Introducing a major new sector within the Miami Beach fair, Meridians offers a platform for ambitious and large-scale sculptures, paintings, installations, film and video projections, as well as performances that push the boundaries of the traditional art fair layout. The sector will be presented in the Grand Ballroom at the MBCC, an exhibition space of almost 6,000 m² (60,374 ft²) directly connected to the exhibition halls.

‘In the inaugural edition of Meridians, large-scale sculptures, paintings and video installations dominate, some of them revisiting cultural narratives that deal with issues such as race, gender and territory. Given the uniqueness of each project, Meridians articulates a very organic exchange of ideas and positions, unveiling conceptual overlaps, themes and interests that have emerged from this year’s strong selection of projects’, said Magalí Arriola, curator of Meridians.

Highlights of the sector include: Laure Prouvost‘s immersive installation ‘DEEP TRAVELS Ink’ (2016-ongoing), a pseudo-functional Miami travel agency complete with water coolers, plants, posters, office desks, waiting area and corporate infomercials; ‘Dance of Malaga’ (2019), the latest video produced and directed by Theaster Gates, addressing the complex and intertwining issues of race, territory, inequality, and sexuality in the recent history of the United States; and Isaac Julien‘s nine-screen film installation ‘Lina Bo Bardi – A Marvellous Entanglement’ (2019) that explores the visionary modernist architect and designer Lina Bo Bardi’s most iconic buildings and their legacy.

The artists and works represented in Meridians show a strong focus on the Americas, reflecting the fair’s emphasis on the region. Alongside works by US artists such as Tina Girouard, Allan McCollum, Fred Wilson, Portia Munson and Alexis Smith, the sector features works by Luciana Lamothe from Argentina; Artur Lescher from Brazil; Flavio Garciandía and Ana Mendieta from Cuba; José Antonio Suárez Londoño from Colombia; and Jose Dávila,Miguel Calderón, Pepe Mar, and Tercerunquinto from Mexico.

Exciting new works by a younger generation of artists will also be featured, including: ‘La Charada China (Tobacco Version)’ (2019) by Candice Lin, utilizing symbolically and historically significant materials to reflect on the global histories of exploitation and colonial violence; ‘Cool Composition’ (2019), an installation by Miami-born artist Woody De Othello that touches upon the anxieties around global warming as well as the aesthetics of the African diaspora; a video titled ‘Ishmael in the Garden: A Portrait of Ishmael Houston-Jones’ (2018) by Adam Pendleton; and a new painting on wood panels by Torey Thornton.

Full list of artists represented in Meridians:

John M. Armleder, Almine Rech
Frank Bowling, Hales Gallery
Miguel Calderón, kurimanzutto
Jose Dávila, Sean Kelly
Sam Francis, Galerie Thomas
Tom Friedman, Stephen Friedman Gallery, Luhring Augustine
Flavio Garciandía, Mai 36 Galerie
Theaster Gates, Richard Gray Gallery, Regen Projects, White Cube
General Idea, Mai 36 Galerie, Mitchell-Innes & Nash, Esther Schipper
Tina Girouard, Anat Ebgi
Isaac Julien, Victoria Miro, Galeria Nara Roesler, Jessica Silverman Gallery, in collaboration with Galerie Ron Mandos
Luciana Lamothe, Ruth Benzacar Galeria de Arte, in collaboration with Galleria Alberta Pane and Steve Turner
Artur Lescher, OMR, Galeria Nara Roesler
Samuel Levi Jones, Galerie Lelong & Co.
Candice Lin, Ghebaly Gallery
Pepe Mar, David Castillo Gallery
Allan McCollum, Petzel
Ana Mendieta, Galerie Lelong & Co., Alison Jacques Gallery
Mario Merz, Konrad Fischer Galerie
Richard Misrach, Pace/MacGill Gallery, Marc Selwyn Fine Art Gallery, in collaboration with Fraenkel Gallery
Portia Munson, P.P.O.W
Manish Nai, Kavi Gupta
Woody De Othello, Karma, Jessica Silverman Gallery
Adam Pendleton, Pace Gallery
Laure Prouvost, Lisson Gallery
Alexis Smith, Garth Greenan Gallery
José Antonio Suárez Londoño, Galleria Continua
Tercerunquinto, Proyectos Monclova
Torey Thornton, Morán Morán
Barthélémy Toguo, Galerie Lelong & Co.
Oscar Tuazon, Galerie Chantal Crousel, Luhring Augustine, Galerie Eva Presenhuber
Claude Viallat, Ceysson & Bénétière
Fred Wilson, Pace Gallery
Wu Chi-Tsung, Sean Kelly

For further information, please see artbasel.com/miami-beach/meridians

Media Reception
Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Private View (by invitation only)
Wednesday, December 4, 2019, 11am to 8pm
Thursday, December 5, 2019, 11am to 3pm

Public days
Thursday, December 5, 2019, 3pm to 8pm
Friday, December 6, 2019, 12noon to 8pm
Saturday, December 7, 2019, 12noon to 8pm
Sunday, December 8, 2019, 12noon to 6pm

Press accreditation
Online registration for press accreditation is now open. Please note that press accreditation for our show in Miami Beach is taking place online only. Therefore, it is important to register and apply online before coming to the fair. Please visit artbasel.com/press/accreditation.

Upcoming Art Basel shows
Miami Beach, December 5-8, 2019
Hong Kong, March 19-21, 2020
Basel, June 18-21, 2020