Art Basel Miami Beach 2024, held from December 4–8, marked another stellar edition of the internationally acclaimed art fair, with 286 galleries representing 38 countries and territories. Among the highlights were the distinguished Italian galleries, which brought museum-worthy works and contemporary masterpieces to a global stage. These galleries showcased not only the depth of Italian art history but also its dynamic presence in the modern art market. With Miami Art Week as the backdrop, Italian galleries demonstrated their prowess in capturing the attention of high-net-worth collectors, designers, and art aficionados alike.
Italian Art at the Forefront of Miami Art Week
Miami Art Week, synonymous with innovation and cultural exchange, provided the perfect setting to spotlight Italian art. As collectors scoured booths at Art Basel Miami Beach and its sister fair Design Miami, “Made in Italy” stood out as a hallmark of quality, craftsmanship, and cultural significance.
Lia Rumma Gallery (D10) – Naples, Milan
Lia Rumma Gallery has been a cornerstone of Italian contemporary art since the 1970s. The gallery is renowned for promoting conceptual and Arte Povera movements. At Art Basel, it presented an exceptional range of works. Among them was Wael Shawky’s “I Am Hymns of The New Temples.” Shawky’s ceramic masks, inspired by Pompeii, intertwine history and modernity. They tackle themes of identity, tradition, and transformation. His meticulous craftsmanship and layered storytelling resonate on multiple levels. This makes Shawky one of the most thought-provoking artists in contemporary circles. The gallery’s dedication to intellectual rigor and innovation positioned it as a standout presence. It successfully bridges Italy’s artistic heritage with contemporary relevance.
Website: www.liarumma.it
Instagram: @liarumma_gallery
Featured Artist: Wael Shawky
Instagram: @waelshawky
Cardi Gallery (J04) – Milan, London
Founded in 1972, Cardi Gallery brought a compelling mix of modern and contemporary Italian art. The booth highlighted Jannis Kounellis’ Untitled (2013), a poetic assembly of steel I-beams and personal objects that echo the artist’s Arte Povera roots. Kounellis, a pioneer of the movement, often used industrial and organic materials to challenge traditional artistic conventions. The steel beams in this work evoke the industrial age, while the folded black coat and shoes add a deeply human element, inviting reflections on displacement, memory, and materiality. Cardi’s booth exemplified the gallery’s reputation for curating thought-provoking, museum-quality works that invite viewers to pause and reflect.
Website: www.cardigallery.com
Instagram: @cardigallery
Featured Artist: Jannis Kounellis
Instagram: @archiviokounellis
Massimo De Carlo (G20) – Milan, London, Paris, Beijing, Hong Kong
Massimo De Carlo presented a dynamic and eclectic mix of artists, including Stephanie Temma Hier’s “Lonely Walls, I’ll Keep You Company.” Hier’s works combine near-realist oil paintings with ceramic sculptures. They recall the Vanitas tradition but with a playful, contemporary twist. Her tactile creations explore themes of consumption and materiality. Audiences are captivated by the juxtaposition of beauty and decay in her pieces. By pairing hyper-realistic painted objects with quirky ceramic frames, Hier challenges viewers to reconsider the boundaries between fine art and craft. Her practice reflects the gallery’s commitment to fostering innovative voices. It pushes the limits of traditional media and embraces creative experimentation.
Website: www.massimodecarlo.com
Instagram: @massimodecarlogallery
Featured Artist: Stephanie Temma Hier
Instagram: @stephanie.temma.hier
Mazzoleni (H06) – Turin, London Hong Kong
Mazzoleni’s booth celebrated the legacy of Enrico Castellani, a pioneer of spatialist painting. Castellani’s “Superficie bifronte in alluminio” (2008) showcases his mastery of manipulating light and shadow. He achieves this through carefully structured surfaces. The interplay of depth and dimensionality reflects his architectural training. It also highlights his connection to avant-garde movements in post-war Italy. Alongside Castellani, the gallery exhibited works by other Italian icons. This reinforced its mission to preserve and promote Italian art on a global stage.
Website: www.mazzoleniart.com
Instagram: @mazzoleniart
Featured Artist: Enrico Castellani
Instagram: @fondazioneenricocastellani
Galleria Lorcan O’Neill Roma (F17) – Rome, Venice
Galleria Lorcan O’Neill brought a mix of international and Italian artists, with a standout contribution from Gianni Politi. Politi’s work, deeply rooted in Italian history and contemporary narratives, reflects his explorations of identity and artistic process. Drawing inspiration from Rome’s artistic heritage, Politi often employs bold, gestural brushstrokes and vibrant color palettes, creating works that feel both historical and distinctly modern. His contributions added a dynamic energy to the gallery’s presentation, bridging Italy’s classical past with its contemporary artistic ambitions.
Website: www.lorcanoneill.com
Instagram: @gallerialorcanoneill
Featured Artist: Gianni Politi
Instagram: @giannipoliti
Tornabuoni Art (G01) – Florence, Milan, Forte dei Marmi, Rome, Paris, London, Crans-Montana
Tornabuoni Art delivered an impressive array of modern and contemporary Italian masters, including Alighiero Boetti. Boetti’s “Mappa” (1983–84) and “Aerei” (1988) showcased his fascination with duality and systems of order. The booth also featured Untitled (1988), an intricate embroidery on cloth (46 ⅛ x 44 ¾ in), underscoring Boetti’s mastery of conceptual art. His exploration of themes such as geography, language, and chance has made him one of the most influential figures in 20th-century Italian art. Tornabuoni’s selection underscored its ability to present works that resonate with collectors seeking historically significant yet timelessly relevant pieces.
Website: www.tornabuoniart.com
Instagram: @tornabuoniart
Featured Artist: Alighiero Boetti
Galleria Antonella Villanova (Design Miami) – Florence
At Design Miami (Art Basel’s sister fair), Diego Cibelli’s “Siamo tutti sotto lo stesso cielo” reflected the fair’s theme of “Blue Sky.” Cibelli’s exploration of domestic environments through intricate ceramics presented a vision of inclusive and imaginative living. Inspired by Italian craftsmanship and a global perspective, his works combined traditional techniques with forward-thinking design concepts. The project exemplified how Italian design continues to lead conversations around innovation and cultural exchange in the modern world.
Website: www.antonellavillanova.it
Instagram: @galleria_antonella_villanova
Featured Artist: Diego Cibelli
Instagram: @diegocibelli
The Role of Digital Transformation
This year, the digital transformation of the art world took center stage. Italian galleries embraced platforms like Instagram, not only as tools for showcasing art but also for engaging collectors in real-time. Stories, posts, and reels offered behind-the-scenes glimpses, artist interviews, and booth highlights, making Italian art more accessible to a global audience.
For collectors and designers, Instagram served as a dynamic space for discovering and bookmarking favorite works. The platform’s ability to create real-time connections between artists, galleries, and buyers underscored its growing importance in the art market, broadening access and driving sales.
Art Basel Miami Beach and Beyond
As Art Basel Miami Beach 2024 concludes, the enduring influence of Italian art on the global stage remains undeniable. From conceptual masterpieces by Alighiero Boetti to contemporary innovations by artists like Diego Cibelli, Italian galleries showcased works that resonate with collectors, designers, and art enthusiasts.
This year’s presentation reinforced the pivotal role of Italian galleries in advancing artistic dialogues and cultural exchange. As we turn our focus back to Italy and beyond, Live in Italy Magazine’s Visual Arts section will continue to spotlight exhibitions, art fairs, and gallery highlights throughout the year, celebrating the artistry and heritage that make Italian art a cornerstone of the global art world.
Future Art Basel and Design Miami Events
Art Basel and Design Miami continue to lead the global art and design scenes with their prestigious fairs in cities worldwide. Here are the upcoming dates:
- Art Basel Hong Kong: March 28–30, 2025
- Art Basel Basel (Switzerland): June 19–22, 2025
- Art Basel Paris: October 22–26, 2025
- Art Basel Miami Beach: December 2025 (Dates TBA)
- Design Miami Paris: October 2025
- Design Miami Basel (Switzerland): June 2025
- Design Miami Los Angeles: May 2025
For more details, visit the official Art Basel and Design Miami websites.
