Pop star Shakira was seen perusing artworks at Art Basel Miami Beach on Wednesday at the art fair’s VIP preview.
The singer recently struck a last-minute deal on the opening day of her tax fraud trial in Barcelona, and avoided jail time in the case after maintaining her innocence for five years.
Spies saw the star at the art fair perusing the booths with a presumed bodyguard who expertly kept any unwanted photo-seekers at bay.
The “Hips Don’t Lie” singer was seen looking intently at — and recording video of — a 2023 work by artist Mickalene Thomas titled “High Priestess” at the Levy Gorvy Dayan gallery.
It turned out the $500,000 work had already sold, however, and a gallerist was then seen showing Shakira other options by Thomas that were still up for grabs.
Under Shakira’s recent deal in her Spain tax case, she received a suspended three-year sentence and a fine of $7.6 million. She said in a statement of the settlement: “I have made the decision to finally resolve this matter with the best interest of my kids at heart who do not want to see their mom sacrifice her personal well-being in this fight,” though she said she’d have prevailed if she went forward in the case.
Also seen walking Art Basel Miami were tennis great Serena Williams and supermodel Cindy Crawford, plus bigtime art collectors Peter Brant, Tico Mugrabi, and Steve Wynn.
Artists JR, the Haas Brothers and Samuel Borkson and Arturo Sandoval IIl (who make up an art duo called FriendsWithYou), were also spotted, as was art advisor Sharon Coplan Hurowitz.
The fair’s opening seemed less packed than in the past, and many noted the economy as a factor.
But the parties were still raging away from the art.
Jonathan and Lizzie Tisch kicked off the week by hosting a bash at the new Rao’s at their Loews Miami Beach hotel for a number of big names including Art Basel CEO Noah Horowitz, Princess…
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