Culture

Untitled Art Fairs, NADA and KDR: A Captivating Part of Miami Art Week

During Miami Art Week, all eyes were focused on Art Basel Miami, but other venues also served to showcase captivating works such as the Untitled Art Fairs, NADA, and KDR.

Por: Rubén Carrillo
Untitled Art Fairs, NADA and KDR: A Captivating Part of Miami Art Week / Photo via courtesy
Untitled Art Fairs, NADA and KDR: A Captivating Part of Miami Art Week / Photo via courtesy

The Untitled Art Fair in Miami Beach always stands out for its wide-ranging and fascinating program. This year the theme was “East Meets West” with a look at works by South and East Asian artists and galleries that rarely make it to Miami. 

 

For example, Los Angeles-based Rajiv Menon Contemporary Gallery specializes in emerging South Asian and diasporic artists. Their exhibition included the intricate embroidery of Viraj Khanna and the metal sculptures of Tarini Sethi.

 

Inspired by traditional shadow puppetry, Sethi’s figurative pieces challenge cultural taboos in India surrounding the depiction of the female body.

 

Korean galleries also made an impact with works created using hanji, a traditional mulberry paper. At Seoul-based BHAK Gallery, Bo Kim crafted striking abstract paintings with weathered textures and grid patterns across the surfaces. Another Seoul-based gallery, Voda, showcased Gio Yang’s evocative figurative works, where somber yet serene landscapes reflect the healing power of solitude.

Rajiv Menon Gallery at Untitled Art Photo by World Red Eye
Rajiv Menon Gallery at Untitled Art Photo by World Red Eye

Local artists also made a strong impression at the fair. Emerson Dorsch exhibited figurative paintings by Taiwan-born Elleen Lin, inspired by the inconsistencies she found in translations of Moby Dick. At the Ant Project, Miami-based Carina Mask’s atmospheric photographs of rural Japan, juxtaposing Akita prefecture’s bonfire festivals with the dark, ancient Aokigahara forest. 

 

Her work was paired with ash-colored textile art by Mexican artist Andrea Bores, resulting in an elemental presentation. Mexico also featured prominently in Miami-based Ilsse Peredo’s installation Nieve de Mamey, comprising photographs from rural villages during Día de los Muertos celebrations. As gallery owner Aurelio Aguilo explained, the work explores the “profound connection to death” found in traditional cultures worldwide.

Artwork by Chavis Mármol at NADA Miami 2024 Courtesy of the artist and JO-HS Gallery
Artwork by Chavis Mármol at NADA Miami 2024 Courtesy of the artist and JO-HS Gallery

More exhibition offers

Across the causeway at NADA (New Art Dealers Alliance), the offerings were harder to pin down. One local artist remarked on the abundance of “fantasy figuration,” while another noted a recurring car theme. 

 

Among these, the most intriguing automotive-inspired piece came from New York’s Entrance Gallery. Nathaniel Matthews’ Warhol-esque screen prints, titled Destructive Opulence, juxtaposed Formula 1 crashes with Maria Callas arias — both representing moments of climax.

 

Local talent also had a strong presence at NADA. Baker — Hall gallery debuted with ethereal paintings by Melissa Wallen, while Primary featured Spanish artist Paola Santomé, whose hand-embossed aluminum reliefs reinterpret female mythological figures like Medusa and Eve. 

 

Meanwhile, KDR showcased a monumental Impressionist canvas by Magnus Sodamin — described by dealer Katia Rosenthal as “our little Miami Monet” — depicting an Everglades sunset. However, this year’s fair lacked the usual vibrant, accessible atmosphere, further diluted by large commercial booths like one from a Puerto Rican luxury resort.

Installation view of "Something Last" at Alcova Miami 2024 Photo by Ori Harpaz
Installation view of "Something Last" at Alcova Miami 2024 Photo by Ori Harpaz

At Design Miami

Lastly, at Design Miami, the corporate emphasis was as prominent as ever. Known for its brand activations, this year’s highlights included animal-shaped bean bag chairs by Bottega Veneta and a nonsensical immersive installation by Saratoga Bottled Water. 

 

Land Rover sponsored a light display tenuously tied to “filmic expressions of Miami”. Other eye-catching exhibits included Ippodo’s Japanese ceramics, Mindy Solomon Gallery’s Patagonia-inspired ceramics, and Australian artist Nick Thomm’s Turrell-inspired booth.

Untitled Art Fairs, NADA and KDR: A Captivating Part of Miami Art Week / Photo via courtesy
Untitled Art Fairs, NADA and KDR: A Captivating Part of Miami Art Week / Photo via courtesy

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