Art Basel Unveils Its Inaugural Gold Awardees in Miami
By Daniel Leira (IG @danielleira_)
Art Basel set a new benchmark for cultural recognition in Miami Beach with the debut of its first-ever Gold Awardees, celebrated during a multisensory awards night hosted by Kasseem “Swizz Beatz” Dean at the Frank Gehry–designed New World Center. Presented in partnership with BOSS, the event signaled a pivotal expansion of Art Basel’s mission: honoring the individuals and institutions actively defining the future of contemporary culture.
From left to right: Meriem Bennani, Ibrahim Mahama, Candice Hopkins, Andrea Trimarchi, Cecilia Vicuna, Joel Wachs, Swizz Beatz, Simone Farresin, Mohammad Al Faraj, Robert Leckie, Saodat Ismailova, Nairy Baghramian, Marie Helene-Pereira and Alessio Antoniolli attend the Art Basel Awards Miami Beach Ceremony at New World Symphony on December 04, 2025 in Miami Beach, Florida. | Photograph by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Art Basel.
The evening fused architecture, orchestral music, lighting design, performance, and gastronomy into a single narrative arc. Swizz Beatz’s role as host anchored the program with both star power and purpose, underscoring his longstanding advocacy for artists through The Dean Collection. His reflection on the night captured its spirit: a global stage finally recognizing the full ecosystem behind contemporary art, “from artists to cultural leaders and the many people working behind the scenes around the world.”
Inside the transformed New World Center, guests encountered dynamic architectural projections, a live performance by New World Symphony musicians, and a transcendent set by Kelsey Lu that bridged classical and experimental sound. Cultural commentator Dylan Kelly hosted red carpet and after-party moments, framing the night as an exercise in cross-disciplinary dialogue. The ceremony honored 11 awardees selected through a peer-driven process, spanning categories from Icon and Established Artist to Media & Storytelling, with each recipient receiving a unique, breath-inspired blown-glass sculpture designed by Jacques Herzog of Herzog & de Meuron.
Swizz Beatz speaks during the Art Basel Awards Miami Beach Ceremony at New World Symphony on December 04, 2025 in Miami Beach, Florida. | Photograph by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Art Basel.
This first edition also marked the launch of the BOSS Award for Outstanding Achievement, recognizing transformative cultural impact across and beyond the art world. The inaugural recipient, Meriem Bennani, was celebrated for a body of work that embodies boldness, authenticity, ambition, and social responsibility. Following the ceremony, honorees and guests continued the celebration on the rooftop, where DJ Natalia Roth delivered a Miami-inflected set that extended the night’s energy high above the skyline.
Among the attendees were leading artists, curators, gallerists, collectors, and cultural figures, including A$AP Ferg, Khalid, Fridayy, Erin Christovale, Es Devlin, Beeple, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Nicola Vassell, the Rubell family, and many others. Art Basel leadership, led by CEO Noah Horowitz and global fair directors from Basel, Hong Kong, Paris, and Miami Beach, further emphasized the Awards’ ambition to elevate Miami Beach as a global cultural stage.
This year’s Gold Awardees: Cecilia Vicuña (Icon); Nairy Baghramian and Ibrahim Mahama (Established); Mohammad Alfaraj and Saodat Ismailova (Emerging); Formafantasma (Cross-Disciplinary); Joel Wachs (Patron); RAW Material Company (Institution); Candice Hopkins (Curator); Gasworks / Triangle Network (Allies); and Negar Azimi (Media & Storytelling). The night also honored the memory of Koyo Kouoh, whose vision and dedication as a juror profoundly shaped this inaugural edition.
Art Basel’s first Awards Night signals a renewed commitment to celebrating creative excellence at every level of the cultural ecosystem, positioning Miami Beach not merely as a destination during Art Week, but as a foundational site for global artistic dialogue.