I just posted this question at www.city-data.com (Miami section) and on my website and I'm really interested to hear replies - please feel free to re-post this elsewhere.

This is the question I posted -

"This is for Miami people and anyone else - What do you think of Art Basel?

I'm an artist in Miami and I notice a lot of us artists here don't think too much of it, although of course it can't be ignored.

Why we don't think too much of it? Because a lot of really good Miami artists are passed over and a lot of ridiculous 'artists' are imported and given undue attention. That's the opinion of me and a lot of others here in Miami.

But you?

Whether you're an artist or not I'd be interested to get some feed back. Am particularly interested in - Do you regard Art Basel as generally showing good art? What do you think of the quality of the show as a whole?".

The beauty about art is that it is not defined by anyone. Art is in the eye of the person looking at it. You, me, or anyone else has no right to say what is good or not good. That is a matter of opinion. Some art i look at and i stand there in awe. Other art i look at and think what. However, art is emotion. It is someone putting a beleif and part of there soul onto a paper, canvas, clay, or whatever medium. It is not right for any one person, or group of people to state this as whole is not art. Obviously, by the success of the art show many disagree with you. Personally. I like some of it. I don't like some of it. But, i respect the soul behind the art.

I don't think the success of the show suggests that people disagree with me. It's more that they are unaware of the point I made and also, for a lot of people and particularly including investors, viewing and procuring art is actually a very soulless exercise.

It really amazes me that a lot of investors are just told what to do in relation to buying art, they have no feeling for what they buy.

Arts Basel is stylish and syncgronous work.
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