No More Big Orange Containers of Wonderfulness at Art Basel

Logan Fazio

You never knew what would pop out of those containers.

​The large orange shipping containers that find themselves filled with artwork just feet from the beach every year have become a trademark of Art Basel Miami Beach, but they won't return this year.

As part of a reorganization of the fair, the emerging galleries and artists relegated to Collins Park this year will be moved to the center of the exhibition hall. Instead, the Art Positions area will feature a "three-dimensional environment" designed by multimedia artist Pae White. The so-called social space will feature discussions, concerts, and performances.

Art Positions, especially on opening night, has more of a party atmosphere than the often deathly serious mood at the convention center. Combined with the unique aspects of showing inside a container, it often led to a bit more levity that might be overshadowed inside the convention center.

The fair's main layout in the Miami Beach Convention Center will also be reworked, and galleries will now have larger booths. You might take that to mean there will be fewer galleries in attendance, and in fact about 60 of last year's exhibitors won't make the return trip. But Art Basel officials tell ARTINFO the number of exhibitors will actually increase due to new galleries participating.