As markets shift and collectors change, Art Basel Miami Beach adapts

The artist known as Beeple is at it again.

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His “Regular Animals” exhibit — part of Art Basel Miami Beach’s inaugural Al sector, Zero 10 — was an instant hit at VIP opening. The project features flesh-coloured robot dogs that resemble Rock 'Em Sock 'Em robots, each wearing the mask of a famous man: Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg. The dogs snap images of the crowd and “poop” out original artworks in the style of the person they represent —Musk’s “Cognitive Blueprint” series in black-and-white; Zuckerberg’s “Metaversal” in shades of blue; Picasso's Cubist take, and so on.

“It's weird, but it's not meant to be insulting to these people,” Beeple told the Miami Herald.

But beyond the spectacle, Art Basel Miami Beach itself is entering a moment of transition. As the fair hits its 23rd year, insiders are asking how its role is shifting amid market volatility and increasing global competition. Gallerists were cautiously optimistic that the market's slump — what several dubbed “the most difficult year” — may be easing, pointing to strong sales at Art Basel Paris and the November auctions in New York. Still, Art Basel CEO Noah Horowitz says the most notable change isn't just economic — it's generational. “There's a changing of the guard in who's buying art,” he said. “They're younger, they're more global, they're more female. They're coming from different industries. They're self-made in many instances.”