The DIA's Friends of African & African American Art Take Basel

Art Basel Miami Beach, the largest modern and contemporary global art fair this side of the pond, celebrated its 20th anniversary and attracted almost 76,000 visitors across 88 countries. Leading fairs such as Prizm Art Fair—the first fair to focus on art from the African Diaspora during Miami Art Week—Design Miami, Untitled Art, New Art Dealers Alliance and many more take place contemporaneously, all benefitting from the palpable energy and volume of people ready to see, buy, promote and simply enjoy the art.

To coincide with festivities, the Detroit Institute of Art (DIA) Friends of African and African American Art (FAAAA) organized an unforgettable experience in Miami. Led by FAAAA Vice Chair Rod Hardamon, FAAAA Treasurer Tiffany Jackson, DIA Associate Curator of African American Art Juana Williams, Administrative Assistant Colleen McNamara, and supported by collaborators at William Blair, Rhonda Brown Fine Art and Commissioner, we together hosted 40 FAAAA members over an energetic three days. Baseling with the best of them, in addition to visits to multiple fairs, the program included gatherings at private collector homes; a stop by N’Namdi Contemporary in Little Haiti; the Pérez Art Museum Miami signature party; and a warm welcome by prominent collectors Don and Mera Rubell to their eponymous museum and partner restaurant Leku—here are some images from that night.

Supporting FAAAA and cultural organizations—big and small—in Detroit is part of Commissioner’s broader efforts to educate and empower people to collect and support artists. In May 2022, we launched our first chapter outside of Miami in Detroit, and have since been creating pop-ups, art trips and opportunities for exchange between and within our cities. Looking forward to bigger adventures, deeper connections and more art in 2023!