Photo: © artnet News.
Visiting Art Basel can be a dizzying experience: so much to see, so little time . . . And with 285 exhibitors from 34 countries, the 2014 edition is a killer. To give you a taste of what’s on offer, the artnet News team on the ground shares its highlights.
1. Lisson Gallery, London
Lisson is showcasing its usual “greatest hits”—Anish Kapoor, Rodney Graham, Tony Cragg—in a thoughtfully curated booth, featuring a particularly successful pairing of Ai Weiwei’s bicycle piece next to abstract art veteran’s Carmen Herrera’s Cobalt and White (1998).
2. Pace, New York, London
A booth functioning like two mini exhibitions: a stunning selection of soft instruments by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen as well as a focused display of Lee Ufan’s work, currently on show in Versailles.
3. Helly Nahmad Gallery, New York
An eye-catching selection of Calder mobiles—very popular at this year’s TEFAF—in a booth also boasting Pablo Picasso’s Couple from 1969 and his La Fille de l’artiste à deux ans et demi avec un bateau (1938).
4. Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Paris, Salzburg
Ropac has brought one of the real treats of this year’s edition: Joseph Beuys’s last sculpture, here rubbing shoulders with works by Alex Katz and Georg Baselitz.
5. Xavier Hufkens, Brussels
An eye-popping Sterling Ruby painting in a booth shown alongside more demure pieces by Roni Horn and Louise Bourgeois, as well as some naughty Robert Mapplethorpe photographs.
6. Marian Goodman, New York, Paris, London
This Gerhard Richter (921-3 Strip, 2011), which nicely echoes the artist’s current show at the Beyeler Foundation, is a star of a booth also featuring works by Giuseppe Penone and Jeff Wall.
7. Gagosian Gallery, New York, London, Geneva, Hong Kong
With the artist’s most recent auction record, it would be a folly not to dig out the Jeff Koons.
8. Thomas Ammann Fine Art, Zurich
A great display courtesy of the Bruce High Quality Foundation, daringly presented with some classic modern pieces by Picasso and Fernand Léger.
9. Hauser & Wirth, Zürich, London, New York
There’s so much to love at the Hauser & Wirth booth: a big, drippy nude by Paul McCarthy, and works by Max Bill, Roni Horn, and Pipilotti Rist—but we’ve fallen in love with this rare contraption by Yves Klein and Jean Tinguely.
10. Fergus McCaffrey, New York
A tight presentation, focused on the Japanese avant-garde and “introduced” here by a spectacular painting by Kazuo Shiraga (Ryusen, 1991), which got much interest in the fair’s first few hours.
11. White Cube, London, Hong Kong, São PauloThe Chapman Brothers’ popularity might at auction might be falling, but the gallery is giving the YBA’s enfants terribles a big push, making this Disaster of the War–inspired bronze the centerpiece of a booth featuring Damien Hirst, Andreas Gursky, and Julie Mehretu.
12. Sabine Knust, Munich
A gloriously sunny wall with pieces by Marc Brandenburg and Günther Förg.
13. Gemini G.E.L. LCC, Los Angeles
A fantastic series of John Baldessari prints (The News, 2014, an edition of 50) shares the booth with limited editions by other American greats such as Richard Serra, Ellsworth Kelly, and Allen Ruppersberg.
14. Galleria Tucci Russo, Studio per l’Arte Contemporanea, Turin
A minimal booth featuring alluring pieces by Arte Povera heavyweights, including a few Penones, and the barely visible, yet seminal Perspex piece by Giovanni AnselmoUntitled (1967).
15. Kewenig, Berlin, Palma de Mallorca
A truly inspired black and white display featuring Jannis Kounellis, Wim Delvoye,Bertrand Lavier, and Christian Boltanski.
16. Bernard Jacobson, London, New York
A flamboyantly abstract Sam Francis and a starkly minimal Larry Bell go head-to-head.
17. Andrea Rosen, New York
Tasteful and understated is the vibe at Andrea Rosen: Félix González-Torres, Carl Andre, and a wonderful Robert Motherwell, Open No. 22, from 1968.
18. Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York
A beautiful little Carl Andre wood sculpture from 1959 is the star of a formal and elegant booth.
19. Victoria Miro, London
The ever-popular Yayoi Kusama in great form: One of her signature pumpkins enters into a surreal dialogue with the more demure Infinity Net painting.
20. Luisa Strina, São Paulo
Strina flies the Brazilian colors with works by Fernanda Gomes, Alexandre da Cunha, Lygia Pape, and Renata Lucas. Mexican Pedro Reyes is also prominently featured, with his eye-catching Swiss knives.
21. Neugerriemschneider, Berlin
A fabulous Michel Majerus took us straight to Neugerriemschneider’s otherwise sparse booth.
22. The Approach, London
The Approach champions the young with Jack Lavender, Magali Reus, and Alice Channer.
23. Long March Space, Beijing
An intriguing display of sculptures and paintings by the Chinese artist Liu Wei.
24. Galerie Perrotin, Paris, Hong Kong, New York
Another one not to miss: Emlgreen & Dragset meets Jean-Michel Othoniel and Germaine Richier.
25. Kamel Mennour, Paris
A surprisingly fresh Anish Kapoor piece, admirably offset by these two works by Petrit Halilaj.