Between cocktail hours and sought-after shows, Art Basel turns Miami Beach—an already-culturally-rich city—into a global hub for creatives of all disciplines, collectors, gallerists, and amateur enthusiasts. The world-renowned fair honors its 20th anniversary this year, thus commemorating its invaluable position as a supreme stage, upon which artists and arts organizations, both emerging and established, may proffer their work for judgment.

It’s impossible to see it all between December 1 and 3 (even for VIPs, who have access on November 29 and 30). To alleviate some of that FOMO-based stress, Document offers a handful of events—enriching, refined, and otherwise—you can’t miss this week.

Prada Extends

Prada Extends—born in London last November, and taking Tokyo by storm this July—has made its way to Basel. The exclusive globetrotting event, curated by electronic artist Richie Hawtin, is a guaranteed good time, featuring a VIP guest list clamoring for the musical stylings of Ela Minus, Sofia Gabbana, and Slim Soledad (as well as Hawtin himself, of course). It’ll be hosted in Rem Koolhaus’s Faena Forum on the evening of December 1; best of luck with that RSVP.

MOCA North Miami

For a break from the throng, head to MOCA, where two refreshing shows premiere on December 1: Didier William’s Nou Kite Tout Sa Dèyè is the largest retrospective of the Haiti-born, Miami-raised artist’s work to date—both hyperlocal and broadly historical; and in conversation, photographer Leah Gordon’s Kanaval features two decades of images from Haiti’s Carnival festival. The exhibitions’ reception is open to the public, from 8 to 10 p.m. on Thursday evening.

Saint Laurent Rive Droite

Anthony Vaccarello joined forces with Madonna to realize a temporary beachfront gallery, celebrating Callaway’s re-edition of the Queen of Pop’s groundbreaking book, Sex. Originally published in 1992, it features Steven Meisel’s now-iconic photographs of the artist enacting her erotic fantasies, alongside her writings on sexual liberation and self-expression. Large-format prints of Sex’s pages will adorn the gallery’s walls; t-shirts and tote bags will be up for purchase, as well as limited-edition copies of the highly-coveted book. The Saint Laurent beachfront gallery will be free to visit for anyone over the age of 18, from November 29 to December 4, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“Between cocktail hours and sought-after shows, Art Basel turns Miami Beach—an already-culturally-rich city—into a global hub.”

NADA Miami

The New Dealers Art Alliance—a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing new voices in contemporary art—celebrates the 20th anniversary of NADA Miami, showcasing a diverse selection of 146 exhibitors from cities around the world. Among them, 56 Henry is set to display work by Fabrizio Arrieta, Clayton Schiff, Al Freeman, Richard Tinkler, David Roy, and LaKela Brown; Lubov, by Victor Boullet, Ella Rose Flood, and Connor Mariel; and upon its art fair debut, ILY2—a Portland-based residency space—will exhibit new works by multimedia artist Sol Hashemi. It’s open to the public at Ice Palace Studios from November 30 to December 3, with a VIP opening on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bottega Veneta and Gaetano Pesce

On the Design Miami/ end of things, Bottega Veneta’s collaboration with Gaetano Pesce is a must-not-miss. Earlier this fall, Creative Director Matthieu Blazy commissioned the legendary architect-designer to stage the Italian house’s Summer 2023 show in Milan, which Pesce called Come Stai? With his signature resin, he crafted 400 one-of-a-kind chairs—a “tribute to diversity,” in the artist’s words—that’ll appear this week as a site-specific installation. The chairs’ exhibition (and their sale, teased by Kate Moss’s viral promotional images) can be found in the heart of Miami’s Design District, from November 30 to December 4.

Stone Island

Upon its 40th anniversary, Italian luxury label Stone Island will stage an installation at RC Cola Plant in Wynwood. Hosted in collaboration with Ladyfag, the invite-only evening boasts an impressive light-based art installation, along with sets from three surprise DJs. It’ll take place tonight, from 11 p.m., likely carrying on well into the morning.

The Cultivist Annual Artist Lunch

The Cultivist, a members-only arts club known for its buzzy events, returns to Basel for its annual artist lunch—this time, in honor of Lucia Hierro, the first Dominican artist to enter The Guggenheim’s collection. Co-hosted by Maestro Dobel Tequila, the event spotlights Hierro’s work, which explores the intersection of Dominican American identity, capitalism, and notions of community across multiple mediums. The lunch will overtake the entire Setai Courtyard between the hours of 1 and 4 p.m. on December 1. The details of what The Cultivist has in store for this year remains under wraps, but past years’ events have seen tables fashioned into workstations for guests to draw on in between bites—a moment of welcome levity, amidst the Miami bustle.

Carl Craig and The EDITION

Legendary Detroit-based DJ and producer Carl Craig will be celebrating the release of his Party/After-Party vinyl with a special signing and cocktail held at The Miami Beach EDITION on Friday night. Physically staged at Dia Beacon, the immersive installation explores the relationship between art and techno. It premiered in 2020, and grew increasingly poignant over the course of the pandemic, as it speaks both the euphoria of the club environment and the comedown and loneliness that can follow these moments of collective catharsis. Hosted by art advisor Nazy Nazhand—who facilitated Craig’s installation at Dia, along with his upcoming show at MOCA LA next Spring—the record release ensures you can now experience Party/After-Party from the comfort of your own home, with your chosen community.

Wynwood Walls

Wynwood, “Miami’s original street art museum,” opened in 2009; it was conceived by the late Tony Goldman, who repurposed vacant warehouse buildings, turning them into massive canvases with community revitalization in mind. Jessica Goldman Srebnick, Goldman’s daughter, commemorates his legacy with a mural series, featuring the work of street artists Shephard Fairey, Leon Keer, and SHOK-1, among others. Free and ticketed events are detailed on Wynwood’s website, through December 4.