The visual feast that is Art Week is full of must-see exhibits and Instagrammable moments. We’ve chosen a handful of our ephemeral favorites. See them while you can — most will be gone after Sunday.
A Dangerous Game: The 1960s Cold War threat that sent a generation ducking beneath their school desks (who really thought that was going to save you from a nuclear attack?) has re-emerged as the Twitter contest between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has heated up. That threat is the subject of a 27-foot sculpture “A Dangerous Game” at Northwest 22nd Street and Northwest Fifth Avenue, across the street from Mana Wynwood, in which a fiberglass hand clutches a 19-foot resin-and-steel missile. The artist is Italian Lorenzo Quinn, whose previous work on the threat of climate change was shown at the Venice Biennale. He’s the son of the late actor Anthony Quinn. FREE.
Apex Predator: Outrage over the 2008 financial debacle and the uberwealthy, uberpowerful bankers who caused it but escaped unscathed led London-based artists Dominick Young and Mariana Fantich to create the sleek shoes, perfumes and other stylish consumables of the Darwinian Vodoo brand. Look closer, and grotesqueries become clear: That pair of red child’s Mary Jane shoes are lined with teeth; the exquisite clothing worn by the predator couple and their offspring are made of human hair. The initial jab at the financial lords has been expanded to include the military establishment; some items also include military ribbons associated with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The point of this sly, sophisticated and cynical display is the cost of exteme competitiveness, when the ultimate — or apex — predators go for the jugular in a winner-takes-all contest where the trophies are human lives. The exhibit presented by Barrett Barrera Projects at 219 NW 23rd St. in Wynwood is free; all items are for sale, from $1,200 to $45,000. BEWARE: Northwest Second Avenue in Wynwood is closed to cars this weekend. Open noon-7 p.m. through Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Sunday. FREE.
NADA (New Art Dealers Alliance Fair): Though some of the art at this popular fair of fresh artworks has become pricey, one of the best aspects is free: swinging in the hammocks in the yard at the Ice Palace, corner of North Miami Avenue and North 14th Street. Fair tickets cost $20, $10 for seniors and students. newartdealers.org.
Flagler Street, downtown Miami: Two Flagler Street spaces near Northeast Second Street — owned by Mana — have been transformed into art week exhibits. The 777 International Mall building, on the north side of Flagler opposite the Olympia Theater, features exhibits by Puerto Rican artists displaced by Hurricane Maria who are being hosted in residencies by Mana; both their stories and their artworks are compelling. (Don’t miss the “shop” that looks like it sells baby carriages; it’s really an interactive installation by Andria Morales.) Upstairs, the much-expanded Prizm Fair features videos, paintings and sculptures, some with the artists on hand. Across the street, on the southeast corner of Flagler and Northeast Second Avenue, Nike and Juxtapoz Magazine have created their own mini-fair featuring ultracontemporary works including a newsstand (complete with free papers) by Shepard Fairey, murals, T-shirts and giant sculptures (some best seen from upstairs). Prizm has a small entry fee; most other exhibits FREE.
Go virtual: It sounds hokey: Vegas leaves Vegas for Miami. Turns out the virtual reality exhibit is a knockout. Inside the Zadok Gallery, 2534 N. Miami Ave., visitors move through five different rooms, each equipped with VR headsets that showcase the artistic vision of a Vegas visit from five different international artists. One is the ultimate drive on the Strip, another is like being flung into Oz, and yet another is like falling into a kaleidoscope. The whole thing is a ploy to get us to go to the real Vegas, hosted by the city’s marketing arm. It runs 1 p.m.-9 p.m., only through Saturday. FREE.
Art Miami / CONTEXT: Art Miami is more accessible than ever, thanks to its new waterfront location at the former Miami Herald site, Northeast 14th Street and Biscayne Bay. There’s plenty inside the fair worth your time (car lovers will be in for a treat; art lovers will find works by Marc Chagall, Edward Hopper and Keith Haring, among others.) But the most picturesque moment may be outside the fair on the waterfront terrace, where you can see all the way to, well, Miami Beach. Word to the wise: Take public transportation. If you insist on driving, avoid the fair entrance and go straight to the nearby Omni parking lot at Biscayne Boulevard and 15th Street.
Abstract / Not Abstract: For the third year, mega art dealer Larry Gagosian and powerhouse Jeffrey Deitch have teamed up to offer a free show of first-rate works in the Design District. This year the focus is on new abstract paintings, including works by Tauba Auerbach, Urs Fischer, Elizabeth Neel, Sterling Ruby and Richard Prince. The exhibit is a great way to get a handle on the genre. It’s also located inside the Moore Building (191 NE 40th St., Miami Design District), whose airy space dominated by a Zaha Hadid sculpture is always a treat. Open 10-8 p.m., 10-6 p.m. Sunday. FREE.