at Faena Beach and the Margulies Collection (December 1-6) are free. Many museum talks and outdoor murals in Wynwood are accessible without tickets.
How can I experience environmental art during Art Week?
Dive into the Reefline's "Concrete Coral" by Leandro Erlich for an underwater sculpture park, or visit exhibitions addressing nature like Kat Lyons' "Full Earth" at Marquez Art Projects.
What themes are prominent in 2025's shows?
Themes include human identity in a tech era (Wynwood Walls' "Only Human"), spiritual and cultural fusion (Jiménez at PAMM), and environmental renewal (Reefline, Yasunaga at ICA).