Walkthrough of the Art Unlimited sector with large-scale installations, video projections, and massive sculptures at Art 40 Basel International Art Fair in Basel, Switzerland.

Art 40 Basel, Art Unlimited section. Impressions from the preview.

This video is part 1. Stay tuned for part 2.

Contemporary Art :: Fine Art :: Top Artists :: Art Reviews, Art Fairs & Exhibitions. Copyright , e ART FAIR .com, All Rights Reserved.

LAST CALL FOR PANEL PROPOSALS:    The International Sculpture Center is currently accepting panel proposals for it’s 22nd International Sculpture Conference which will be held in London, UK, April 7-9, 2010, whose topic is What is Sculpture in the 21st Century?

This conference will explore and consider the potential of sculpture in the 21st century - to provide an opportunity to both celebrate its vitality and diversity, its capacity to challenge, and to examine its current position, function and production.

Individuals are invited to submit proposals for papers and panel discussions that provoke critical exchange and debate in relation to the broad thematic areas referred to below.

Submissions are encouraged that support opportunities for interaction between participants and enable the conference to engage in a truly international exchange of ideas and viewpoints.

The languages of Sculpture

Since William Tuckers highly regarded book "The Language of Sculpture’ was published in 1974, the term ’sculpture’ within contemporary art encompasses an increasingly diverse range of practices that resists easy categorization, definition or a dominant set of principles.

While numerous successful practitioners can be seen to be part of a long sculpture tradition, many influential contemporary artists employ varied and eclectic methods and approaches in the production of artworks that engage with spaces, contexts and audiences in which the currency, nature and relevance of the term sculpture remains open to question.

• How and in what way is the development of Sculpture influenced in relation to digital media – light/sound/video and through hybrid and interdisciplinary forms of performance/actions/site based installation?
• To what extent has the curator’s agenda shaped the language and reception of sculpture and how has this influenced current developments?

Public perception and investment

The scale of, and investment in ambitious commissions of permanent and temporary sculpture as part of city and regional cultural regeneration over the past two decades has been unprecedented. Matched by an expanding audience for contemporary art, internationally recognised artists have produced innovative artworks that have set new standards and expectations in the field of public art.

• How has the commissioning process and policies for major public projects adapted to this growth, and how has this influenced new ways and methods of working? Are there more appropriate ways to involve and engage artists in development schemes that value and promote sustainability and opportunities for young artists
• To what extent has the lack of exposure and critique of public sculpture in the art press limited necessary debates in the field, and how well is the impact and investment of projects evaluated in order to gauge it’s temporary or long term success?

The State of Education

In many UK Universities and colleges sculpture has been incorporated into holistic Fine Art courses that embrace an inclusive approach to cross-disciplinary practice reflecting current tendencies and attitudes. The economics, viability and relevance of maintaining three dimensional making in schools is having an impact on recruitment to Further and Higher Education for subjects such as Sculpture and Ceramics.

• Is the curriculum and support for sculpture changing within the art school and to what extent does this mirror the changes that are taking place in the artist’s studio?
• How can sculpture, its production and critical development be maintained and enhanced - can global differences and international exchange provide examples of good practice in education?

The above has been written to prompt and suggest possible platforms for discussion and debate. The ISC welcomes responses that extend and develop these themes in areas that will engage delegates in sharing different perspectives and provoke speculation about the future direction and development of Sculpture in the twenty first century.

For complete abstract guidelines and requirements or to submit your paper please visit the ISC website at http://www.sculpture.org/documents/ProgramsandEvents/conferences/london/callforpapers.shtml

Abstract Submission Deadline: June 4, 2009.
For questions email events@sculpture.org or call 001 609-6891051 x302.

International Sculpture Center
14 Fairgrounds Road, Suite B
Hamilton, NJ USA

Contemporary Art :: Fine Art :: Top Artists :: Art Reviews, Art Fairs & Exhibitions. Copyright , e ART FAIR .com, All Rights Reserved.

The 40th edition of Art Basel takes place in the culturally rich city of Basel, Switzerland, from June 10 through June 14, 2009. As the world’s premier art show, Art Basel marks the annual reunion of the international artworld. This year, more than 300 exhibiting galleries from all over the globe were selected from a record number of more than 1,100 applications, and will be showing works by over 2,500 artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. The Art Unlimited hall, with its 60 large-scale projects, and the Public Art Projects on the exhibition square offer further highlights.

The most spectacular event this year will be the presentation of “Il Tempo del Postino” at Theater Basel. Curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Philippe Parreno as a group exhibition that would occupy time rather than space, “Il Tempo del Postino” (Postman Time) presents a sequential display of time-based art on the theatre stage. Participating artists will include Doug Aitken, Matthew Barney & Jonathan Bepler, Tacita Dean, Thomas Demand, Trisha Donnelly, Olafur Eliasson, Peter Fischli / David Weiss, Liam Gillick, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Douglas Gordon, Carsten Höller, Pierre Huyghe, Koo Jeong-A, Philippe Parreno, Anri Sala, Tino Sehgal and Rirkrit Tiravanija & Arto Lindsay. Furthermore Basel’s museums once again feature fascinating exhibitions, and will host a broad range of events.
Founded by a group of local gallerists, the first Art Basel took place in 1970 and has since then become the most prestigious art show worldwide. This 40th anniversary edition of Art Basel begins with a vernissage for invited guests on June 9 and opens to the general public from June 10 through June 14. The premier annual event regularly attracts some 60,000 artists, collectors, gallerists, curators, and art enthusiasts from across the globe, eager to see the most rigorously chosen overview of the international art market and to meet key movers of the international art scene. Covered by more than 2,300 media representatives, Art Basel earns its strong reputation based both on the quality and diversity of the exhibited art works.

Art 40 Basel will showcase all forms of artistic expression, including paintings, drawings, editions, and sculptures, installations, photography, performances, and internet and video art. Works costing a few thousand Swiss francs, by emerging artists, will be on display alongside museum-quality masterpieces priced in the millions.

Over 300 of the world’s leading galleries will be exhibiting at Art Basel (a list of exhibitors
can be found at www.artbasel.com/galleries). The galleries were chosen by the Art Basel Committee, an international jury of renowned gallerists, in accordance with strict quality criteria. Selected from a record number of more than 1,100 applicants, the sectors Art Galleries,
Art Statements, Art Premiere and Art Edition include 75 galleries from the United States; 56 from Germany; 33 from Switzerland; 28 from Great Britain; 26 from France; 22 from Italy; 9 from Spain;
8 from Belgium; 7 from Austria; 5 from Japan; 4 each from Brazil, China and Poland; 3 from the Netherlands; 2 each from Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Mexico, Norway and South Korea; and one each from Argentina, Finland, India, Israel, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, and Turkey.

Art Galleries
Once again more than 99 percent of last year’s exhibitors reapplied in the Art Galleries sector.
This year’s strong roster of participants is reinforced by the additions of Johann König (Berlin),
Dvir Gallery (Tel Aviv), Vitamin Creative Space (Guangzhou), Nils Staerk Contemporary Art (Copenhagen) and J Crist Gallery (Boise, Idaho, U.S.). The line-up of galleries showing 20th-century classics is augmented by Knoedler & Company (New York), Galerie Zlotowski (Paris), and Galerie Susanne Zander (Köln). The specialists in Art Edition are joined by Galerie Helga Maria Klosterfelde (Hamburg) and Galerie de Multiples (Paris), and the roster of photographic galleries
is enhanced by the return of the Galerie Zur Stockeregg (Zürich). After a brief hiatus, David Nolan Gallery (New York), Galleria Raucci / Santamaria (Napoli), Greene Naftali (New York), Stuart Shave / Modern Art (London) and Team Gallery (New York) also rejoin Art Basel’s exhibitors.

Art Statements
A frequent site of discovery by those seeking emerging artists, Art Statements this year features 27 single-artist projects from rising galleries worldwide. The projects on display are new and created specifically for presentation in this highly regarded sector. Since 1999, the Bâloise Insurance Group has awarded its annual Bâloise Art Prize of CHF 25,000 each to two outstanding
Art Statements projects. This year, the prize has been raised to CHF 30,000 for each artist, to
a total amount of CHF 60,000. The company also acquires works by prize-winning artists and donates them to two important museums in Europe.

Art Premiere
The Art Premiere sector, which focuses on the curatorial aspects of the gallerist’s practice, this year presents 19 gallery projects, featuring either an artistic dialogue juxtaposing two artists from all generations, a presentation by a single artist of any age or exceptional art historical material – a
new possibility within the sector.

Art Unlimited
Art Unlimited will spotlight 60 ambitious works. Many of the exhibited pieces are created especially for Art 40 Basel. The platform enables artists to exhibit works that do not fit in standard display booths
due to spatial, temporal, technical, financial, contextual, or conceptual constraints. With the accent
on innovative and large-scale works, everything from outsize sculptures and installations to video projections, wall paintings, and performances will be on show. The exhibition has once again been devised in collaboration with Geneva curator Simon Lamunière.

Public Art Projects
The exhibition area on the exhibition square in front of the buildings hosting Art Basel will again serve as an arena for art in the public space. Displayed on Messeplatz, the sector places art in the urban context and encourages interaction with the general public. Eight works by internationally renowned artists Valentin Carron, General Idea, Mark Handforth, Jeppe Hein, Gabriel Kuri, Mathieu Mercier, John McCracken and Ken Price will be installed. The sector is again curated by Basel curator Martin Schwander.

Il Tempo del Postino
One of the most spectacular events at this year’s Art Basel will be the presentation of “Il Tempo del Postino” at Theater Basel. The Independent called this unique show “The world’s first visual arts opera” after its first and only presentation at the Manchester International Festival in 2007, where
a group of the world’s leading visual artists created a major experimental presentation.

Curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Philippe Parreno as a group exhibition that would occupy time rather than space, “Il Tempo del Postino” (Postman Time) presents a sequential display of time-based art on the theatre stage. Each of the twenty artists has created an act of different length.

In Basel “Il Tempo del Postino” will be directed by Hans Ulrich Obrist, Philippe Parreno, Anri Sala
and Rirkrit Tiravanija. In addition to the artists who participated in Manchester in 2007 - Doug Aitken, Matthew Barney & Jonathan Bepler, Tacita Dean, Trisha Donnelly, Olafur Eliasson, Liam Gillick, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Douglas Gordon, Carsten Höller, Pierre Huyghe, Koo Jeong-A, Philippe Parreno, Anri Sala, Tino Sehgal and Rirkrit Tiravanija & Arto Lindsay - “Il Tempo del Postino” in Basel will include new contributions by Thomas Demand and Peter Fischli / David Weiss.

Art Basel Conversations and Art Lobby
Staged every morning (June 10 to June 13), Art Basel Conversations bring together prominent members of the international art scene. For the Premiere of the Art Basel Conversations the curator
Sir Norman Rosenthal will engage with the artist Jeff Koons. Further topics include “Artistic Production: Collecting Performance”, “The Future of the Museum: Digital Frontiers” and “Public / Private: Institutions: A Time of Crisis – and Opportunity?”. Additionally, a daily program of six artist conversations, book signings, discussion forums, and other presentations will take place
in the Art Lobby forum in the afternoons.

Art Film
The Art Film program once again features an outstanding program of films, screened at the Stadtkino Basel. This Brunner, a collector with profound knowledge of the international film scene will present “Picasso & Braque Go to the Movies” (2008) from Arne Glimcher on Thursday evening. The rest of the Art Film program, including many shorter artist films and videos on the themes “New Landscapes”, “Rediscovery”, “Bending Identities” and “Storylines” is curated by Berlin-based film scholar Marc Glöde.

Art Basel Weekend
On the weekend of June 12 to June 14, 2009, Art 40 Basel will celebrate the Art Basel Weekend, highlighting special activities (solo shows, performances, book signings etc.) at the booths of the participating galleries. A variety of panels and presentations geared to art professionals will also be held during the weekend in the context of Art Basel Conversations and Art Lobby. The museums and institutions in Basel feature a broad range of special events such as guided tours, performances and talks.

Art Basel Catalogs
Art 40 Basel is accompanied by a lavish catalog published by Hatje Cantz in May 2009. The richly illustrated publication contains reproductions of approximately 600 works, from Modern classics to the latest in cutting-edge art. The separate catalog, published to accompany the Art Unlimited exhibition, will be available at Art Basel.

Art Basel’s Sponsors
UBS has a valued tradition of supporting the arts and believes that art awakens new ways of seeing the world and sharing insight. The firm has been the main sponsor of Art Basel for the
past 16 years. “We are delighted to look back on long years of partnership with Art Basel and
Art Unlimited”, says Francesco Morra, CEO Switzerland, UBS Wealth Management & Swiss Bank. “Supporting the arts is ingrained in our corporate culture and through these cultural partnerships we are committed to making the arts accessible to a broader community.” At the Associate Sponsor level, Cartier, NetJets and AXA Art continue their significant partnership with Art Basel.
Art Basel is also supported by Baloise Holding, ZURICH Insurance Company and Vitra. The VIP
car service is provided by Volkswagen.

Museums in Basel
The museum exhibitions in and around Basel are again exceptional this year. On show at the Fondation Beyeler, Riehen/Basel: “Giacometti”; at the Kunstmuseum Basel: “Vincent van Gogh, Between Earth and Heaven: The Landscapes”; at the Schaulager: “Holbein to Tillmans”; at the Museum Jean Tinguely: “Armor and gala dresses”; at the Kunstmuseum Basel – Museum für Gegenwartskunst: “Little Theatre of Gestures”; at Kunsthalle Basel solo exhibitions with Danh Vo
and Lucy Skaer titled “A Boat Used as a Vessel”. (For a complete list of museum exhibitions, go to www.museenbasel.ch).

Design Miami/Basel
Design Miami/Basel, the global forum for collecting, exhibiting, discussing, and creating design runs June 9 – 13 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is this year located in hall 5 of the Basel fairgrounds. www.designmiami.com

Contemporary Art :: Fine Art :: Top Artists :: Art Reviews, Art Fairs & Exhibitions. Copyright , e ART FAIR .com, All Rights Reserved.

During his lifetime, his artwork addressed issues of environmentalism, war, racial equality, nuclear disarmament, apartheid, economic development, and artists’ rights - an array of big-picture social and political themes that are challenging for artists (or anyone else) to tackle.

Rauschenberg was up to this challenge, and this strong and unique global consciousness and ethics set him apart from other artists in the Pop Art movement.

Robert Rauschenberg celebration of Earth Day

To celebrate the very first Earth Day in 1970, Robert Rauschenberg created the collage ‘Earth Day’ based on which this original lithograph “Earth Day” is created. April 22, 1970 was the day that approximately 25 million Americans joined forces across the nation to insist on a cleaner, healthier planet. It was a day of culmination of the forces of the ’60s.

This powerful promotional artwork by Robert Rauschenberg was the first of its kind, to popularize and celebrate the observance of Earth Day.

The Eagle as torch-carrier in the Artwork

The centerpiece of the collage, the American Bald Eagle, is perfectly chosen! Of course, as a symbol, it reflects America’s self image as strong and powerful. Yet, at the time the artwork was made, the American bald eagle was endangered with extinction due to pesticides!! A threat of destruction of the nation’s reflection of itself!

In addition, and perhaps more importantly Native Americans know the American Bald Eagle to be a bird of illumination of Spirit, Healing and Creation. To Native Americans the Bald Eagle have come to symbolize heroic nobility & Divine Spirit. It is one of the most admired birds of prey. Its ability to soar high in the sky is awe-inspiring. Meanwhile, it is good at feeding itself from the land.

To align oneself with the symbol of the eagle, we must take responsibility and the power of becoming so much more than we now appear to be. When an eagle flies into our lives, opportunities arise. We must learn to see these opportunities and use them well.

The eagle is also seen as a messenger from heaven, and are the embodiment of the spirit of the sun. Its feathers are used in powerful healing ceremonies & cleansing the aura. Associated with the eagle are far reaching visions.

Signed Original Limited-Edition Lithograph for Sale

“Earth Day”| Robert Rauschenberg Limited Edition | 1970 | 64 x 86 cm Purchase Info of this Limited Edition Original Lithograph

The limited edition print is hand signed and measures 33.5 x 25 .25 inches. This item has been stored flat and is in near mint condition with very light signs of handling.

Timeless Art, Filled with Meaning, Affordable

This lithograph is priced at only about $2,800 - this is a really, really low when compared to art market sources.

About Rober Rauschenberg - Artistically

Robert Rauschenberg (1925 – 2008) was a groundbreaking Pop Artist whose visionary work profoundly revolutionized the course of American and European art. From Texas, Rauschenberg had a voracious appetite for limitless experimentation with new techniques and unique materials, which broke all artistic boundaries.

Embracing the arts of silk screening, digital imagery and set design, his most acclaimed creations were “combines,” giant three-dimensional works that paired paint with objects he found on the street, such as scraps of clothing, tires, furniture and cardboard. Rauschenberg’s work re-established the beauty of cast-off items, and solidified him as a pivotal figure in the Pop Art movement.

We all live from day to day. We move from moment to moment, mood to mood, making decisions that control our acts, insisting and recognizing that facts are changing like the light we are seeing them in and as our motivation to look. - Robert Rauschenberg

Since it’s his birthday today, let’s celebrate the Spanish Artist Juan Gris, by highlighting some of his most famous art quotes.

As you may have read in my recent article on Juan Gris had a distinct role in the art movement of cubism.

The Violin, 1916 Juan Gris Buy this Fine Art Giclee Print, from Art.com

Famous Art Quotes by Spanish Artist Juan Gris

I always pet a dog with my left hand because if he bit me I’d still have my right hand to paint with.

I prefer the emotion that corrects the rule.

You are lost the moment you know what the result will be.

‘Cezanne made a cylinder out of a bottle. I start from the cylinder to create a special kind of individual object. I make a bottle out of a cylinder.’

Juan Gris - Market Value of his Work

The richly detailed painting “Book, Pipe and Glasses” (oil on canvas) painted by Juan Gris in 1915, brought a record price of nearly $21 million at Christie’s New York auction of Impressionist and Modern art last November (2008). The sale was the highlight of the auction.

© copyright 2009 A Lee ~ e ART fair ~ all rights reserved

Contemporary Art :: Fine Art :: Top Artists :: Art Reviews, Art Fairs & Exhibitions. Copyright , e ART FAIR .com, All Rights Reserved.

As Bacon’s self portraits are widely regarded as some of his most important works and have been called ‘amongst the greatest self-portraits in the history of art’, I’m sure this artwork will help lead the art market out of its current slump.

CBC News reported:

“Christie’s sued over $40M guarantee for Francis Bacon painting

A Florida art collector is suing auction house Christie’s International in New York City, for reneging on a deal to give him the minimum price guarantee of $40 million US for a self-portrait by Irish painter Francis Bacon.

George Weiss filed a lawsuit Friday in a Manhattan federal court for breach of contract and is seeking damages to be determined at trial.

Weiss says Christie’s owes him at least $40 million for his 1964 Study For a Self Portrait by Bacon, which had failed to sell at the November 2008 auction. The bidding topped off at about $27 million.

“For years, the major auction houses, including Christie’s and Sotheby’s, have offered guaranteed price arrangements for select works in order to bring major pieces to market,” Weiss said in the complaint.

“Christie’s reneged upon the minimum price guarantee.”

Documents indicate Weiss was courted last summer by Christie’s and its rival Sotheby’s. In September, Weiss chose Christie’s.

In the same month, the auction house told Weiss it couldn’t fulfil the minimum-bid guarantee, citing “the changed climate of the art market.”

Prices for works of art have tumbled in light of the world economic crisis.

Market for Art by Francis Bacon

Prior to that, the market for Bacon’s works was hot. A 1978 Bacon self-portrait sold for more than $42 million US in London in June 2007, while a 1976 triptych was sold for $86 million in May 2008.

Bacon died in Madrid in 1992.”

Francis Bacon - What’s Next

A complete biography of Francis Bacon will be published soon at eArtfair.com/blog.

Contemporary Art :: Fine Art :: Top Artists :: Art Reviews, Art Fairs & Exhibitions. Copyright , e ART FAIR .com, All Rights Reserved.

In my mind Art Basel is the premier international art show in the world. And this year, on its 40th anniversary year, it will do doubt out-do itself in splendor.

As per usual, the 40th edition of Art Basel takes place in the culturally-rich city of Basel, Switzerland. The show will be on June 10 - June 14, 2009. Mark that week, and if you can, go there.

As the world’s most important art show, Art Basel is an annual reunion of the international art world. This year’s 300 exhibiting galleries from all over the globe were selected from a record number of more than 1,100 applications, and will be showing works by over 2,500 artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. The Art Unlimited hall, with its 60 large-scale projects, and the Public Art Projects on the exhibition square offer further highlights.

One of the most spectacular events this year will be the presentation of “Il Tempo del Postino” at Theater Basel. Curated and directed by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Philippe Parreno and co-curated by Anri Sala and Rirkrit Tiravanija, a group of leading visual artists will create a major experimental time-based presentation each using up to 15 minutes of exhibition time with the stage assuming the role of the gallery space. Participating artists will include Doug Aitken, Olafur Eliasson, Liam Gillick,Pierre Huyghe, Koo Jeong-A, Philippe Parreno, Anri Sala and Rirkrit Tiravanija.

And Basel’s museums once again feature fascinating exhibitions plus a broad range of events.

Founded by a group of local gallerists, the first Art Basel took place in 1970 and has since then become the most prestigious art show worldwide. This 40th anniversary edition of Art Basel begins with a vernissage for invited guests on June 9 and opens to the general public from June 10 through June 14. This annual event regularly attracts some 60,000 artists, collectors, gallerists, curators, and art enthusiasts from across the globe, eager to see the most rigorously chosen overview of the international art market and to meet key movers of the international art scene. Covered by more than 2,300 media representatives, Art Basel enjoys a formidable reputation based both on the quality and diversity of the exhibited art works.

Over 300 of the world’s leading galleries will be exhibiting at Art Basel. The galleries were chosen by the Art Basel Committee, an international jury of renowned gallerists, in accordance with strict quality criteria.

Selected from a record number of more than 1,100 applicants, the sectors Art Galleries, Art Statements, Art Premiere and Art Edition includes 75 galleries from the U.S.; 56 from Germany; 33 from Switzerland; 28 from Great Britain; 26 from France; 22 from Italy; 9 from Spain; 8 from Belgium; 7 from Austria; 5 from Japan; 4 each from Brazil, China and Poland; 3 from the Netherlands; 2 each from Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Mexico, Norway and South Korea; and one each from Argentina, Finland, India, Israel, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, and Turkey.

Art 40 Basel will showcase all forms of artistic expression, including paintings, drawings, editions, and sculptures, installations, photography, performances, and internet and video art. Works costing a few thousand Swiss francs, by emerging artists, will be on display alongside museum-quality masterpieces priced in the millions.

Art Galleries

Once again more than 99 percent of last year’s exhibitors reapplied in the Art Galleries sector. This year’s strong roster of participants is reinforced by the additions of Johann König (Berlin), Dvir Gallery (Tel Aviv), Vitamin Creative Space (Guangzhou), Nils Staerk Contemporary Art (Copenhagen) and J Crist Gallery (Boise, Idaho, U.S.).

The line-up of galleries showing 20th-century classics is augmented by Knoedler & Company (New York), Galerie Zlotowski (Paris), and Galerie Susanne Zander (Köln). The specialists in Art Edition are joined by Galerie Helga Maria Klosterfelde (Hamburg) and Galerie de Multiples (Paris), and the roster of photographic galleries is enhanced by the return of the Galerie Zur Stockeregg (Zürich).

After a brief hiatus, David Nolan Gallery (New York), Galleria Raucci / Santamaria (Napoli), Greene Naftali (New York), Stuart Shave / Modern Art (London) and Team Gallery (New York) also rejoin Art Basel’s exhibitors.

Art Statements

A frequent site of discovery by those seeking emerging artists, Art Statements features 27 single-artist projects from rising galleries worldwide. The projects on display are new and often created specifically for presentation in this highly regarded sector for young artists. Since 1999, the Baloise Insurance Group has awarded its annual Baloise Art Prize of CHF 25,000 each to two outstanding Art Statements projects. This year the prize has been raised to CHF 30,000 for each artist, to a total amount of CHF 60,000. The company also acquires works by the prize winning artists and donates them
to two important museums in Europe.

Art Premiere

The Art Premiere sector, which focuses on the curatorial aspects of the gallerist’s practice, this year presents 19 gallery projects, featuring either an artistic dialogue juxtaposing two artists from all generations, a presentation by a single artist of any age or exceptional art historical material – a new possibility within the sector.

Art Unlimited

Art Unlimited will spotlight approximately 60 ambitious works. The platform enables artists to exhibit works that do not fit in standard display booths due to spatial, temporal, technical, financial, contextual, or conceptual constraints. With the accent on innovative and large-scale works, everything from outsize sculptures and installations to video projections, wall paintings, and performances will be on show and for sale. Many of the exhibited pieces are created especially for Art Unlimited. The exhibition has once again been devised in collaboration with Geneva curator Simon Lamunière.

Public Art Projects

The exhibition area on the exhibition square in front of the buildings hosting Art Basel will again serve as an arena for art projects in public space. Displayed in the public space, the sector places art in the urban context and encourages interaction with the general public. Many of the projects are being created especially or installed site-specifically for Public Art Projects. The sector is again curated by Basel curator Martin Schwander.

Il Tempo del Postino

One of the most spectacular events this year will be the presentation of Il Tempo del Postino at Theater Basel. Curated and directed by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Philippe Parreno and co-curated by Anri Sala and Rirkrit Tiravanija, a group of leading visual artists will create a major experimental time-based presentation each using up to 15 minutes of exhibition time with the stage assuming the role of the gallery space. Participating artists will include Doug Aitken, Olafur Eliasson, Liam Gillick, Pierre Huyghe, Koo Jeong-A, Philippe Parreno, Anri Sala and Rirkrit Tiravanija.

By focusing on time-based work, this group show aims to redefine how visual arts can be experienced. Within up to 15 minutesof exhibition time, each artist creates their own distinctive work. Set in a classic theater architecture, it transforms the established gallery exhibition model into an exhilarating, shared audience experience. Il Tempo del Postino is organized by Art Basel, Theater Basel and Fondation Beyeler and was originally co-commissioned by the Manchester International Festival and Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris for the World Premiere in Manchester in July 2007.

Art Basel Conversations and Art Lobby

Staged every morning (June 10 to June 13), Art Basel Conversations bring together prominent members of the international art scene. Topics include “Artistic Production: Collecting Performance,” “The Future of the Museum: Digital Frontiers” and “Public / Private: Institutions: A Time of Crisis – and Opportunity?”. Additionally, a daily program of artist conversations, book signings, discussion forums, and other presentations will take place in the Art Lobby forum in the afternoons.

Art Film

The Art Film program once again features an outstanding program of films, screened at the Stadtkino Basel. This Brunner, a collector with profound knowledge of the international film scene, and artist John Armleder will each organize an evening with special guests, while the rest of the Art Film program, including many shorter artist films and videos is curated by Berlin-based film scholar Marc Glöde.

Art Basel Weekend

On the weekend of June 12 to June 14, 2009, Art 40 Basel will celebrate the Art Basel Weekend, highlighting special activities (solo shows, performances, book signings etc.) at the booths of the participating galleries. A variety of panels and presentations geared to art professionals will also be held during the weekend in the context of Art Basel Conversations and Art Lobby.

Art Basel Catalogs

Art 40 Basel is accompanied by a lavish catalog published by Hatje Cantz in May 2009. The richly illustrated publication contains reproductions of approximately 600 works, from Modern classics to the latest in cutting-edge art. The separate catalog, published to accompany the Art Unlimited exhibition, will be available at Art Basel.

Museums in Basel

The museum exhibitions in and around Basel are again exceptional this year.

On show at the Fondation Beyeler, Riehen/Basel: “Giacometti”; at the Kunstmuseum Basel: “Vincent van Gogh, Between Earth and Heaven: The Landscapes”; at the Schaulager: “Holbein to Tillmans”; at the Museum Jean Tinguely: “Armor and gala dresses”; at the Kunstmuseum Basel – Museum für Gegenwartskunst: “Little Theatre of Gestures”; at Kunsthalle Basel solo exhibitions with Danh Vo and Lucy Skaer titled “A Boat Used as a Vessel”.

Design Miami/Basel

Design Miami/Basel, the global forum for collecting, exhibiting, discussing, and creating design runs June 9 – 13 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is this year located in hall 5 of the Basel fairgrounds.

Art Basel Miami Beach, Art Basel’s sister event in the USA, takes place December 3–6, 2009, in Miami Beach, Florida.

More Information re Art 40 Basel

For the latest information on Art 40 Basel, stay tuned, as we’ll provide more details closer to the event, as well as offer videos of the event.