Art Basel Miami 2025 Recap: Art With Me, Factory Town, Alec Monopoly, + More
Art Basel Miami 2025 was a whirlwind of art, music, and late-night raving. From towering jet sculptures to marathon sunrise sets and festival adventures across Wynwood, this week felt like stepping into a living, breathing world of color and sound. Here is how it all unfolded for me.
I kicked off Basel at Alec Monopoly’s private launch event, and without question, it was the coolest art experience I have ever been to. Alec transformed Miami Beach into an escapist dreamscape, unveiling life-size jet sculptures, some originally deployed in World War II and reimagined through his vibrant pop-art lens. The centerpiece Gulfstream jet towered over attendees, flanked by a fighter jet sculpture and massive new works he created specifically for opening night.
The aviation theme was everywhere, from staff dressed as flight attendants to a full Raising Cane’s food truck serving complimentary tenders and fries. Papi Steak brought the heat with on-site grilling and curated dishes, while champagne flowed freely throughout the night. Alec even jumped on deck for a special DJ set, and hearing his collab with Solardo, “Cold Fresh Air,” live for the first time made the moment feel unreal.
After the Alec event, I headed to Factory Town and mostly bounced between Josh Baker’s ‘you & me’ takeover at the Chain Room and HUGEL’s Make The Girls Dance at The Park. Best set of the night goes to Luke Dean, who was rinsing a lethal dose of groovy UK house IDs and edits. Other standout sets were Maxi Meraki B2B Peace Control, Josh Baker, HUGEL, and Boys Noize.
Thursday: Club Space at Sunrise
Thursday was meant to be a rest day, and it technically started at 7 AM on Friday when I arrived at Club Space just in time for the legendary Jamie Jones B2B Joseph Capriati sunrise marathon. Their set was meant to be experienced start to finish, slowly building tension, layering grooves, and erupting into a finale that shook the Terrace. Josh Baker kept the momentum alive afterward, followed by SOSA, who pushed the energy into overdrive.
Friday: Art With Me at Mana Wynwood
Friday night was dedicated to Art With Me, which returned with a new venue and an expanded footprint in Wynwood. Entry delays and some logistical confusion were noticeable, but once inside, the festival delivered across the board.
We explored workshops like shamanic cleansing and primal movement, and wandered through thoughtful brand activations. Chaser, a deep-sea mineral water brand, created a powerful wall collage made entirely of waste pulled from local Miami waters. It doubled as an art piece and a call to action. Their water ended up being exactly what I needed to physically reset.
The Garden of Gaia Apothecary also caught our attention. We picked up Dragon’s Blood incense that we have been burning at home for grounding energy before heading into 2025. We also got Blue Lotus to try for the first time. These flowers were handpicked from regenerative farms in Sri Lanka and are known to help with relaxation, opening the senses, and vivid dreaming.
One of the most interesting moments was watching a large group share a Shabbat dinner, something I did not expect, but the feeling of community was beautiful.
Our favorite activation was the Apotheneum, a massive visual, sonic, and haptic instrument that originally debuted at Burning Man. Beyond that, a series of Kama Sutra paintings, an intricate floral sculpture, a giant skeleton marionette, and walk-in artist trailers made the night feel like exploring a creative labyrinth.
Dinner was a highlight too: the Piccantona (toasted Italian flatbread, stuffed with spicy salami, provolone cheese, tomato, arugula, mayo, and olive oil) from Piadina 305 was the best thing I ate all week. NEIL FRANCES and CamelPhat closed the night with standout performances that tied the whole experience together.
Saturday: AM.RADIO + Circoloco at Factory Town
Saturday afternoon started at AM.RADIO’s takeover at ZeyZey, an open-air haven that felt tailor-made for their vibe. Inside we grabbed merch and coffee, and outside OMRI. delivered a set full of indie dance gems.
The night shifted into full throttle with my first-ever Circoloco experience at Factory Town. I have never seen the venue that packed. Red lighting, fog, and the unmistakable Circoloco aesthetic transformed the space into a fever dream. Bedouin performed one of my all-time favorite sets at The Park, weaving driving house with Middle Eastern textures, while Seth Troxler lit up the Infinity Room. In the Chain Room, Chloé Calliet and O.Bee B2B Tomas Station kept things funky and impossible to walk away from.
My favorite drink of the entire week came from Monkey Shoulder’s activation: a perfect Whiskey Sour with cold-pressed lemon juice, cane sugar, and egg white. I sipped on the drink for hours to savor it for as long as I could. The setup featured vinyls, a disco ball, and a graffiti-style mural in the backdrop.
Sunday: GOLFOS at Miami’s Downtown Courthouse
My pick for best music event of the week goes to GOLFOS (PAWSA B2B Dennis Cruz) at Miami’s Downtown Courthouse. The open-air setting, booming sound system, and VIP terrace overlooking the dancefloor made for a surreal environment. They kept the crowd hypnotized with unreleased IDs and favorites like PAWSA’s “PICK UP THE PHONE” and “Double C.”
Closing Thoughts
Art Basel Miami 2025 felt like a nonstop collision of art, culture, and music. Each day unfolded into something completely unexpected and memorable. The entire week reminded me why this city is unmatched during Basel season. I already cannot wait to do it all again next year.
