Hauser & Wirth’s $4.75 million sale of David Hammons’s Untitled (2014) led the slate of reported transactions from Art Basel Miami Beach’s VIP preview, which got underway yesterday December 4th.
The 22nd edition of the largest art fair in the Western Hemisphere this year features 286 exhibitors and is the first under the directorship of veteran gallerist Bridget Finn. It takes place amid a packed Miami Art Week of more than 10 art fairs: Untitled Art, Miami Beach and NADA were among the notable events opening earlier in the week.
The $4.75 million Hammons sale is a far lower price than the leading sale reported at last year’s Art Basel Miami Beach VIP day, a $20 million Philip Guston painting (also sold by Hauser & Wirth). Dealers struck an optimistic tenor despite a more measured pace to dealmaking.
“After a dark and nervous season, it feels like the clouds have broken and the perfect blue-sky weather here in Miami is reflecting the art world’s mood––buoyant and fully engaged minus the overly frantic energy of the past,” said Hauser & Wirth president Marc Payot. Mega-dealer Larry Gagosian also noted that “collectors are taking their time,” but said that his gallery enjoyed “a great start to the fair and sales have been strong.”
“There is an appetite for great things and the market feels like it’s coming back,” he added.
Here, we round up a selection of notable early sales reported by galleries at Art Basel Miami Beach 2024. Check back on Monday for our full round-up of sales from the fair.
