It’s officially summer, the very sloooow season for art. So what is this great show doing opening up at the Bass today, “Human Rites”? Combining 14th-, 15th- and 16th-century pieces from its collection along with contemporary works donated for the exhibition from local collectors, this is a smart, clean show that has both intellectual heft but is easy to appreciate. “Human Rites” is the second in a three part series the Bass calls “The Endless Renaissance,” where the museum seeks to highlight the continuum of art through the ages, in this case suggesting how religious iconography from 500 years ago doesn’t differ that much from our modern rites and rituals, be they religious or mundane everyday objects.

It could be a tricky proposition, but it works. First off, don’t miss the entrance installation (on the ground floor, unlike the rest of the show on the second), from Miami’s own Cesar Trasobares. It’s a case of rings and pins, hundreds of them, some crafted by the artist himself, others found since the late 1970s. Like the Wunderkabinetts of the 19th century, the age of discovery when people first started traveling and putting their “souvenirs” in cabinets, this is a collection from life and experiences. Next to the large glass case is a photo of a pair of gnarled, ringless hands, belonging to the ever-expressive Jean Cocteau.

Upstairs, there are photos, sculptures, and installations from such notables as Thomas Hirshhorn, Marina Abramovic, and Shiran Neshat (and another remarkable cabinet of found objects, from an archeological dig). There is an amazing over-exposed photo of Venice’s Piazza San Marco from Massimo Vitali, portraying a modern-day pilgrimage of sorts; and documentation of Sophie Calle’s performance with a phone booth in New York City, where she tallies people’s reaction to her and her decorated stall. On a back wall at the end, three black panels look like they are simply covered with words. But look closely, and you see that the letters are actually individual projections that the artist shot against buildings in Hitler’s hometown of Linz. You have to see it and read it to understand its ritualistic meaning, but even without that it’s still an amazing piece. Another “tapestry” is painstakingly woven out of labels from wine and liquor bottles.

Interspersed are beautiful Asian and Renaissance works, including an Italian depiction of Madonna and child, which was a dramatic stylistic change in the way both mother and baby Jesus were painted before that time. While rituals almost always involved religion back then, today our rituals are as likely to revolve around consumer and pop cultures, hence the inclusion of super-expensive tennis shoes made by Kehinde Wiley, most coveted for “rites” in 2010.

But even if you don’t follow the thematic thread, there are some great pieces of work worth seeing — both contemporary and historical — making “Human Rites” a unique stand-out for the summer.

“Human Rites” through Oct. 3 at the Bass Museum of Art, 2121 Park Ave., Miami Beach; 305-673-7530; www.bassmuseum.org