Noah Horowitz in Basel, 2022. Photograph by Noé Cotter.
Jeni Fulton
Ahead of the Miami Beach show, he shares his highlights, thoughts on art fairs and what he gets up to on Sundays his highlights, thoughts on art fairs and what he gets up to on Sundays.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Art Basel Miami Beach. What are you most looking forward to as the new CEO, and as someone who knew the fair intimately in your previous position as Art Basel’s Director Americas?
Noah Horowitz: I’m really looking forward to returning to Miami Beach and watching the city come alive again, with the events staged by the museums and the private collections. To reconnect with everybody on the ground there and see the new look of the fair since I left. Meridians, our sector dedicated to large-scale artworks has become an integral part of the show, and we’ve finessed its look and feel. There are 289 galleries participating – our highest number ever – and amongst them many exhibitors that I haven’t worked with before, and who I look forward to getting to know. The continued evolution of the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) which was a renovation project that I led; now coming back and seeing it really flourishing will be another highlight.
The Miami art scene has evolved substantially over the last two decades, what changes are you most inspired by?
I’m inspired by how the community has come together and sees itself as a progressive, global hub fostering great art, architecture, and design – as a city of culture at the highest possible level. This is not just through its museums and art institutions, but also in terms of funding: voters recently endorsed a $159 million funding program benefitting the city’s 16 arts and culture facilities, with, for example, $20.1 million going to The Bass to fund a new wing.
What will your focus be as incoming CEO?
A key focus will be consolidating our position as the world’s leading fair platform and ensuring that for each of the cities we operate in, the fair has its own distinctive color, direction, integrity, and level of quality. I want to empower our team to run and lead those fairs under my guidance. Then looking at the bigger picture – expanding Art Basel’s remit to engage with the communities that we serve beyond the fairs – to serve the broader market and our constituencies through innovation. The recent launch of Arcual, the blockchain platform for smart contract solutions which we co-founded together with LUMA Foundation, gives an indication of some of the new kinds of opportunities I envision for growing the company.
The position of CEO is a new one at Art Basel. What specific qualities do you bring to the role?
I think I bring a real track record for and commitment to innovation within the art market, as well as a deep level of trust and extensive relationships within the gallery, collector, and institutional community. I look forward to leveraging and deploying that skill set, as well as my passion for entrepreneurialism, to benefit this large and multifarious organization that is Art Basel.
How is the creation of this role a signifier of shifts in the art fair landscape?
As we extend beyond our 50th anniversary – and celebrate 20 years now in Miami Beach – we have become more than just a fair. Art Basel today is an integral touch point for the global art world, a platform for building artists’ markets and supporting galleries in the broadest sense.
What advice would you give to someone attending Art Basel Miami Beach for the first time?
Try to cover the fair from top to bottom, let your own interests guide you, and take in as much as you can. Set aside some time to come back over multiple days – I think that’s important because it’s quite overwhelming. Also make sure to see some of the other great museum, private collection, and gallery shows in Miami during the week. And don’t forget to spend some time outdoors – swimming, biking, jogging, paddle boarding, whatever gets you going. The city has so much to offer, it’s a truly special week.
What is the first piece of art that inspired you?
I had a Black Cross by Kazimir Malevich in my childhood bedroom, which is still there. The early 20th century avant-gardes were where I got my start – Malevich, Mondrian, Moholy-Nagy, Duchamp – this idea that there was some other alternative reality out there for what art could be. The Mondrian show at the Fondation Beyeler in Basel earlier this year was inspiring in this regard.
What is the last show you saw and loved?
The Ragnar Kjartansson show with Luhring Augustine at their space in Chelsea, New York, which is on right now. It is just extraordinary. I walked in and stayed for the whole 30-minute cycle of the piece. He’s an artist that I’ve followed for years. Just being in an environment like that – the three-dimensional reality and operatic quality of the work – is incredible, a powerful reminder of art’s transformative power.
And where can we find you on a Sunday?
In New York City, somewhere between kids’ sports commitments, dim sum, and a museum.
Source: https://www.artbasel.com/
The 20th edition of Art Basel in Miami Beach is less than one week away and will take place from Thursday, December 1 to Saturday, December 3, 2022. With over 280 leading galleries in attendance, there is much to discover at this milestone event. We encourage you to secure your tickets before they sell out. Kindly note that tickets are available exclusively online, and capacity is limited.
