Art 40 Basel

We reviewed many of them for the past three months, and here they are, all together with the best art pieces and artists they have: during four days (from the 10 to the 14th of June), the 300 best galleries of the world gather at Basel, for his 40th edition and make also come all about 60 000 visitors, including the most important collectors of the art world.




Yes, it seems that despite the crisis, all our favorite galleries answered ‘present’ to this unique meeting. The ones we follow because of their singularity: The David Zwirner Gallery, who warmly opened his three spaces for Adel Abdessemed last month; Kasey Kaplan, who presented the unique delflated Jeff Koons’ rabbits by Jonathan Monk; Cheim & Read, who made us dream with the paintings and sculptures of Paul Morrison, Dvir Gallery, with whom we discovered Israelien contemporary art. We will surely see some political opinions with Pace Wildenstein Gallery and Deitch Project. And of course there will be the one we can’t not have heard of because they discovered the artists of today and have now the most expansive artists of the moment: Daniel Templon, Marianne Goodman, Gagosian, Sonnabend, Thaddaeus Ropac, Acquavella galleries, Alexander and Bonin, Emmanuel Perrotin,.. Modern Art will also be largely displayed with for instance the prestigious Moeller Fine Arts etc.

Thus, with about 2.500 artists, there is for all tastes, all genders, all times, but there will be no room for a word about the crisis. Seven days before the opening, this word is banished from the vocabulary: After the crash of Art Basel Miami fair, the Armory Show and the qualified FIAC, it the last opportunity to sell... and the journalists will run quickly to see the results and build theories about the art market future. Therefore, everything is made to make us forget about this keyword: an abundance of events, shows, and innovative ways of presentations were greatly thought : As the last five years Art Unlimited, curated by Simon Lamunière will showcase large scale sculptures and installations, lives shows and performances by for instance Yoshimoto Nara, the Indian Bharti Kher, Nan Goldin and Chen Zhen… Added to that, Art Premier will explore new curatorial aspects by engaging either a dialogue between two artists from two different generations, or the presentation of an exceptional art historical material by a single artist. In this section we will see quiet a few French galleries like the GB agency, Nathalie Obadia and Aline Vidal, and very special New Yorker galleries like Tracy Williams, Jack Shainman, Liguel Abreu. Art Statement will be the section dedicated to discover emerging artists and rising galleries. Also, public art project will be displayed for the passerby at Isteinerstrasse. An interesting program of conversations and films are also planned.

The best for the end, an historical moment not to miss, is the experimental show Il Tempo del Postino, directed by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Philippe Parenno, Anri Sala, and Rirkrit Tiravanija, will showcase, rather through time and space, works of art by the greatest artists of the moment, for instance Doug Aitken, Matthew Barney & Jonathan Bepler, Tacita Dean, Trisha Donnelly, Olafur Eliasson, Liam Gillick, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Douglas Gordon… Lets hope the most important Art fair of the world will continue to shine, despite the crisis.