From Web3 Salon Sessions co-hosted with Polygon at the W South Beach to cocktails fêting a visionary sustainability exhibition by Model No., join Surface and the leading designers in our network for a packed Miami Art Week.
They say “go big or go home,” and for this year’s Miami Art Week, Surface is going bigger and better than ever with immersive art-meets-Web3 programming at the W South Beach. Those planning to be in town for the Art Basel and Design Miami/ VIP days can look forward to joining Surface for a series of thought-provoking salon-style conversations, a disco-fied lightwave bungalow, and opportunities to fête with our community of artists, designers, and creators.
Outside of our activation at the W South Beach, we’resharing details below on events from our community of Surface-approved artists and designers, including a panel with homeware designer Tina Frey, a ceramics exhibition presented by SCAD, and a multi-artist furniture launch by Model No.
For those not traveling to Miami, we’ll be recapping everything here on SurfaceMag.com and on social @SurfaceMag, so be sure to follow along.
Monday, November 28
3 – 5 p.m Surface x Polygon: Sustainability, Actually Doing Something Salon Session Location: W South Beach
Blockchain technology has a notorious carbon footprint—or does it? In this salon session, Surface and Polygon will introduce the next-gen thinkers and doers who are leveraging Web3 technologies and real-world action to fight against climate change. Come prepared to discover your place at the intersection of art, design, climate action, and the chain. Moderated by Surface senior editor Ryan Waddoups; speakers include: Garrett Nathan of the Better Days Foundation; Veronica Gessa/MokiBaby; Aleksandra Guerra of Nori; and Manda Kalimian of the Cana Foundation. Salon discussion will kick-off at 3:30pm; light refreshments will be provided.
10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Saint Laurent Rive Droit: Sexby Madonna Exhibition
Location: Beachfront at 17th Street
Saint Laurent is taking over at Art Basel Miami Beach with an exhibition of Steven Meisel photography from Madonna’s groundbreaking art book, Sex. Madonna and Anthony Vaccarello teamed up to re-issue the book, published in an 800-copy limited run by Callaway New York with the corresponding exhibition curated by Vaccarello himself. Select copies of the book will be signed by Madonna and sold in a charity auction to benefit her Raising Malawi philanthropy. Adults 18 and older can see the Art Basel Miami Beach exhibition through December 4.
Wednesday, November 30
9 a.m. – 10 p.m. Pilar Zeta and Miranda Makaroff at the W South Beach Location: W South Beach
Through Miami Art Week, site-specific artist commissioned works will be on view to the public at the W South Beach. Catch Future Transmutation, an interactive sculptural garden and large-scale installation by Pilar Zeta on the hotel lawn, and head to the property’s WET Deck for Miranda Makaroff’s An Amphibious Love Affair. Markoff’s work illustrates a colorful marine universe that intervenes W South Beach’s cabanas, adorned with neon abstract and oceanic “creatures” floating in the pool.
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Yellowpop x Andy Warhol Showcase Location: Yellowpop Wynwood
From November 30 through December 4, Yellowpop’s Wynwood store will be transformed into a neon gallery, highlighting its latest collaboration with The Andy Warhol Foundation. In celebration of both arts from present, past, and future, Yellowpop will be also offering customers the opportunity to transform their NFTs into custom LED neon signs, which the brand is renowned for.
For this year’s Design Miami/ fair, SCAD has collaborated with internationally celebrated Mexican studio Cerámica Suro on vibrant collections of glazed tiles by SCAD alumni artists Nicolas Barrera, Lauren Clay, Gonzalo Hernandez, Cory Imig, Abel Macias, and Nikita Nagpal.
Reflecting the artists’ unique creative visions, the tiles are showcased in a dramatic arched intervention by Barrera. The immersive installation, which also features new lighting and furniture designs by SCAD alumnus Marcelo Suro (B.F.A., industrial design, 2022), transforms over the course of the fair, with a different collection enlivening the space each day. SCAD at Design Miami/ embodies the university’s mission to provide opportunities for students and alumni to present their work on an international platform.
Additional viewing opportunities are available: Thursday, December 1 (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.), Friday, December 2, (12 to 7 p.m.), Saturday, December 3 (12 to 7 p.m.), and Sunday, December 4, (12 to 6 p.m.).
1 – 2:30 p.m. Tina Frey x Curio at Faena Bazaar Launch
Curio at Faena Bazaar has partnered with renowned homeware designer Tina Frey to launch a collection of resin pieces in five exclusive styles and colors. Frey, Curio founder Danielle Licata, and Curio home buyer and curator Monica Exposito will celebrate the collaboration with a live chat about the new collection, moderated by Surface associate editor Jenna Adrian-Diaz. Afterwards, guests can look forward to mingling with the co-hosts over specialty cocktails by Body Vodka.
3 – 5 p.m. Surface x Polygon: The Wearable Internet Salon Session Location: W South Beach
For wearable tech, the future is now: we’re living it. In this salon session, Surface and Polygon host tech wunderkind and entrepreneurial genius Iddris Sandu to share how NFC technology and the blockchain are making authentication, iterative ownership, and supply-chain transparency more visible than ever before. Get hyped to learn about what’s at the forefront of wearable tech as the LNQ founder shares what’s in store for 2023. Featuring Surface senior creative editor Nate Storey in conversation with Spatial Labs and LNQ founder Iddris Sandu. Salon discussion will kick-off at 3:30pm; light refreshments will be provided.
Located at 490 Biltmore Way, the Kartell Miami flagship store is situated amongst picturesque, Mediterranean-style streets, and just a few blocks from Miracle Mile – one of the city’s pre-eminent shopping areas. The store opening is part of Miami’s Art Week calendar and will be preceded by a special discussion with Roberto Palomba, in which the designer will give his vision of contemporary living. He will be joined by The Grand Tourist’s podcaster, Dan Rubinstein.
5 – 8 p.m. Surface x Model No: “From Waste to Wanted” Opening Celebration Location: Solana Spaces Wynwood
Artist Mike Han, Prowl Studio, 3D motion designer Natalie Liu, and Model No. Furniture are joining forces on an installation that features work transforming salvaged wood waste into wanted objects using 3D manufacturing. A story of circularity meets technology and imagination, the collection harnesses the physical and digital to create coveted objects without environmental harm and sheds new light on the enduring question: Is there a better way?
Stop by for a night of art, conversation, and refreshments. Can’t make the party? The exhibition will be on view at Solana Spaces from November 29 through December 13.
Airbnb and Nasdaq have teamed up with Miami artist Typoe to create a new public sculpture garden on The Underline to serve as a living, breathing space for connection and belonging. Join the artist for a cafecito with Miami’s Mayor, Francis Suarez, followed by an art talk with Airbnb and Friends of the Underline president and founder, Meg Daly, moderated by the Miami Herald’s Jane Wooldridge.
3 – 5 p.m. Surface x Polygon: Communities, Collectives, and Cohorts Salon Session Location: W South Beach
Shared spaces—from neighborhoods to niches of the metaverse—create community and foster creative expression. In this salon session, pioneering leaders of creative spaces will discuss breaking down the boundary between the physical and digital words with an emphasis on inclusivity. Moderated by Surface associate editor Jenna Adrian-Diaz; speakers include Worthless Studios founder and artistic director Neil Hamamoto; Bonin Bough, co-founder of Group Black; GRL of Prism Collective; art curator and author Tam Gryn; Fairchain co-founder and CEO, Max Kendrick; and Gianna Valentina, head of partnerships marketing at Spatial.io. Salon discussion will kick-off at 3:30pm; light refreshments will be provided.
3:45 p.m. Savannah College of Art and Design at Design Miami/ Design Talk Location: Design Miami/ Design Talks theater
SCAD President and Founder, Paula Wallace, will be joined in conversation with José Noé Suro of Cerámica Suro and SCAD alumni Abel Macias, Nikita Nagpal, and Marcelo Suro. Together they will discuss this year’s SCAD at Miami showcase.
