Touted as the “Olympics of the art world”, the Art Basel has come a long way since being founded by three Swiss gallery owners, and is now one of the most internationally-recognized art fairs in the world, with sister events that now also take place in Miami and Hong Kong.
The Art Basel is typically divided into eight sectors: Galleries, Feature, Statement, Edition, Unlimited, Parcours, Film and Magazines. 287 art dealers will head to the German-Swiss border city of Basel to showcase their works. Here, some of the highlights to look forward to at the event, running June 16 – 19, 2016.
Parcours
The site-specific sector will welcome 19 artworks under the curation of Basel native Samuel Leuenberger this year. On display around the city and neighboring districts, highlights of the popular Parcours sector will include American artist Sam Durant’s steel chain maze “Labyrinth”, and Chilean sculptor Ivan Navarro’s “Traffic”, set in a disused sewage tunnel.
The Bâloise Art Prize
Two emerging contemporary artists from the Statement section will not only have their works exhibited in solo shows around Europe, but also receive more than $30,000 in this prestigious art accolade.
Anticipated Showings
Celebrated American performance artist Alison Knowles will prove age isn’t a limit with her interactive piece “Make a Salad”. The 82-year-old often blurs the line between high art and daily life for her performances. Rare works by the late Robert Smithson – an American artist famous for his use of photography in relation to land art – will also be on show, together with Jim Dine’s immersive installation “Muscle and Salt”. Those interested in engineering and architecture will enjoy Los Angeles-based Oscar Tuazon’s new installation “Alloy”, in which a series of talks will be held throughout the week.
Find out more about the artists and showcases at Art Basel 2016 here.
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