Voyage to Basel
Our Voyage to Basel this year proved another magnificent kick-off of the Summer art season. We visited shows across the city, dined together, and - as always - laughed together.
A word on the fair
Art Basel 2024 opened in a subdued atmosphere, reflecting a cautious market amid global economic uncertainties. The fair, hosting 285 galleries from 40 countries showcased works from big-name artists like Joan Mitchell, whose vibrant diptych "Sunflowers" sold for $20 million, and Jean Dubuffet, whose playful bench sculptures fetched $860,000 each.
While top galleries reported robust sales, smaller vendors faced slower business as collectors gravitated towards established names and "safer" investments. Despite a palpable sense of market unease, Art Basel retained its stature as a barometer of taste. As the fair adapts to a more "humane pace" post-covid, it underscores the shifting dynamics and consolidation within the art world.
The Beyeler’s Summer Show
The Beyeler Foundation's 2024 summer show, an enigmatic experiment in "relational aesthetics," aims to redefine our notion of an exhibition as static/ Amidst a rotating cast of titles—from "Dance with Daemons" to "Echoes Unbound"—the exhibition throws us as visitors into a constantly shifting landscape of unexpected encounters. With contributions from art world heavyweights like Philippe Parreno and Tino Sehgal, it spans a holographic flying mushroom sleepover to a sinister greenhouse installation filled with poisonous flowers.
The curation, a playful mashup of contemporary and classic works, feels like a museum perpetually in the act of reinventing itself – art handlers part the crowds with works in hand, to hang new works and take down others while we look on. While some moments might teeter on the edge of gimmickry, the show’s fluid connections and creative risk-taking make it a memorable, vibrant reimagining of museum space. The show is a rare tribute to artistic freedom, where the avant-garde meets nostalgia in a way that feels surprisingly fresh and engaging.
Toyin Ojih Odutola at the Kunsthalle
Toyin Ojih Odutola's "Ilé Oriaku" at Kunsthalle Basel is a deeply personal exploration of language, grief, and cultural heritage, rendered through twenty-seven evocative drawings. The exhibition transforms the gallery into an imagined Mbari house, blending traditional Nigerian spiritual symbolism with contemporary narratives, inviting us to witness intimate moments of preparation, reflection, and ritual. Ojih Odutola’s intricate drawings, using a variety of materials from pastel to graphite, weave together layers of cultural significance and emotional depth, creating a dialogue between past and present.
The vibrant palette, inspired by the natural pigments of Nigeria, bridges different timelines and offers a powerful commentary on the complexities of identity and loss. Her work is both a visual narrative and a sensory experience, enriched by sounds, textures, and familial voices that challenge conventional understandings of mourning and communication. "Ilé Oriaku" is a tribute to storytelling's capacity to transcend words, allowing new forms of expression to emerge and connect us across generations and geographies.
Our Annual Basel Luncheon
Our annual Art Basel Luncheon at the Kunsthalle restaurant was another absolute delight. With both new and familiar faces, our midday retreat to an idyllic terrace proved an incredibly special moment during a very busy week. It is always a pleasure to meet as a Board amidst the buzz of the fair, to reconnect with one another and with new friends, and to reconvene with one another around our shared passion for art.