Art Basel Miami Beach opened its VIP preview on Wednesday with strong early sales, including multiple seven-figure deals. Major galleries like Hauser & Wirth, White Cube, Gladstone, and Pace reported significant sales, with a $3.9 million George Condo painting leading the pack. The fair introduced a new digital-art section called Zero 10, featuring works by Beeple, which drew large crowds. Collectors such as Craig Robins, Mera and Don Rubell, Norman Braman, and Beth Rudin DeWoody were among the early attendees, and the event featured high-profile works by Jeff Koons and Maurizio Cattelan.
The fair's performance is being closely watched as a bellwether for the broader art market after a three-year contraction. The strong start, following successful November auctions in New York and robust European fairs in October, suggests a potential market resurgence. However, the main Galleries sector has been struggling, with many dealers closing or facing financial pressure, making this edition a critical test of whether the art trade has turned a corner. The inclusion of 48 first-time exhibitors and the buzz around digital art also signal shifting dynamics in the contemporary art world.