Jeffrey Deitch & Sean “Diddy” Combs

Miami Beach, FL – December 4, 2013 – The Miami Beach Convention Center transformed from hum drum meeting hall to focus of the art world when Art Basel Miami Beach hosted its Collector’s Preview yesterday. The opening was met my hundreds and hundreds of hungry collectors (50,000 are expected before its close on Sunday) ready to see what made the cut at this year’s Basel. Inside, they found galleries like White Cube of London, where Damien Hirst showed, Pace Gallery, which sold an Antoni Tapies, and Lisson Gallery, which sold a set of jade handcuffs by Ai WeiWei within moments of the fair’s opening. Gagosian Gallery had a kind of star quality, as celebs flocked to the booth in space K12. In total there are 258 galleries, including Miami’s own Spinello Gallery.

The shocking dominant medium at this year’s fair, now in its 12th year: Paint. Yes, paint. The medium that was deemed dead not so long ago made a magnificent return to Art Basel. Oils on canvas, yes, but also think metallic monotone pieces.

Admiring—and buying—the work were the likes of powerhouse collectors like Eli Broad, Qiao Zhibing and Michael Eisner, as well as architects with major Miami projects, like PAMM co-designer Jacques Herzog, whose work opened to the public yesterday, and Richard Meier, who will speak at Design Miami/ this week. Even artists, like Jeff Koons were in the mix. Celebs, like Sean “Diddy” Combs and Leonardo DiCaprio perused the fair, too, as well as Rande Gerber and Cindy Crawford, spotted at Gagosian Gallery.

Sean “Diddy” Combs & Craig Robins

Sean “Diddy” Combs, Jeffrey Deitch, & Craig Robins

Jeffrey Deitch, Sean “Diddy” Combs, & Craig Robins

Jeffrey Deitch

Sean “Diddy” Combs

Elle Macpherson

Alex Rodriguez & John Tisch

Michael Bay & Sam Keller

Sean “Diddy” Combs

Rande Gerber & Cindy Crawford

Aby Rosen

Adam Lindemann, Aby Rosen, & Alberto Mugrabi

Seth Browarnik

Aby Rosen, Eva Chow, Alberto Mugrabi, & Michael Chow

Eva & Michael Chow

Todd Eberle

Janice Combs & Cassie

Retna

Rony Seikaly & Martha Graeff

Susie & Walid Wahab

Micky & Madeleine Arison

Ugo Colombo & Nicolo Cardi

George Lindemann

Laura & Hasaan Benjelloun

Larry Gagosian & Richard Meier

Tara Solomon, Larry Gagosian, & Richard Meier

Bob Colacello

Nelly Hooper

Scott Campbell

Marc Spiegler

Jason & Michelle Rubell

Michael & Nikki Simkins

Micky & Madeleine Arison

Diane & Alan Lieberman

Katherine Nichols & Courtland Lantaff

David Simkins

Emilio Perez

Alex Gartenfeld

Katherine Nichols, Sue Hostetler, & Courtland Lantaff

Adrienne Bon Haes & Marvin Ross Friedman

Adrienne Bon Haes, Marvin Ross Friedman, & Felix Hallwachs

Hazel Collins, Paul Renwick, Wendy Fisher, & Felix Hallwachs

Emmanuel Perrotin

Irina Sidoriva & Jason Pomeranc

Louis Aguirre, Gingi Beltran, & Jason Clarke

Audemars Piguet Collector’s Booth

Kim Heirston