Legal weed is the fabulous new promoter of the art world

Americans spend $60 billion a year on weed, so what do the people who grow the country’s sixth-biggest revenue stream spend their money on? Functional and decorative art, of course.

The art world’s premier annual Art Basel Miami Beach turned 20 this year. Galleries from five continents and countless US collectives flocked to medically legal Florida for three days, transforming the city into a place where ATMs rank you by wealth and bananas taped to walls sell for $120,000.

Of course, cannabis makes fine art even more beautiful, and weed money has long helped pay artists’ bills. Legalization and normalization only overload it. Check out these images from cannabis-themed events at the 20th Annual Art Basel.

(Terp Basel’s poster. Big brands like Alien Labs and Runtz crew Joke’s Up sponsored it.)

Terp Basel Year #1 transformed a skate park into a smokers paradise for three days celebrating art and cannabis culture – sponsored by West Coast brands like Alien Labs, Terphogz, Jelly Wizard, Humboldt Terp Council and Preferred Gardens. A blunt walking contest, painted walls and performances by Smoke DZA and Curren$y lit up the park. More cannabis markets across the country have started to connect, and Terp Basel allowed Californian brands to show their love for artistic creativity.

(“Superbloom” statue by Feral Studios, Inc. Photo courtesy of Scoochlifestyle.)

West Coast cannabis brands like Zkittlez Strain Crew, Terphogz and hype flower grower Jelly Wizard are helping Miami celebrate Art Basel. (Photo courtesy of @scooch_lifestyle)

dab day– Art Basel Edition

(The 2022 Dab Day poster.)

On Saturday, the landscape of an entire city block became Dab Day, a festival that “curates Florida’s medicinal cannabis culture.” Here, audiences can take a minute to reignite those creative juices with live painting, brand stands, musical performances, a free arcade, and on-site glassblowing.

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Dab Day including glassblowing juggernauts like trip (Above), banjoMothership (below) and Vanguard (read about the last two in Leafly’s Glass travaganja). Photo courtesy of Borovision.)

Big-name sponsors including Puffco, LPP, Goldleaf and Glob Mops stirred up the batter for artistic memorable moments throughout the night.

(The Mins Marbles of Miami. Photo courtesy of @borophotographer)

Art Basel hosted the second year of the Mins Whistle Show, which featured highly machined borosilicate glass marbles fetching thousands of dollars. It helps to be extra baked when you collect rare designer marbles.

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(Haap Glass and Mins Basel. Photo courtesy of Borophoto)

The free, three-day Mins Basel showcased more than twenty artists including Haaps (above), Bubbasface (below), Mike Gong and JFell Glass.

There were twice-daily first-come, first-served drops alongside hypnotic visuals from Trevy Metal and GZ1, both of whose work were part of Puffcon’s 2022 celebration.

(Smoked glass. Photo courtesy of Borophoto)

Mosaics found from Brother Bob’s prison materials. (Photo courtesy of Last Prisoner Project.)

Artist brother Bob has served 14 years in federal prison for weed. His vibrant prison works fuse bits and pieces of collected imagery with nail clippers and prison toothpaste into rich pop art mosaics. Artwork by Brother Bob was the focus of a Last Prisoner Project pop-up at Art Basel.

From right: Brother Bob, Richard DeLisi, Billy Dekle and Randy Lanier. All former cannabis prisoners. (Photo courtesy of Last Prisoner Project)

Visitors also had the opportunity to meet the artists and witness book signings from Billy Dekle and former racing driver Randy Lanier, both authors who have each served over 25 years on cannabis charges.

Art Basel Miami is still the party of the art world, but cannabis is the hottie on the guest list. Who knows, maybe next year we’ll see a $10,000 lump of Sour Diesel taped to the wall, or an interactive exhibit that has you walking through a fake pot field with whistled sights and sounds.

Here are some more intoxicating artists who have exhibited at Art Basel; via Instagram.

Matt Jackson

Author and designer Matt Jackson got his start in the California cannabis industry in 2004. Jackson holds a BA in Creative Writing from Humboldt State University. His work has appeared in Leaf Magazine, SF Station, Skunk Magazine, and North Coast Journal.

Check out Matt Jackson’s articles

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