The Bass in Miami Beach opened in 1964 in an Art Deco library and arts centre built in the 1930′s and designed by Russell Pancoast facing onto Collins Park with its palm-tree-lined avenue which currently is guarded by Uno Rondinone’s ‘Miami Mountain’, leading up to the entrance with Sylvie Fleury’s neon lettering ‘Eternity Now’ shining above the stonework.
While The Bass has a substantial permanent collection – recent additions include the US/Cuban artists Allora & Calzadilla’s ‘Petrified Petrol Pump’ and Sanford Biggers’ ‘Poteau Mitan’, the focus after the recent refurbishment and expansion is on exhibitions by contemporary artists. The excellent refurbishment designed by Arata Isozaki & Associates and David Gauld has achieved a considerable increase in space within the existing footprint by ingenious infilling and expansion, including in the former courtyard, providing increased gallery display space, a new cafe and shop and a Creativity Centre for educational and outreach activities.
Currently, in addition to permanent and short-term works, for example by Pascale Marthine Tayou, there are exhibitions on three artists: American artist Aaron Curry’s graphic interplay between sculpture, collage and painting in ‘Tune Your Head’, the HAAS Brothers’ sculptures which cross the boundaries between sculpture and design, and Italian artist Paola Pivi’s varied installations inviting the viewers to engage with social issues of our time such as climate change and ‘false news’.
[…] other works on show in ‘Art With a View’ at The Bass in Miami Beach in Florida focus on a variety of issues and contradictions in our modern society […]