• Review of Design Miami/Basel 2008
• Official site of Design Miami Basel 2007
• Preview of Art Basel 38
• Review of Art Basel 38

By Ania Dardas

Let a week in Miami chase the winter blues away while you tank up on visual wonders at Art Basel Miami Beach 2008.

From December 4 to 7 this year, visitors to Miami will enjoy the offerings of more than 240 galleries and more than 800 participants with around half of the exhibitors from the US and the other half from Europe, Latin America and a few galleries from Asia.

Look out for various events that highlight not just the work of artists and personalities from the world of art but also their thoughts and philosophy. During the immensely successful Art Basel Conversations, you can hear artists, art collectors and critics exchange views and experiences to provide an insider’s view of the art scene. Art Salon leads with book launches, roundtable discussions, lectures and talks. Art Nova presents the latest in pieces fresh from the artists’ studios from 58 emerging and established galleries. And Art Supernova presents work from 20 galleries whose exhibition areas interconnect and overlap.

On the beach front you can check out Art Positions presented in shipping containers and in public spaces you’ll find Art Projects specially chosen and installed outside to interact directly with spectators and their surroundings.

And there is so much more. This is the 7^th edition of Art Basel Miami – less of an exhibition and more of a happening.

And if you happen to be in Miami anyway, you could worse than drop by Design Miami. Taking place between December 3 and 6 at the Miami Design District, Miami Design runs in parallel to Art Basel Miami and takes advantage of the captive audience of art and design specialists and lovers to provide a provocative design showcase.

There are four principal areas of interest: the design galleries who present their work in beautifully installed and curated exhibits; the satellite exhibitions are also curated installations that have been, however, typically organized individual designers, museums, schools or other organizations; watch out for the design talks where designers explain their work in their own words and lastly find out who has been named Designer of the Year.

Enjoy Miami in December.