Inside the World of “I’M ART”: How EXTi and m00m world Took Over Wynwood During Art Basel / Miami Art Week

Miami Wire Staff

By: Tom White

If you were near Wynwood during Art Basel/Miami Art Week this year, chances are you saw it—or at least heard about it. The “I’M ART” exhibit, a collaboration between the Miami-based artist EXTi and m00m world (a cyberpunk mobile game and webcomic created by Producer and Creative Director Jordan Freda and Art Director Ben Lam), wasn’t just an art show. It was an all-Basel-long-72-hour never-ending collision of creativity that took over the iconic Wynwood Tribe store and, honestly, became the most authentic event of the weekend.

It picked up so much traction that by Sunday evening, Miami PD had to step in and shut it down because the space was beyond packed and exceeding whatever legal capacity limits the store and its surrounding street were allowed to have.

The Exhibit Was Alive

Walking into the space was like stepping into a specifically crafted world. You first noticed the two massive storefront windows packed with artists making art. Inside one, EXTi was living—literally. He told me he wasn’t allowed to leave all weekend. He’d set up his studio to look like a shipping container home straight out of m00m world, the video game and webcomic company he collaborated with on the event, and the dude was painting, sleeping, eating, and just existing in front of everyone. At one point, he and his girlfriend were tied up with ropes, the Japanese art form of Shibari, while he was painting and she was writing poetry for those on the street… it wasn’t just performance art; it was like being part of their creative minds.

Inside the space, there were artists everywhere. DJs were spinning in a shipping container-themed DJ booth all hours of the day. People lined up to get custom paintings and tattoos, and street and contemporary artists were working live, creating. It wasn’t just a bunch of installations—it was a living, breathing, creative hub where each moment felt less predictable than the last.

A Place Where Everyone Was Included

A lot of stuff at Basel can feel exclusive and intimidating, especially considering the main event brings the largest concentration of private jets in America, so it makes sense why. But I’M ART was the antithesis of that, and it felt good. You didn’t need to know anything about art or anyone to enjoy what was happening. It was for everyone. No tickets, no door people—just walk in and hang out with the creators themselves. The feeling hit different.

Everything was streamed live on TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), so even if you weren’t there in person, you could watch online and feel like part of the action. I overheard someone say, “This feels like the Basel that’s for us,” and it really did.

Three Sections of I’M ART

The space was divided into three sections, each its little world:

I’M ART: Was EXTi’s home. His shipping-container-inspired studio storefront window was packed with his signature drip/goo artwork, and visitors could bring random objects for him to paint on. One guy handed him an old skateboard, another a Vespa, and in 10 minutes, it looked like something you’d see in a gallery.
I’M MUSIC: In the second storefront window, a recording studio and performance stage hosted live music all weekend. Sony Music’s rising star Sebas Barcenas performed live and packed the street and sidewalk outside with fans and passersby.
I’M GAME: This was where m00m world came alive. A container-themed DJ booth hosted sets from 10+ DJs, including Tokyo’s RHYME and Miami’s Matheus GUZZK. Around it were m00m merch, original fashion from the game by EXTi, and even original paintings from the 1800s from a coveted collector’s collection, reworked in real-time by EXTi. m00m had some QR codes to download the game, but it hardly felt corporate or the point; they were there for the art and culture.

By Saturday, it got even busier everywhere. Elen Boesing, the founder of “New Miami Girls,” A group of women in Miami, reportedly numbering in the thousands, shared a video on her Instagram, describing it as “One of our favorite Art Basel installations in all of Miami. This is the Art Basel we wanted.” That post brought even more people to the space, and by Sunday, it was packed. Like, shoulder-to-shoulder, can’t-move packed. And that’s when Miami PD stepped in to shut it down.

But even in that chaos, it didn’t feel overwhelming. It felt like that was part of the show. Part of the art and the perfect ending.

Creating For Everyone

Here’s the thing: It’s pronounced “I’M ART” wasn’t just about showcasing art—it was about making a statement. It was accessible. You didn’t need to know EXTi’s backstory or anything about m00m to feel connected. Watching people paint, dance, perform, and just be in the space proved that art doesn’t have to be serious or stuffy to matter.

EXTi summed it up: “I’M ART, I’M MUSIC, YOU are a work of art. That’s why we invited all of Miami.”

And that’s exactly how it felt like everyone was part of the installation.

For me, “I’M ART” wasn’t just an exhibit. It was a moment where, amongst its rapid commercialization, Wynwood felt alive again, where the crazy phenomenon of Basel/Art Week felt accessible, and where creativity was the only point.

Published by Mark V.