Art Basel. The Art Fair of Art Fairs

In just a few days Art Basel will open its doors for the 41st time to the public.  If you don’t already know about Art Basel, here’s a short run down.

Over 300 top international galleries have been accepted to participate this year from the 16 – 20th of June.  With more than 2,500 artists on display, the work ranges from great modern masters to emerging talents, shown in sections throughout the fair.  Painting, installations, photography, sculpture, and drawing are some of the mediums presented.  More than just an art fair, Art Basel is a global rendezvous for who’s who in the art world.  More than 61,000 spectators are expected to attend the 41st Art Basel, making many wonder – what financial crisis?

In addition to the “Art Basel Conversations”, which will feature greats such as Rodney Graham, Irving Blum, and Giuseppe Panza de Biumo, this year exhibition coordinators have added Art Parcours.

For three nights in some of Basel’s foremost venues, site-specific works and performances by 10 artists – John Bock, Angela Bulloch, Daniel Buren, Nathalie Djurberg and Hans Berg, Aurélien Froment, Ryan Gander, Damián Ortega, Martha Rosler and Cerith Wyn Evans, will transform the city into one huge fairground.

The list of participating artists and galleries at Art Basel would make any art devotee scramble for plane tickets.  Every summer the city lives and breathes art for these few days in June, and there are bound to be a range of alternative gallery events to partake in.

Krafft Basel is your refuge during the fair.  Meet at the bar for drinks, enjoy a culinary adventure from chef Andi Steiner in the restaurant, or just enjoy a peaceful night in one of their minimally decorated rooms.

To take a look at art Basel’s full program, pre-purchase tickets, or to order the catalogue visit the Art Basel website.  www.artbasel.com

Images Courtesy of Art Basel (in order of appearence):

Sakshi Gallery | Chen Chieh-Jen | Factory, 2003

Latifa Echakhch | À chaque stencil une révolution, 2007 | Courtesy the artist and kamel mennour, Paris

Vilma Gold | Charles Atlas | Merce Cunningham with Monitors, 1978

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Categories: Basel, Art

Contributing writer: Alicia Reuter