A DAY AT: ART BASEL
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MIAMI IS NICE BUT…
These days if anyone mentions Art Basel you instantly think of Miami. However, having lived in Switzerland for as long as I have, I instantly think of the quaint Swiss German city where the world-renowned art fair is name after, Basel or Bale as its written in German. I have never been to the edition in Miami which launched sometime in the 2000s, but I have been to the fair in Switzerland many times. The Swiss edition of the faire is certainly less glamourous, with almost no celebrities of note, less parties and is really only all about the art.
Having so many galleries to choose from and artists to learn about, Switzerland has proven to be a fantastic place for a keen art enthusiast like myself. Geneva in particular (where I live) has a thriving art scene as well. This in part, some say is due to the city’s oldest and largest freeport facility, which houses a major collection of artworks, with 40% of its total worth estimated at US$100 billion! That’s just insane if you ask me.
Since I went to art school here and because of the city’s small size, I have had the privilege of meeting and getting to know some of the world’s most renowned Swiss and international artists.
ABOUT THE FAIR
The Art Basel fair was launched in the 1970s by three Basel gallerists and was a success from the start. More than 16,000 visitors attended the inaugural show to see 90 galleries and 30 publishers from 10 countries.
The city of Basel is located in the northwestern part of Switzerland and boarders France and Germany. It is considered the cultural capital of Switzerland with about 40 museums in total and many art galleries to choose from, including one of my favorites the Foundation Beyeler. This makes Basel one of Europe's most significant cultural hubs for its size and population. So, if you love art and happen to be in Switzerland then this is definitely a place to check out!
The international art fair takes place annually in June at the Swiss exhibition site Messe Basel, which features a hall designed by international architects Herzog & de Meuron. I’m always excited to hop on the train to make the almost 3-hour ride. The event showcases the work of nearly 4,000 artists from around the world, spread among 200 of the world's best galleries. One of the highlights is the Unlimited sector of the fair which was introduced in 2000. Think a humungous hanger with over the top and oversized works of all kinds.
Within the past few years, I have made it a point to explore works by African American artists and also the rich work coming out of the African diaspora. So, when I landed at the Messe I made sure to pay close attention to works by black artists.
Here’s what I found.
Gordon Parks
I was so happy to see a photograph from the Kansas born photographer Gordan Parks. It is from his iconic series of photos commissioned by Life magazine in the 1950’s.The plight of Black Americans and the fight for civil rights is a common theme in his work.
In 1956 Parks went to Alabama to document segregation in the south. The photo depicts a black mother and her young daughter window shopping. All the mannequins are white. The child leans on the glass with her arms stretched out leering at her white counterparts on the other side only separated by the invisible, the glass. Through this photograph we feel the sense of separateness of black lives to white lives. A feeling I too had growing up in America, such poignant imagery.
tHOMAS j pRICE
I also happily stumbled upon British artist Thomas J Price’s sculpture “Moments Contained” (2022) at the Hauser & Wirth gallery booth. It was a small bronze sculpture of a black man tending to the hood on his sweatshirt while staring into the void.
I had always wanted to see this artist’s work irl, then to my amazement when I got the Unlimited space, I discovered Price’s monumental bronze sculpture which apparently sold for GBP 450,000!
This was really a sight to see, the sheer scale, 12 feet to be exact, of this work was impressive. Price's sculpture of a black woman dressed in everyday clothing serves as a counterpoint to what one would expect from a typical sculpture of this kind. Critiquing the idea of status and value within society, in other words who gets to be represented. Giving status to the black experience. It was truly touching, profound and resonated deeply with me.
See and hear more about the piece: Moments Contained. Find out more about this work in a short film produced by Hauser & Wirth: Watch now!
IG: thomasjprice / Web: www.thomasjprice.com
Artwork represented by: Hauser & Wirth gallery
Mickalene Thomas
This beautiful piece by American artist Mickalene Thomas who is based in New York City titled “NUS Exotiques #1” (2022), instantly drew me in with its bold mix of media: paint, photography, collage and rhinestones.
The work depicts a black woman with a look of longing elegantly lounging within an abstract space taking up the entire canvas.
I loved the scale, the color combinations, how the photography intersects with the paint, cutting up the negative space with hints of shadows tying it all together beautifully.
Thomas’ work analyzes the ways in which the complications of being black and female connect throughout what is considered to be most important and influential in Western culture.
IG: micklenethomas
Artwork represented by: LGDR Gallery
Nathaniel mARY qUINN
Chicago born American painter Nathaniel Mary Quinn’s work “Desert Storm” (2022) is definitely another piece which caught my eye! It is beautiful, grotesque and absolutely alluring all at the same time.
The artist used a mixture of oil paint, paint stick, oil pastel, soft pastel, black charcoal and gouache on linen canvas stretched over wood panel to achieve his works. Quinn says that he uses empathy and vulnerability when creating and I have to say this was certainly coming through very clearly as I stood there.
The flawless movement from one medium to another within the work revealed the tenderness and perhaps the pain revealed in the eyes of the subject. Brilliant! Quinn peers into and uses his past experiences and memories of the black experience in America as a vehicle for his work.
If you are interested in learning more about Quinn’s process, I recommend watching this remarkable short documentary produced by Gagosian: Watch now!
Artwork represented by: Almine Rech Gallery
Zandile Tshabalala
Finally, I was excited to see the work of South African Soweto born artist Zandile Tshabalala. I discovered this artist on Instagram and have been hooked ever since.
Tshabalala’s piece, My mother’s garden: Umcimbi I (A Gathering I), (2022) depicts a group of black men, women and children smiling and having what looks like a great time at a gathering. Her use of the white negative space contrasted against the rich darkness of the skin tones really make this piece a standout, I absolutely loved this painting!
Check out my feature, Artists I Love: Zandile Tshabalala in this quarter’s journal post, where I go more in depth on this emerging artist.
Artwork represented by: Galerie Nagel Draxler
Tell us about an art fair you have attended or tell us what you think of the artist’s work featured here in this post.
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You might also like this related article: ARTISTS I LOVE: ZANDIEL TSHABALALA