ART

Jeff Lawson Picks His Favorite Pieces at Untitled Art’s 10th Edition

During the VIP preview in Miami, the fair’s founder shared his highlights exclusively with Surface.

Untitled Art 2021 in Miami Beach. Photography by Casey Kelbaugh

It’s a significant year for Untitled Art. The annual contemporary art fair, founded by Jeff Lawson in 2012, has become a favorite among both collectors and enthusiasts descending on Miami Art Week for incisive programming with an experimental edge. (During the pandemic, it launched the world’s first virtual reality fair that subverted the tiring influx of lackluster virtual viewing rooms.) Untitled Art has prevailed over the pandemic and returned to the white tent on the sands of Miami Beach to celebrate its 10th edition, a major milestone that sees an expanded curatorial platform imagined by artistic director Omar López-Chahoud and guest curators Natasha Becker, Miguel A. López, Estrellita Brodsky, and José Falconi that showcases the best of contemporary art from more than 100 international galleries.

Below, Lawson shares his favorite pieces from the show exclusively with Surface.

Forbidden Bird by Regina Parra, presented by The 55project

Installed on the sands of Miami Beach as part of the fair’s ‘Monuments’ sector, Regina Parra’s sculpture is comprised of two neon pieces, one reading “NO SE” and the other reading “VOLAR.” Viewers can see the ocean and sky through the neon letters, creating a dialogue between the desire to fly, announced by the words in red, and the infinite blue of the sea and sky.


 

Heavy is the Head, a performance by Anina Major presented by TERN

In this durational performance examining women’s work and labor, the act of carrying upon the head seeks to underscore the essential role of women within society while also addressing the emotional weight women carry.


 

Machine Hallucinations: Nature Dreams Study I by Refik Anadol, presented by Bitforms Gallery

New media artist Refik Anadol explores the aesthetic outcomes of his data-driven research into the intersection of human consciousness, nature archives, and machine intelligence.


 

Daniela Rivera, presented by LaMontagne Gallery

Daniela Rivera creates exquisite, site-specific paintings in reaction to the space around her.


 

What Happens This Is by Sam Jablon, presented by Nancy Littlejohn Fine Art

Visual artist and poet Sam Jablon explores the discursivity and visuality of art and poetry, and the interconnection between the two art forms.


 

It’s Always Better When We’re Together by Evita Tezeno, presented by Luis de Jesus

Evita Tezeno brings out the joy in painting, through soft hues and bold figures evoking smiles and memories of time gone by.


 

Blue and White Speculation by Sarah Meyohas, presented by C O U N T Y 

Sarah Meyohas’ conceptual work considers the nature and capabilities of emerging technologies.

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