Miami’s art world is no longer defined by a single week in December. What was once a seasonal surge centered around Art Basel has evolved into something far more lasting: a full ecosystem where institutions, galleries, artists, and collectors operate year-round, building a cultural identity with unique, unmistakable energy. Today, the sunny Florida city feels less like a temporary art destination and more like a cultural capital in constant expansion.
It is a transformation that feels especially meaningful to Amalia Amoedo, whose life and work have been shaped by a deep, personal relationship with art and by the belief that culture is something you build over time. In 2026, she will celebrate a milestone, 30 years as a collector. A passion she discovered with the help of her grandmother, Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat, one of Argentina’s most iconic philanthropists and collectors, a woman whose taste and generosity helped shape a cultural era.
Just like her grandmother, Amalia is devoted to the arts, guided by her unshakable love for contemporary work. That lifelong commitment is also what makes her such a clear-eyed observer of Miami’s rise as an art city. Few people understand the Miami's cultural evolution as well as Amoedo. As the president of the Ama Amoedo Foundation, and as a patron and contemporary art collector, she has spent decades developing an eye that blends instinct with rigor.
She is also deeply connected to the international art world through her roles as a member of the Latin American International Circle at the Centre Pompidou and the MoMA Latin American and Caribbean Fund Committee. With Miami increasingly positioned as one of the most important art hubs in the Americas, her perspective offers both depth and clarity.
So we asked her to take us inside what makes Miami’s art scene feel so right at the moment, what stood out most during the most recent Art Basel, and which artists and exhibitions deserve a spot at the top of our list.
Why Miami feels different (and why that matters)
Ask Amoedo what sets Miami apart from other art capitals, and she doesn’t point first to fairs or galleries. She points to something more intimate, and uniquely Miami: the power of private collections available to all. “Something that has always characterized the city, and that I enjoy on every trip, is visiting private collections that are open to the public,” she says.
On her list of must-visits:
- Rubell Museum: One of Miami’s most essential contemporary art destinations, known for ambitious exhibitions and a world-class private collection that keeps the city’s creative energy feeling fresh and global.
- The Juan Carlos Maldonado Collection: Founded by Venezuelan collector and patron Juan Carlos Maldonado, this private space is a must for anyone drawn to geometric abstraction, spotlighting Latin American masters and the movement’s lasting influence.
- The Craig Robins Collection (Design District): A signature part of the Design District experience, where museum-level contemporary art and public installations live seamlessly alongside fashion, design, and Miami’s most stylish streets.
- The Parodi Costume Collection: A hidden gem for fashion lovers, featuring an extraordinary archive of historic couture and costume pieces that feels like stepping into a private museum of glamour and craftsmanship.
In Miami, the experience of art doesn’t remain behind velvet ropes; it circulates through the city, becoming part of how you move through it.
Art Basel: The highlights
For Amoedo, Art Basel week isn’t just about one fair, it’s about the full cultural choreography that takes over the city. “I try to visit all the fairs during that week in December: Art Basel, Untitled, Pinta, NADA, and Design Miami."
What excites her most is the growing presence and visibility of Latin American galleries, and the dialogues forming between countries, generations, and aesthetics.
“I love that the presence of Latin American galleries is increasingly strong and that dialogues are being generated between scenes like Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Colombia.”
Top booths in Art Basel 2025 (and why they worked)
Isla Flotante / Galatea (Art Basel Miami Beach)
One of the most compelling examples of cross-regional conversation came from Isla Flotante (Buenos Aires) and Galatea (São Paulo), who joined forces for a shared booth.
Amoedo describes it as a smart, timely collaboration, one that brought together key artists, creating a booth that wasn’t just beautiful, but conceptually alive. "They created dialogues and connections between artists from both countries and across different generations. A major success."
Calvaresi Contemporáneo (NADA)
At NADA, Calvaresi Contemporáneo stood out for the clarity of its presentation. Featuring artists with distinct approaches, including Nina Kunan, Marcelo Alcetta, and Mildred Burton, the booth achieved something rare during a fair: subtlety.
“For me, it was one of the most beautiful stands at NADA… subtle and very cohesive.”
Artists to Watch: Two names you should follow now
When it comes to artists shaping Miami’s cultural identity, Amoedo sees Latin American influence as unmistakable, not just in galleries and institutions, but also in studio culture and the collecting community itself.
“The influence is evident on different levels: institutions, galleries, artists’ studios… but also among collectors, where there’s a very strong drive toward Latin American art.”
And among the names she’s most excited about right now are two artists whose work reflects Miami’s intensity and its contradictions, with striking clarity.
1. Anastasia Samoylova
“I’ve been following her work for several years. She’s one of the most lucid and brilliant photographers of her generation.”
With a current show at Dot Fiftyone Gallery, Russian-born, Miami-based artist Anastasia Samoylova presents both photographs and intervened works, capturing the contemporary landscape with intelligence and edge. Amoedo also calls her photobooks “wonderful.”
2. Nina Surel
Amoedo highlights the recent ceramic works of Nina Surel, an Argentine artist based in Miami, where the city’s presence is deeply embedded in the textures and forms. “In her recent work, you can feel the influence and impact of the city.”
Amoedo said, “I’m moved by her murals and how she integrates the feminine, literature, and the body from a very intuitive and sensitive place.”
What’s Next: The Exhibitions that will define the coming months
As Miami’s art scene continues to expand, Amoedo points to institutions with “first-rate” programming and two shows that feel essential.
ICA Miami: “From the Heart to the Hands: Dolce&Gabbana” (February)
Fashion is stepping into the museum space in a major way at ICA Miami with From the Heart to the Hands: Dolce & Gabbana, an immersive exhibition featuring more than 300 pieces. “I have a feeling it will be a wonderful exhibit for anyone who love fashion.”
The show explores the designers’ creative universe across immersive rooms and includes visual artworks placed in dialogue with the house’s designs, a curatorial choice that bridges fashion as craft, spectacle, and cultural language.
Espacio 23: “A World Far Away, Nearby and Invisible” (through August)
At Espacio 23, Amoedo recommends A World Far Away, Nearby and Invisible, an exhibition from the Jorge M. Pérez Collection that explores territory as both a physical and a symbolic experience.
Co-curated by Patricia M. Hanna, Claudia Segura, and Annelys Alvarez, the show will include works by Elena Damiani, Gyula Kosice, Nicolás García Uriburu, and Leonora Carrington, and will be on view through August. "It’s a thoughtful exhibition that speaks to how Miami increasingly serves as a bridge between worlds."
Miami’s art scene has always been magnetic. But what’s unfolding now is something more defined, a cultural identity built through institutions that take the Latin American influence and art seriously. For Amalia Amoedo, Miami’s art world is not something that only comes to life once a year. It’s something that’s being built in real time, and for anyone paying attention, the map is already visible.