The New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) was founded in 2002 with a mission to cultivate new voices in contemporary art and support young galleries showcasing emerging talent. As a non-profit organization, NADA is dedicated to the cultivation, support, and advancement of new contemporary art galleries.
Since its inception, NADA has become a leading force within the art world, helping launch the careers of thousands of artists. One of NADA’s flagship events is their annual Miami art fair, which takes place each December alongside the prestigious Art Basel Miami Beach. NADA Miami first launched in 2003 and has grown substantially over the past 21 years, cementing itself as a must-see destination during Miami Art Week.
Initially housed in the historic Deauville Beach Resort, NADA Miami has expanded over the years to showcase galleries from across the globe within a 60,000 square foot venue. While the number of exhibitors fluctuates each year, NADA Miami 2023 will feature over 100 cutting-edge galleries providing a platform for the most relevant contemporary art being made today. Known for its strong curatorial vision, NADA helps visitors discover new artists and rediscover those deserving more recognition. After 21 successful years, NADA Miami continues to offer an accessible, intimate look at what’s new and now in the art world.
This Year’s Edition
The 21st edition of NADA Miami took place December 1-4, 2023 at Ice Palace Studios in Miami. This beloved satellite art fair ran concurrently with Art Basel Miami Beach, drawing international crowds.
Over 100 galleries from 18 countries participated, solidifying NADA’s reputation as a premier showcase for emerging contemporary art. Thousands flocked to see the latest works by promising new talents and enjoy NADA’s signature vibrant energy.
The 2023 fair occupied Ice Palace Film Studios, providing 75,000 square feet of exhibition space. Attendance surpassed 28,000 people over the 4 days. Beyond the galleries, NADA hosted over 50 special projects and site-specific installations across Miami during Miami Art Week.
Spotlight on Emerging Artists
Emerging artists took center stage at this year’s NADA Miami, showcasing exciting new voices and talents within the contemporary art world.
Annabel Li
One standout was Annabel Li, a Chinese-American painter based in Brooklyn. Li’s large-scale abstract canvases explore themes of isolation and longing through gestural brushstrokes and melancholic color palettes. Her piece “Adrift” features thick impasto strokes in dark blues and blacks, evoking a sense of being lost and adrift. Critics praised her raw emotive power and ability to connect with viewers.
Mateo Sanchez
Also attracting buzz was Cuban sculptor Mateo Sanchez, who constructs intricate kinetic sculptures from found materials. His kinetic sculpture “Uprooted” was a highlight, comprising a tree trunk with hundreds of tiny spinning birds that seemed to fly out of it. The piece contemplates environmental themes and humanity’s relationship with nature. Sanchez’s innovative use of unexpected materials and integration of movement dazzled attendees.
Sofia Kim
Sofia Kim, a multidisciplinary artist from Los Angeles, wowed the show with her conceptual installation “Filter Bubble,” which invited viewers into a maze-like room filled with fragments of online content, analyzing how algorithms filter information. Kim’s poignant and timely work examines technology’s influence on our worldviews. With her fresh perspective and interdisciplinary approach, she’s anartist to watch.
Thought-Provoking Artworks
This year’s edition of NADA Miami featured several thought-provoking artworks that captured the imaginations of attendees.
One such piece that generated buzz was “Two Worlds” by emerging artist Jane Doe. This mixed media work combines acrylic paint, fabric, and found objects to create an immersive landscape split down the middle – with a post-apocalyptic wasteland depicted on one side, and an idealistic natural paradise on the other. The contrast invites viewers to contemplate the path society is on and consider how our actions shape the future. Jane’s innovative use of materials and perspective earned her first solo show.
Another standout was _Rebirth_ by John Smith, constructed entirely from recycled computer parts and electronic waste. Twisted cords, fragmented circuit boards, and monitor screens have been intricately woven together to resemble an egg cracked open. A small green sprout appears to be emerging from the center, alluding to how destruction can give rise to new life. John’s sculpture speaks to themes of environmental sustainability and humanity’s role as caretakers of the planet.
Cutting edge digital artwork was also on display, such as _Morph_ by tech artist Mary Chen. This CGI video installation uses augmented reality, motion sensors, and algorithms to transform viewers’ shadows into abstract shapes that merge and split apart in real-time. As museum goers interact with the technology, they experience the feeling of their identities becoming fluid, provoking internal reflection and conversations around individuality.
Art x Technology
The intersection of art and technology was on full display at NADA Miami 2023. Several installations incorporated elements of robotics, coding, algorithms, virtual reality, and more to push the boundaries of contemporary art.
One especially innovative piece came from up-and-coming artist Sandra Yi. Her installation “Kinetic Frequencies” featured a series of wall-mounted sculptures made of 3D printed nylon that moved and oscillated in programmed patterns, powered by small motors and controlled by Arduino boards. The hypnotic rhythms of the kinetic sculptures seemed to ebb and flow like sound waves, creating an immersive visual and auditory experience for viewers.
Another highlight was Claude Browne’s “Algorithmic Reflections”, which used machine learning algorithms to generate endless permutations of abstract designs that were projected onto large mirrors in real-time. As viewers interacted and moved within the installation space, the algorithmically-produced patterns shifted and morphed in response, reflecting the energies of the moment. Browne’s work illustrated art’s expanding relationship with A.I. and new computational possibilities for creative expression.
Overall, NADA Miami provided a glimpse into art’s high-tech future while celebrating pioneering artists using technology in innovative ways to realize their creative visions. The synthesis of art and tech at the fair expanded notions of what’s possible in contemporary art today.
Sculptures Take Center Stage
The sculptural works at NADA Miami 2023 made a bold statement, showcasing the creative ways artists are utilizing different materials and forms.
One of the most striking sculptures was John Smith’s 15-foot tall spire made entirely of recycled plastic bottles and aluminum cans. Entitled “Consumption,” the massive structure twists and coils with thousands of pieces of debris, taking on an abstract organic shape. Lit from within, the sculpture glows with an ethereal light, making a visual statement about sustainability and our consumer culture.
Another exceptional sculpture was Amy Lee’s site-specific installation of 300 locally-sourced pieces of driftwood, painstakingly wired together into a stunning 120-foot wide ring. Titled “Full Circle,” the sculpture seems to defy gravity as it hovers overhead, evoking themes of the interconnectedness of the environment. Lee worked with local volunteers over 6 months to source and assemble the driftwood pieces along the beach.
The most talked-about and Instagrammed sculpture was undoubtedly Claire White’s 16-foot tall bronze rabbit titled “Late for an Important Date.” Cast from the artist’s original carved foam model, the giant rabbit figure delights fairgoers who pose beside it, hands anxiously checking a comically oversized pocket watch. The whimsical and imaginative sculpture puts a smile on everyone’s face.
Immersive Installations
One of the highlights at NADA Miami this year was the collection of immersive and interactive installation artworks spread throughout the show. These cutting-edge pieces use technology, light, and space to create enveloping environments that visitors can enter and explore.
A standout was Oceanic, a collaboration between new media artist Mira hunter and roboticist Jamie Wu. Stepping inside this installation felt like descending into the depths of the ocean. Projected light and sound surrounded visitors with images of brilliant corals, schools of fish, drifting kelp forests, and luminous sea creatures. As you moved through the space, sensors tracked your motion to give the illusion of swimming through the scenes. Abstract patterns of light rippled across the walls, shifting in response to the visitors’ presence. Delicate hanging sculptures resembling jellyfish and seagrass added to the sensory experience. The result was an utterly transportive artwork that immersed you in the wonder of the underwater world.
Other highlights included Tara Donovan’s Interwoven, which filled a room with thousands of vertical mylar strips to form an abstract, shimmering forest, and Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s Pulse Room, where hundreds of lightbulbs flashed at the pace of visitors’ heartbeats when they held sensors. These enveloping installations offered fresh perspectives and multisensory engagement with art.
Art Meets Design
NADA Miami 2023 featured several standout works that blended contemporary art with innovative design elements. Visitors were impressed by Isaac Broome’s kinetic sculpture “Wind Dancer”, constructed from aluminum, motors, and weather sensors to move and change colors with the wind patterns outside. Jean Francoise’s Spatial Canvas series uses motion-detecting LEDs embedded within monochrome canvases to create mesmerizing displays of light synchronized to viewers’ movements.
In the Superblue exhibit, teamLab’s _Continuous Life and Death at the Now of Eternity_ enveloped guests in projected digital flora and fauna that bloomed and wilted in response to their motions. The installation demonstrated how technology can create immersive living artworks. Meanwhile, Lindsey Nobel’s _Form Follows Data_ collection of algorithm-generated ceramic vases blurred the lines between art, math, and computer science in novel 3D printed forms.
Overall, these hybrid works showed how cross-disciplinary creativity yields new ways to experience and interact with art. Blending aesthetics with engineering and computation, they highlighted the convergence of art and innovation at NADA Miami 2023.
Big Sales
The 21st edition of NADA Miami saw robust sales and bidding wars for emerging and mid-career artists. Several galleries reported selling out their entire booths within the first few hours of the fair opening.
The standout sales story was artist Anna Park’s sculpture “Unfolding” at Upstream Gallery’s booth. The large-scale kinetic sculpture made of stainless steel and aluminum had tremendous interest from collectors. After competitive bidding, it sold for a record $425,000, setting a new high mark for Park.
Other notable sales included Miguel Reyes’ painting “Urban Reverie” at Galeria Superficie for $350,000 and the complete sellout of Margaux Brooke’s booth, with her meticulous plant-based felt sculptures ranging from $5,000-$55,000 each. Several galleries commented that sales exceeded expectations thanks to NADA Miami’s strong collector base and buzz for new art.
With numerous six-figure sales and new artist records set, NADA Miami continues to be a premier platform for emerging contemporary art. The impressive sales prove the vitality of this sector and appetite for new names and ideas.
The Takeaway
NADA Miami 2023 offered a captivating look at the vibrant intersection of contemporary art and innovation. Several key themes and trends emerged that provide insight into where the art world is headed.
This year’s fair spotlighted many up-and-coming artists pushing boundaries with experimental new mediums and technologies. The integration of art and tech was on full display, with numerous installations incorporating augmented reality, 3D printing, and robotics. Many works also explored contemporary social issues or environmental topics using immersive techniques.
Sculpture was another area of focus, with creative large-scale pieces crafted from unexpected everyday materials. Overall, the fair showcased plenty of thought-provoking and conversation-starting works that challenge perceptions and conventions.
In terms of sales, several pieces exceeded the six-figure mark, reflecting strong demand for contemporary art. But beyond dollars and cents, the fair revealed an art world embracing fresh perspectives and new voices. The future looks bright for artists merging creative expression with technical innovation.
When NADA Miami returns for its 22nd edition in 2024, we can expect the fair to build on this year’s boundary-pushing momentum. The contemporary art landscape is shifting, and NADA continues to highlight rising talents pushing the field forward. Next year will likely offer an equally vibrant mix of daring visionaries and experimental works illuminating the art world’s future.