If you are at Art Basel 2024, here are some of the top booths to visit to discover exhibitions of works by artists from around the globe and celebrate contemporary art.

BY KAZEEM ADELEKE, ARTCENTRON

BASEL, SWITZERLAND-After much anticipation, Art Basel in Basel has opened with great fanfare, uniting the international art world with over 200 leading galleries and more than 4,000 artists from five continents. This premier art event transforms Basel into a vibrant art hub, featuring high-quality exhibitions throughout the city and its surroundings. As with other years, this week-long celebration of art is divided into several sectors, each showcasing a diverse array of contemporary and historical artworks from Europe, Africa, North America, Latin America, and Asia.

The standout Unlimited sector offers a pioneering platform for monumental installations, colossal sculptures, expansive video projections, and live performances. Curated by Giovanni Carmine in a 16,000-square-meter hall, this sector pushes the boundaries of artistic expression. In addition to the Unlimited sector, the dynamic Film program presents visionary artists’ cinema through screenings, survey programs, live acts, and conversations. This fosters a dialogue between cinema and contemporary art, enriching the overall experience.

The Parcours sector further enhances the event with site-specific installations, sculptures, interventions, and performances in public spaces and historic sites throughout Basel. This invites deeper engagement with the city’s cultural heritage.

Must-Visit Booths at Art Basel 2024

Running from June 13 –16, Art Basel 2024 offers an array of booths and experiences for visitors to explore. Here are some exciting booths visitors should not miss at this year’s art fair:

Garth Greenan Gallery

Garth Greenan Gallery features a remarkable selection of works by Howardena Pindell, Fritz Scholder, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, and Emmi Whitehorse. Howardena Pindell’s innovative dot technique in Deep Sea #2 (2024) creates a vivid interplay of colors and depths, reminiscent of her early experiments. Emmi Whitehorse’s Abloom (2024), inspired by Navajo philosophy, presents a landscape in flux through light, gestural compositions. Jaune Quick-to-See Smith explores themes of identity in El Dorado (2024). In In the Future” (1995), the artist highlighs the convergence of historical and contemporary issues.

Fritz Scholder’s powerful paintings, like Dakota Portrait (1977), challenge clichéd depictions of Native Americans. His visceral, bold expressions redefined the genre. Scholder’s legacy is celebrated through exhibitions such as Indian/Not Indian and Super Indian: Fritz Scholder, 1967 –1980. Together, these artists push against the boundaries of gender and race, creating space for new artistic expressions and prompting institutions to reevaluate the contributions of marginalized artists.

Mazzoleni

At Art Basel’s Unlimited Sector, Mazzoleni unveils Salvo’s masterpiece, Il trionfo di San Giorgio, (The Triumph of Saint George) marking his return to painting in 1973, inspired by Venetian Renaissance masters. First exhibited in 1974 at Galleria Franco Toselli in Milan and later at the 37th Venice Biennale, this piece is a fundamental milestone in Salvo’s career and will be a highlight at the upcoming exhibition at Pinacoteca Agnelli in Turin.

In the Galleries Sector, Mazzoleni curates the Magnificent Symposium, showcasing works by five prominent Italian artists: Giorgio de Chirico, Alberto Savinio, Salvo, Giulio Paolini, and Michelangelo Pistoletto. The exhibition explores the theme of myths and legends, revealing the artists’ distinct languages and narrative attitudes through mythical, symbolic, and dreamlike elements. Giorgio de Chirico’s nostalgic interest in the classical past, Paolini’s conceptual reflections on art history, and Pistoletto’s use of myth as an allegory are highlighted. Mazzoleni’s presentations offer a captivating journey through Italian art, blending classical influences with modern interpretations.

Lehmann Maupin at Art Basel 2024

Lehmann Maupin presents works by a diverse group of exciting artists, including Kader Attia, Hernan Bas, Loriel Beltrán, McArthur Binion, Heidi Bucher, and Dominic Chambers,. Others are Billy Childish, Mandy El-Sayegh, Teresita Fernández, Do Ho Suh, Cecilia Vicuña, and Nari Ward, among others. One standout installation is Liza Lou’s Security Fence (2005) in the Unlimited sector. This meticulous 11-foot-tall reconstruction of prison security measures using glass beads, steel, and razor wire challenges notions of security and fragility. It infuses a sense of care and dignity into an otherwise dehumanizing structure.

Art Basel’s Parcours initiative, curated by Stefanie Hessler, Director of New York’s Swiss Institute, features Mandy El-Sayegh’s Body Promise. This site-specific work transforms spaces within the Clarastrasse shopping center into an immersive environment with printed matter and large-scale paintings. El-Sayegh performance within the installation started on June and continue through 14. The performance offers a unique experience that challenges traditional perceptions of art and space.

Tanya Bonakdar Gallery at Art Basel 2024

Tanya Bonakdar Gallery showcases a diverse range of artists, including Kelly Akashi, Math Bass, Monica Bonvicini, Olafur Eliasson, and Shilpa Gupta. Others are Kimsooja, Mark Manders, Yuko Mohri, Ernesto Neto, Rivane Neuenschwander, and Lisa Oppenheim. These artists bring unique perspectives, exploring multiple themes. They range from the fragility of life to the complexities of the human condition through various mediums such as sculptures, paintings, and installations.

Each artist offers a distinct voice and vision. Kelly Akashi’s meditations on life’s ephemeral nature, Math Bass’s geometric explorations, and Monica Bonvicini’s architectural musings are instructive. Olafur Eliasson’s environmental dialogues create a rich tapestry of artistic expression. Further enhance the gallery’s offerings are Shilpa Gupta’s cultural reflections, Kimsooja’s contemplative installations, and Mark Manders’s humanistic inquiries. There is also Yuko Mohri’s kinetic sculptures .

GRAY

GRAY makes a striking return to Art Basel 2024, showcasing exceptional presentations in the Galleries and Unlimited sectors. The Galleries sector features a diverse array of artists. The list includes Jean Arp, Pablo Picasso, McArthur Binion, and Theaster Gates, offering a visual feast for art enthusiasts. In Art Basel Unlimited, Torkwase Dyson debuts Errantry, a major sculpture installation. The piece explores geometric forms and spatial liberation strategies within ‘Black Compositional Thought.’ It is co-presentation by GRAY and Pace.

GRAY’s blend of iconic and contemporary artworks is a major attraction at the art fair. From the diverse artist lineup in the Galleries sector to Torkwase Dyson’s thought-provoking entry in Art Basel Unlimited, there is a showcase of artistic excellence and innovation. Art enthusiasts and collectors alike will find much to admire and engage with at GRAY’s presentations.

Jack Shainman Gallery

Jack Shainman Gallery has on display works by emerging and established artists. In Booth P15, the gallery displays works by Nina Chanel Abney, known for her vibrant paintings addressing social issues, and El Anatsui, renowned for large-scale sculptures made from discarded materials. There are works by Emanoel Araújo, who explores African heritage through his sculptures, and Diedrick Brackens, noted for intricate weavings. Other featured artists include Nick Cave, famed for his “Soundsuits,”  Hayv Kahraman, whose works delve into displacement and identity, and Kerry James Marshall, who depicts African American experiences. Works by Odili Donald Odita, exploring identity and history through abstract paintings, stand out in their composition and rendition. It is impossible to miss Toyin Ojih Odutola’s detailed drawings on race and identity. Gordon Parks’ photographs, capturing 20th-century African American life through photography, are revealing. 

Gagosian Gallery

Gagosian Gallery is featuring a major exhibition at the Art Basel 2024 fair. In Messe Basel, Hall 2, Booth B15, the gallery showcases works by influential artists. The artists include Harold Ancart, Richard Avedon, Carol Bove, Cecily Brown, Helen Frankenthaler, Theaster Gates, and Lauren Halsey. Others include Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, Richard Prince, Ed Ruscha, Richard Serra, Rudolf Stingel, Cy Twombly, and Andy Warhol. The exhibition highlights a diverse range of styles and mediums, offering something for every art enthusiast. Special features include Christo’s Wrapped 1961 Volkswagen Beetle Saloon. It was created between 1963 and 2014. There are also artworks by minimalist artist Donald Judd, known for his geometric and clean-lined sculptures.

• Featured image: Christo, Wrapped 1961 Volkswagen Beetle Saloon, 1963–2014 © Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation. Photo: Maris Hutchinson

Art Basel 2024 promises a rich and engaging experience for all attendees, with a multitude of artistic expressions and cultural insights on display.