Work by Innovative, Eclectic Artists on Exhibit at Aqua Art Fair

MIAMI—Several hotels hosted satellite art fairs during the run of Art Basel Miami Beach last week. Aqua Art Maimi, held at the Aqua Hotel in South Beach gathered an eclectic group of galleries, many from California and other parts of the West Coast which was the original focus of the fair when it began in 2005, as well as Atlanta, the Washington, D.C. region, and elsewhere.

“Barque Series,” 2012 by William Randy Moody of the Welch School of Art & Design at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

The range of offerings was wide, unique and relatively affordable when compared with Art Basel. Hotel rooms on two floors surround a central courtyard. The experience of wandering from room to room, visiting each gallery was reminiscent of an art walk in a neighborhood with great galleries.

The Aqua Art Miami fair was at the Aqua Hotel in South Beach from Dec. 6 to Dec. 9, 2012.

Work by internationally known fine artists such as Gary Simmons was presented, as well as innovative artists working in mixed-media such as porcelain and found hardware and sculptures of precious stuffed animals made to look like they are composed of soft textiles, but are actually created with concrete.

All photos © Arts Observer

“Iconocraste au bat IV,” 2012 (porcelain, glazing, baseball bat) by Laurent Craste at Galerie Sas of Montreal.

Portrait by Kelsey Shultis at the Tappan Collective of Los Angeles.

Trio of encased basketballs by Evan Robarts at the Tappan Collective of Los Angeles.

“Ill Nation,” (capsules, mixed media on wood) by Greg Haberny at Lyons Weir Gallery of New York.

“Donuts Sereis,” (acrylic on paint color swatch) by Cory Oberndorfer at Alida Anderson Art Projects of Washington, D.C.

Galleries exhibited work in rooms that surrounded the hotel courtyard.

Train cars: Clockwise from top, “CONRAIL,” “USLX #2” and “TPW #2” by “Tim Conlin at Ghostprint & J Ferguson of Richmond/Farmville, Va.

Detail of “HowTheWestWasOne,” (two duratran collodian prints mounted over LED panel) by Will Wilson at Eileen Braziel & New Mexico Arts of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

“Lightboxes,” 2012 by Marcia Vaitsman at Whitespace Gallery of Atlanta.

“Big Head Ted c 433,” 2012 (concrete, toy parts, silk) by Ross Bonfanti at Blunt Collective of Toronto.