The Bass
In 1963 John and Joanna Bass bequeathed 500+ works to Miami Beach with the stipulation that a Bass Museum of Art would remain open to the public in perpetuity. It’s housed in a 1930s Art Deco building that was originally a public library but the inside is now thoroughly contemporary. (Image 1)
‘Welcome Wall’ by Pascale Marthine Tayou leads you to the museum’s constantly revolving display (Open Storage) of their Old Masters collection, hung salon style amongst contemporary additions. It’s a fascinating way to compare the progression of art. (Images 2-3)
Upstairs, large galleries enable really big works to be displayed — like a giant petrified petrol pump by Allora Calzadilla or Gummo VI (car wash) by Lara Favaretto (@Lara_Favaretto) seen here behind a work by AVAF (@assumevividastrofocus) (who made the fuzzy back a lot more fun than the front!) — as well as smaller works like ‘Light’ by Urs Fischer (@ChaosUrsFischer) (Images 4-6)
There’s also plenty of space for rotating exhibitions.
‘Absence Revealed’ by Maria Martinez-Canas (@mphotogram) studies grief and loss by collaging original 1920’s wallpaper onto personal clothing. ‘Perimeters’ by Naama Tsabar (@NaamaTsabar) encourages visitors to play deconstructed instruments. And ‘Alex Israel (@AlexIsrael) x Snapchat’ turns pop-art portraits into immersive A/R portals. (Images 7 - 9)
All 3 were fantastic temporary shows, but I was even more impressed they had loaner iPhones so that everyone could enjoy the A/R!
It’s just one of the many terrific things about the museum, whose curators have struck an exceptional balance of enabling a deep dive into what’s new, regional and/or cutting edge whilst mixing in more well-known names. That’s why The Bass (@TheBassMoA) is now top of my list of Miami’s ever expanding contemporary art options.
When you’re done, be sure to wander through the beautiful Collins Park to enjoy the world famous Miami skies and ‘Miami Mountain’ by Ugo Rondinone (@UgoRondinone0) (Image 10)
Visit https://thebass.org or @TheBassMoA on Instagram for more info