Wednesday, December 3rd, 2009 12:25am.
Julianne Yates, Brett Amory and I departed from SFO, excited with our first trip to Miami and this America’s largest art fair, ART BASEL. I wasn’t able to manage buying a new bikinis (simply we run out of time), but I was so excited to experience new vibes, meet people, get inspired by art, and relax in the tropical weather in Winter time, which I’ve never experienced in my life.
Rubbing our red eyes, three of us fell a sleep soon after the plane took off.
We changed our plane at Texas, Dallas. Diamond night view of Texas from the sky…
MIA! Already filled with tropical feeling!
We stayed at a hotel called “Beach Paradise Hotel” on Ocean Dr. Brin Berliner, another travel mate, has checked in the hotel room already, taking a nap to store some energy for this adventure later on that night.
South Beach.
Our journey has begun.
Wynwood Walls: A collaboration between Deitch Projects & Goldman Properties
I randomly met Yone, a Japanese photographer from Cexwork. He was with his wife, strolling around the Wynwood area. I was able to talk with him about how the Japanese art scene is so closed-minded and does not allow young artists to create something new without worrying about public image – “People are stiff. Everything is done for money, and people just copy each other. That is why nothing new grows in Japan right now”, Yone said…
“Stages”
Raymond Pettibon’s piece.
I was surprised to see how famous Yoshitomo Nara, and Yayoi Kusama are besides Takashi Murakami in the United States. They definitely redefined Japanese aesthetic in contemporary art scene, not only in Japan but also in foreign countries. Their works are undeniably striking, but totally evolved from traditional Japanese aesthetics – they are something new. As a Japanese calligrapher, I aim to preserve traditional aesthetics and skills and at the same time break the boundary of strict rules and old-fashioned practices. If people begin to forget where we came from, and just look at the future… I wonder where Neo-Japan is heading to.
STAGES became one of my memorable places of this trip, and even of my life…
MaxFish
MaxFish, a hip & punk bar/art gallery in Lower East Side, NYC, installed their interior & exterior decorations in a space temporarily for Art Basel: art installations on the wall, illuminating bar, Jaccuzi Boys’ live performance, outside space, paint dripping on the exterior. It was lovely to mingle with people from all over the country.
To be continued..
