The Art of Connection: Why Art Basel Still Matters
Issue No. 2 - Tracie Howard Dickerson
INTRO | Art as Diplomacy
Every December, Miami Beach becomes the epicenter of the art world — a convergence of color, commerce, and culture. From the Convention Center to Wynwood’s industrial rooftops, Art Basel Miami Beach remains more than a fair — it’s a reflection of how art connects the world.
For Ethos Squared, connection is the art form. Whether in Cape Town, Accra, or Atlanta, our mission mirrors Basel’s essence: to bring the world together through creativity, collaboration, and storytelling. The 2025 edition amplifies that message louder than ever — centering cross-disciplinary collaboration, digital innovation, and the creative voices reshaping our global narrative.
THE RELEVANCE | The New Language of Contemporary Art
Art Basel Miami Beach 2025 (December 5–7; Previews December 3-5) will feature 283 galleries from over 40 countries, with a notable rise in African, Latin American, and diaspora representation. This year’s theme — “the new language of contemporary art” — reflects a cultural reset, celebrating artists of color, women, and digital creators who are reframing identity, legacy, and modernity.
Once a Eurocentric showcase, Basel has evolved into a global conversation. African galleries such as Goodman Gallery (South Africa), Retro Africa (Nigeria), Gallery 1957 (Ghana), and SMAC (South Africa) now command prime visibility, featuring artists like Zanele Muholi, William Kentridge, and Ibrahim Mahama.
Their works — from Muholi’s immersive photographic portraits to Mahama’s monumental jute-sack installations — tackle migration, labor, and post-colonial identity. For the diaspora, these expressions aren’t simply art. They’re declarations of presence.
As we like to say at Ethos Squared:
Luxury isn’t just lifestyle — it’s legacy.
CONVERSATIONS THAT MATTER
Lively debates with thought leaders on key topics shaping the world of art and culture. This year’s programming underscores the intersection of art, justice, and cultural memory. Among the highlights:
Charles Gaines x Bryan Stevenson
Art, justice, and the legacy of the American South.
(Dec 5, 2:00 PM, Room 101)Carrie Mae Weems & Nona Hendryx with Hans Ulrich Obrist
On how music, photography, and storytelling shape Black identity.
(Dec 6, 1:00 PM, Room 102)The Miami Effect
Exploring how collector patronage transformed Miami into a global art capital.
(Dec 6, 3:00 PM, Room 103)
Sonic Lecture by Chino Amobi & Moon Jérin
A multimedia sound art experience connecting music and digital innovation.
(Dec 7, 12:00 PM, Room 104)
Ming Smith Conversation
Honoring the first Black woman photographer collected by MoMA.
(Dec 7, 2:00 PM, Room 105)
Emerging Voices Series
On innovation, AI, and cultural equity.
(Dec 6, 11:00 AM, Room 106)
These dialogues illustrate what Art Basel — and by extension, Ethos Squared — stands for: using culture as a bridge between continents, generations, and ideas.
E2 GUIDE | Basel After Dark
This year’s programming underscores the intersection of art, justice, and cultural memory. Among the highlights:
🎨 Where to See the Art
Prizm & AfriKin Fairs — Satellite exhibitions dedicated entirely to African and diaspora art.
Nova Sector — Experimental works by emerging African artists.
Positions Sector — Bold, political statements from artists exploring memory and identity.
🍸 Where to Eat & Be Seen
Casadonna • Swan • Komodo • Carbone Miami • Mandolin Aegean Bistro
🎧 Where to Dance & Connect
Black Coffee — Mana Wynwood
Peggy Gou — Club Space
Âme vs Jimi Jules — Factory Town, Allapattah
Damian Lazarus & Michael Bibi — Club Space Terrace Closing Party, Dec 7
REFLECTION | The Diaspora Is the New Vanguard
African art isn’t a sidebar — it’s the center of the story. The conversations unfolding at Art Basel 2025 mirror Ethos Squared’s vision: global, inclusive, and unapologetically Black.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Be part of the collective redefining luxury, culture, and connection.
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African Art at Art Basel 2025
African art is powerfully represented at the 2025 edition through galleries and artists from East and Southern Africa.
Afriart Gallery (Kampala, Uganda) presents a multigenerational lineup including Sungi Mlengeya, Sanaa Gateja, Richard Atugonza, Charlene Komuntale, Kaleab Abate, Fiker Solomon, and Henry Mzili Mujunga, highlighting material experimentation and conceptual diversity.
Goodman Gallery (South Africa) assembles a historically and politically resonant presentation featuring major figures such as William Kentridge, whose Italics Plus (2024) bronze glyph series explores language and everyday symbolism, as well as El Anatsui, Misheck Masamvu, Atta Kwami, Cassi Namoda, Kapwani Kiwanga, Kudzanai Chiurai, and Ravelle Pillay, engaging with themes of memory, migration, colonial histories, and displaced identity.
Digital Innovation: Zero 10
A new innovation in the presentation of digital art has been introduced at Art Basel 2025 through the Zero 10 platform, which explores the possibilities of art in the digital era.
Zero 10 highlights emerging forms such as generative systems, robotics, light, sound, and code-based practices, creating a space where technology and creativity intersect.
Curated by Eli Scheinman and supported by OpenSea, the platform features 12 international exhibitors, including AOTM, Art Blocks, Asprey Studio, Beeple Studios, bitforms gallery, Fellowship, Heft Gallery, Visualize Value, Nguyen Wahed, Onkaos, Pace Gallery, and SOLOS.
Notable artists include Lu Yang, presenting a solo work from the UBS Art Collection, and Dmitri Cherniak, whose algorithmic Ringers series blends sculpture with generative code.
Zero 10 reflects Art Basel’s commitment to digital innovation and demonstrates the evolving intersection of technology, creativity, and contemporary art.
DJs and Nightlife
Miami’s nightlife is an essential part of the Art Basel experience:
LIV Nightclub will host a special Basel edition with performances by Tiësto, Noizu, and John Summit.
Factory Town, Dreamscape events, and Wynwood parties bring together electronic, house, hip-hop, and R&B DJs to energize Miami Art Week.
Tickets: LIV Nightclub Art Basel 2025
Official Partner Hotels
For visitors attending Art Basel Miami Beach 2025, several partner hotels offer exclusive rates and perks:
Grand Beach Hotel Miami Beach – 20% off from Nov 26 to Dec 11, 2025 with code “BASEL”
The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach – 10% savings from Nov 30 to Dec 7, 2025 with code E0033
The Shelborne By Proper – 10% savings from Nov 30 to Dec 8, 2025 with code DARTB
W South Beach – VIP packages include private tours, fitness classes, oceanfront sand beds, and concierge support
Guided Tours
Customized tours for corporate and private groups are available in English and Spanish, with German, Mandarin, and Russian upon request.
All self-guided groups must register prior to their visit. Some galleries may be restricted due to fragility or space.
Tours can be booked via ArtNexus: tours@artnexus.com
Event Venue and Dates
Venue: Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Private / Preview Days:
Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025, 11 am–7 pm
Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025, 4 pm–7 pm (Preview)
Thursday, Dec 4, 2025, 11 am–7 pm
Thursday, Dec 4, 2025, 4 pm–7 pm (Vernissage)
Public Days (ticket required):
Friday, Dec 5, 2025, 11 am–6 pm
Saturday, Dec 6, 2025, 11 am–6 pm
Sunday, Dec 7, 2025, 11 am–6 pm
Tickets: Purchase here