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| Cherkashin Valera looks through a sculpture by artist Olafur Eliasson, titled, "Your Blue Planet" at Art Basel Miami Beach at the Miami Beach Convention Center on Wednesday, November 30, 2011. |
BY DOUGLAS HANKS AND JANE WOOLDRIDGE
The Miami Herald
The shoppers lined up five-head deep, impatiently blanketing the entrances. Security guards held the crowd back as the appointed opening approached.
The shoppers lined up five-head deep, impatiently blanketing the entrances. Security guards held the crowd back as the appointed opening approached.
Then the signal came, the barriers parted and the throngs rushed through the doors to check out the merchandise.
This wasn’t Black Friday. It was the 11 a.m. Wednesday opening of Art Basel Miami Beach, the most important contemporary-arts fair in the United States. No one got pepper-sprayed, but buying fever was palpable as hundreds of holders of VIP cards massed at the Miami Beach Convention Center for an early look at the art put on display by galleries from around the world.
“It’s crazy!’’ one woman in line exclaimed into her cellphone. “You would think they were handing out free Picassos.’’
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| Christian Rosche walks pass a wood sculpture by Tony Cragg, titled, "Red Figure". |
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| Monty Shadow takes picture of Sunny Hackenberg as she poses with sculpture titled "Engagement (with Prince William sculpted by Daniel Druet, wax and resin mannequin. |
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| Artist Emmanuel Perrotin urged Pharrell Williams, right, to try on one Perrotin's Horse sculptures. Pharrell is an American rapper, singer, record producer, composer, and fashion designer. |
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| Sculpture by Kehinde Wiley, Houdon Paul-Louis, 2011. Bronze with polished stone base 34 x 26 x 19. |