The emerging from LISTE, the established at Art Basel and the museum exhibitions of Kunstmuseum Basel. At the fairs, I have prioritised those artists I haven’t spoken about or featured yet on the blog. These are my highlights.
Art Basel in 72 Hours
Where to Buy Art Online: 4 Places to Start your Art Collection
Next week I will be attending Art Basel. To compensate for the splendor-at-a-prize that is to come, this week I cover art that is accessible to all budgets. I am not a fan of labelling art as affordable because price should not be the main selling point. More often than not, what is presented as affordable is glorified-IKEA art, lacking interest and ending as pure décor bound to come out of fashion. However, there is a lot happening online that is worth having a look at because it is fun, innovative, sensitive, aesthetically mindful and it is a click away. I have hand-picked works which range from under £100 and up to £8,000. What is not to like?
June Art Gallery Highlights
The Female Gaze and What Could Have Been of Photo London 2017
Last week’s Photo London left a slight bittersweet taste for me. The fair brings together a great selection of galleries and it is a must-see for anyone interested in photography. However, there was an overwhelming presence of fashion photography and female portraiture. At worse banal and celebrity-driven, at best a lush sensuous rich experience.
After the Kate Moss overdose, Helmut Newton’s ubiquitous iconic images of determined women, Horst P. Horst’s timeless classics, Irving Penn’s soft touch, Norman Parkinson’s old-world glamour, Miles Aldridge’s dolls… the penny dropped heavy. With the exception of very few works dotted around by Lillian Bassman, Sarah Moon and Ellen von Unwerth, a wander around the fair felt like I had been transported to another time, ignoring the contemporary appetite for female voices. The male gaze was starting to give away a rancid whiff.
Victor Benady’s Art Collection: “I don’t worry about investment. What concerns me is meeting the artist, immersing myself in the studio practice, getting under the skin of things and building relationships”
May Art Gallery Highlights: Photography
Photo London opens next week on Thursday 18th until Sunday 21st at Somerset House in central London. In its third edition, the fair has gained momentum and photography is settling into London’s annual art calendar. To accompany the fair, three exhibitions by Mat Collishaw, Isaac Julien and Taryn Simon will also open at Somerset House. Since the coming week will all be about photography, May’s gallery highlights are commercial exhibitions on the medium. Expect pleasure-seeking from a young Maisie Cousins, a look back at Renate Bertlmann’s feminist wit and timeless elegance on the nature of desire and the gaze by Isaac Julien.