Miami Beach Transforms into Fashionable Art Hub

The U.S. city of Miami Beach transformed Thursday into a hub of modern and contemporary art as part of the prestigious Art Basel show.

Organizers expect tens of thousands of expert art collectors and curators as well as casual shoppers and tourists to descend on the convention center in Miami Beach.

The southern city adjacent to Miami has been the primary U.S. host of the art show that originated in Switzerland.

A thousand artists, representing work from more than 250 galleries and 31 countries, are expected to be part of the event, the show's 13th in North America.

Works from contemporary artists including Ai WeiWei and Damien Hirst are planned to be sold at the four-day event, as well as more classic work from artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall.