Emmanuel Perrotin keeps it zipped
The art dealer Emmanuel Perrotin was in great shape during his traditional Art Basel evening, organized earlier this week in one of the most beautiful churches in the city. His Basel party has become a hot date in the fair calendar, although Perrotin has pointed out that he usually has to deal with people desperate to get in, so he constantly comes out to watch the oncoming hordes. The Parisian gallery owner hit the headlines this week by announcing that he planned to sell 60% of his gallery’s shares to the real estate investor Colony Investment Management. But the savvy dealer was ready for any pesky inquiry into the deal, pointing all questioners to a badge pinned to his inside pocket, emblazoned with the words: “Sorry, no comment.” Cheeky.
Tunnel vision: the work of Laure Prouvost shines above an underground channel under the Three Kings Art Basel
Laura’s tunnel of tears
With eagle eyes strollers crossing Basel’s Middle Bridge will have spotted a neon sign proclaiming ‘Dreaming of No Front Tears’ above a tunnel tucked under the Three Kings Hotel. This mysterious passage houses a video by French artist Laure Prouvost. There is an added element of danger to this work of Parcours: “If there is a lot of rain, then it could be flooded,” said Samuel Leuenberger, the curator of Parcours, to the FinancialTimes. “But it’s something Prouvost is comfortable with,” he added, noting how the pragmatic artist has prepared for all eventualities.
Ask Me Another: Art Basel guides wow visitors with their encyclopedic knowledge of all things fair The arts journal
Quit, chatbots
Messeplatz is filled each year with Art Basel guides urging passers-by to “ask me,” lending a helping hand to bewildered onlookers desperate to find the nearest Jeff Koons (or decent cappuccino). These ultra-courteous attendants stand in the wind and the rain, ready to face dilemmas big and small. Their approach captured the imagination of visitors; we’ve even heard that these “guys are the human version of ChatGPT” – which we think means they have answers for everything.
Everything is going well: the dealers have taken the plunge, before avoiding the sharks on dry land CC-BY Bikepacking Switzerland
The gallery owners cause a sensation
Swimming in the Rhine is all the rage during the hot, foggy days of Art Basel, its soothing waters lifting the mood of townspeople and visitors alike. Dealers have been encouraged to don their swimmers and dive in early in the morning for a collegiate swim – an idea welcomed by gallerists gearing up for the week. Andreas Gegner, the principal of Sprüth Magers, says he had hoped to participate but unfortunately had to withdraw. (“It’s a great idea, though,” he told us.) Hopefully Basel chef Noah Horowitz has packed up his trunks and taken the plunge, too.
Soaring: Petrit Halilaj’s felt creation on display at UBS Art Studio A. Ramos Kabadach; © Petrit Halilaj, ChertLüdde, Berlin and Mennnour, Paris
The Birdman of Basel
Kosovar artist Petrit Halilaj clearly loves birds. His drawings, inspired by the Natural History Museum of Kosovo, are available at the kurimanzutto gallery at Art Basel, while his printed felt work depicting a bird in flight is on display at the UBS Art Studio. “Before going to school, my interest in chickens started by listening to them and learning to talk to them; my parents were worried about the time I would spend talking to them,” Halilaj tells us. There is also a more poignant side to his story; young boy living in a refugee camp, he takes shape like a bird flying away on the horizon.
