The greatly anticipated Miami Art Week, Art Miami, and Art Basel Miami Beach along with many other top-tier satellite fairs are fast approaching starting November 30th and running through December 5th, 2021. Featuring more than 253 international galleries and exhibitors, this massive multi-fair festival is known for its unparalleled level of accessibility to exclusive artist events and private, curated collections in Miami Beach. As a preeminent international art fair, we step behind the scenes with Michael Papadeas, of Untitled Art Fair, to learn more of what we can expect from this year’s art extravaganza featuring the best of today’s modern and contemporary artwork.

*(L-R) Artist Christian Curiel, Michael Papadeas, and Rafi Papadeas at NXTHVN community art space in New Haven, CT.*

Maison Benjamin: What is your professional background and how did you become involved in Art Basel and Miami Art Week?

Michael Papadeas: My background is mostly in media and luxury marketing. That brought me into different spaces where brands and culture come together. I found naturally, by living in New York City, my way into the art world and then noticed a bit of a gap between, that's the culture and commerce. You see it now, being quite prevalent (in art) where brands really drive conversations and lead. I thought it was an interesting space a decade ago to bring these worlds together, and now we're seeing a lot of this today. I take a more strategic approach and try to really craft meaningful partnerships between brands and the art world, so we're sort of feeding each other. I think that's the importance of having brands and corporations involved in the artwork. They can facilitate work getting done, enfranchising artists, and creating meaningful interactions in the art world.

MB: How do you anticipate Miami Art Week and Art Basel Miami Beach 2021 going in comparison to past year’s events?

MP: I see it as a full-on, post-pandemic coming-out party for those of us who run around those cultural spaces. We didn't have Coachella, we didn't have Art Basel, we didn't have Frieze, we didn't have all these mainstay events, everything where people kind of had their cultural calendar. This is going to be a test and sort of the first time that it's really coming back in full force (since Covid). Now that the European travel ban is lifted, we're anticipating it being as busy as it has been in the past, but with a much more significant impact. People would go and do these things and kind of go through the motions. Now I think everybody's sinking their teeth into these experiences and saying this is going to be big, and everybody I speak with, they're all excited to go.

MB: What have you learned working in the art world and creating large-scale events?

MP: I’ve learned how important art is to society, but also specifically for certain groups, certain communities, certain segments of the population, especially those that don't necessarily have the exposure to the ''art world.'' That's why I think public art is important, access is important. Another reason why I’m passionate about the space I’m in, where you have culture and commerce meet, is because brands allow for greater access (to art). We can bring art to various communities and enfranchise different groups and individuals that wouldn't ordinarily have the opportunities to experience art. What art is, and essentially what it does, it's like the megaphone coming from the streets, right? Artists are the ones talking about societal change, talking about human rights, talking about individual’s rights. I think it's incumbent upon everybody to pay attention to those artists.

MB: For future fairs, is there anything new (mediums, artists, etc.) you would like to try to incorporate?

MP: I think what's really interesting is this exploration of the physical meeting the digital world and vice versa. You see a lot more of it (art). You see more public art, you see more access to our REC market programming, and now with NFTs, and that crypto craze, I think you're going to have an even more re-energized interest in the arts.

MB: Tell us what we can expect from this year’s VIP Program.

MP: Collector visits and collector home visits are a really big thing, where (visitors) can view things that you wouldn't otherwise see in galleries. We'll also have a good bit of live performances this year at the fair. Our Artistic Director, Omar López-Chahoud, at Untitled, is really keen on creating a program that's interactive, engaging, and with a lot of movement and activity. This being the 10th edition of Untitled, there's going to be some extra special programming brought by our guest curators: Natasha Becker, Miguel A. López, Estrellita Brodsky, and José Falconi. We're going to be doing a series of some interesting talks by our curators. The guest curator programming is what the VIP program is going to be centered around. We'll also have a special champagne bar provided by Palmeri this year. I think people coming together for the first time in a long time is really going to be the most genuine VIP experience; it is being able to have that privilege and opportunity to get together again.

Maison Benjamin is also thrilled to be part of this year’s Untitled Art Fair and looks forward to offering exclusive experiences for our clients. Contact us here for more information or if you would like to schedule a service today.

Michael Papadeas Takes Us Inside Art Basel, Miami Art Week, and Untitled Art Fair

The Ultimate Holiday Theatre Guide

An Insider’s Guide to the 5 Best Spots in Crete