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SWISS LUXURY TRAVEL BLOG
Art Basel 2017
An astonishing show...
I was lucky enough to attend Art Basel this year a day before it opened to the public with my friend Louisa who runs Louisa Warfield art consultancy in London (louisawarfieldart.com). She specializes in modern art providing bespoke, beautiful art solutions for private clients, interior designers and friends . Here I share some of my impressions of this amazing fair that is divided into three main sectors with lots of satellite events: the Unlimited, Art Basel and Design Miami/Basel.
Art Basel is the world's leading modern and contemporary art fair with 291 galleries showing the works of over 4000 artists from 15-18 June this year. It is the most anticipated commercial event in the world of contemporary art. Basel attracts the world's top artists, connaisseurs and a very fashionable crowd providing them with a unique platform. It also provides visitors with unparalleled people-watching opportunities.
If you want to spend some time with the very best of the art world, discover the latest emerging artists or just spend time mingling with the super sophisticated and stylish of this world, visit Art Basel!
First launched in 1970 when three gallery owners came together to share their passion for modern art, today Art Basel has three world leading events staged in Basel, Miami and Hong Kong annually. The main Basel event takes place in the signature building by architects Herzog & de Meuron. It is complemented by a unique programme of talks on art and events throughout the city, creating a very dynamic and vibrant cultural week in Basel.
Unlimited at Art Basel
Unlimited is where out-sized sculpture and paintings, video projections, large-scale installations and live performances are featured. This year's edition includes 76 exciting large-scale artworks.
The head curator invites galleries to showcase work by an artist of their choice. In this vast space you can browse unique, edgy, thought-provoking pieces that are strongly conceptual. Often laden with political or social messages, the pieces won't leave you indifferent.​
It's hard to select one or two pieces from Unlimited as so many of them were hugely thought provoking. I liked Rob Pruitt's Official Art World/Celebrity Lookalikes where portraits of celebrities from the art world are paired with celebrity lookalikes. Initially started on Instagram, it explores identity, meaning and community through shared visual culture.
Galleries Sector at Art Basel
Of note too is the house entirely constructed with pots and pans. Or Fraught Times: For Eleven Months of the Year it's an Artwork and in December it's a Christmas Tree - an ornate Christmas tree entirely made of stainless steel. Another favourite was The Bathroom, the construction of an environment, in this case a bathroom, where a crime could have taken place creating a narrative fiction. You will leave Unlimited with your mind buzzing there is just so much to process.
The very heart of the fair, with over 290 galleries, this is an overwhelmingly maze of art stands showing paintings, drawings, sculpture, installations, prints, photographs and digital art. Deals are made and serious collectors discreetly mingle with those who just want to be seen. One London-gallery owner informed me that galleries keep their very best pieces for Art Basel. The sky is the limit here with works of art being sold for millions. We saw a work of art by Basquiat whose latest piece of art sold at auction for $110million. There were also pieces by Picasso, Mirò and Roy Liechstenstein. Prices aren't displayed - that would be considered vulgar - but you can always ask.
The sheer volume of this fair is so enormous that you cannot take it all in. Pace yourself and take lots of breaks as it simply is over-stimulating. There is a nice open-air rotunda in the Galleries sector, with a food court and lots of seating where I would really recommend stopping for a while.
Even though the art world can feel very intimidating, the atmosphere here is informative and professional; it is a place where you can request an explanation on a piece of art or simply ask: how much is that? Although you may want to whisper...
Design Miami/Basel
This exhibit presents large-scale works of historical and contemporary design, showcasing ambitious architectural installations that feature both conceptual and industrial innovation. It is much quieter than the fair and feels like a haven a peace, a place to escape to. The pieces presented are all beautifully designed, with slick, smooth contours. This is a much smaller exhibit, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, perhaps because it is simply more accessible.
Should you have any energy left, don't miss the two main side shows. First there's Liste, which presents the work of super emerging artists, who have never been shown before. Second there's Volta 13, which also presents emerging artists. This is where you will find art at accessible prices ranging from € 1000 to 20'000. These are pieces of work that you can easily live with in your house.
When visiting Art Basel, my main advice would be don't try to fit it all into one day. You will simply be overwhelmed. And do wear super comfortable footwear because at the end of the day your feet will be very sore! You may want to wear the most fashionable outfit you own to fit in with the crowd. By the end of the day, you will feel like for a brief moment you were part of a magical, creative world and part of the über-fashionable set.
General Information
Art Basel runs from 15 to 18 June 2017. It is open from 11 am to 7 pm. Art Basel guided tours are available Thursdays through Sundays. Day tickets cost Chf 60.- on site and Chf 50.- online. For the full programme, check out Art Basel's website:
It gets very, very busy, hotel and restaurant reservations need to made a long time in advance. Click on the links to my reviews below of two Basel hotels for your next trip there.
June 15th, 2017