by Nancy Nesvet
MONDAY, JUNE 12, 2017
With Art Basel, in Switzerland and The Venice Biennale and Documenta in Kassel, in Germany and Athens, Greece respectively, happening all at the same time, it is the trifecta for art shows, and so far, I’m betting on Art Basel. Having seen all of the Liste show yesterday, when it opened, and Art Basel Design, I can tell you the art aficionados are coming out for art, beauty and fun.
Done with the hard-hitting political landscape of last year’s work here, and taking a breather, maybe literally, everyone’s happier seeing fewer political statement or in your face art. A lot is concentrating on the process, the materials and the bringing in of concrete, beads, aluminum screening and more for innovative treatments of material. Watch Artscope’s Instagram and Facebook pages for Prem Sahib’s Concrete Lion reproductions (of the originals in front of a London club now torn down) at London gallery Southard Reid’s booth, Bunny Roger’s Resin “Fish” at Berlin gallery Societe’s booth at Liste, and Lara Ogel’s Turquoise II, (2015 Video), and sculpture of the videoed turquoise beads at Oktemaykut Gallery’s booth at Liste, and lots more to come.
So I’m off to the arcade, by an artist of course, in front of “Unlimited” at Art Basel. Hope I win.
For the third straight year, Artscope is an exhibitor in the Magazines Sector at Art Basel Switzerland. Publisher Kaveh Mojtabai and correspondent Nancy Nesvet will be filing reports from the fair, which is open to the public from June 15-18, throughout the week.