I’m gearing up to review Art Basel 2024. Thing is that i haven’t gotten around to writing the review from 2019, those were more innocent times -before the covids.. In 2019 I spent a few hours wandering the halls of Art Basel. From multi media installations, to graphite on paper, to Lego masterpieces, here I will share a few of my favorite pieces.
When discussing good art versus bad art, let’s focus on two primary categories without delving into philosophical debates.
Category 1: Good Art as a Financial Investment
This category involves identifying emerging artists whose work can be acquired at a discounted price, retained for a period, and then selling at a profit. High risk equals higher return. Lesser works of well know artists incur less risk – It my come as a surprise to many that you can make a decent living just flipping Picasso prints, Warhol’s and Basquiat‘s. Beyond the potential for financial gain, investing in art can also serve as a hedge against inflation.
Category 2: Good Art for Personal Enjoyment
The second category encompasses art that brings personal joy and satisfaction, often found in pieces that are displayed in one’s own home. Interestingly, some of the most expensive paintings ever sold fall into this category, highlighting the value people place on surrounding themselves with art that resonates with them.
As I reflect on my experience at Art Basel 2019, I found myself drawn to pieces that fell into both categories, and I’ll highlight a few that stood out to me.
Ge *N*
Ge *N*
inkjet print and acrylic on canvas mounted on wood and metal, with LCD screen media player
artist: Tony Oursler
Represented By: Lehmann Maupin
https://www.lehmannmaupin.com/artists/tony-oursler
The rise of video art, pioneered by artists like Tony Oursler, who began experimenting with the medium in the 1980s, has reached new heights in recent years, with the proliferation of social media platforms and digital technologies making it more accessible and collectible, particularly among younger generations who have grown up with a digital native mindset.
I like how this piece bridges multiple mediums, challenging our tendency to prioritize one medium over another and instead highlighting the he concept itself as the source of value.
The convergence of video art and NFTs has revolutionized the digital art landscape, empowering artists with secure ownership and creative freedom.
Video art’s unique ability to capture fleeting moments and experiment with new narratives has led to immersive experiences that redefine the boundaries of art. Pioneering artists like Tony Oursler, Hsu Che-yu, and William Furniss are driving innovation in video art, and it seems like there is a bright future for this dynamic medium.
Here’s a good article about the phenomenon, https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3179261/instagram-and-tiktok-made-video-most-prevalent-art-medium-today-how
Yet to be titled
Aaron Garber_Maikovska
Yet to be titled
Oil on fluted poly
91″ 1/4 x 80″ 3/4
Aaron Garber-Maikovska is a Los Angeles-based painter and performance artist known for his multidisciplinary practice, which spans painting, video, performance, and sculpture.
His work has been featured in institutions, including the Hirshhorn Museum and his work is held in the permanent collection of the Pérez Art Museum in Miami.
Pérez Art Museum Miami https://www.pamm.org/en/
Love You 2
Damien Hirst
Love You 2
Butterlies and household items
72″ x 36″
Your gonna want to zoom in on this one (above). It’s a collage of mainly butterflies. Talk about one of a kind.
I accidentally took a picture of him (Damien Hirst), only to be told after the fact. He was very kind to try and stay out of the picture. lol!
Illumination
Weiwei
Illumination
Legos
450″ x 150″
When Weiwei isn’t dropping 2,000-year-old Han dynasty ceremonial urns he is playing with legos. This piece is insane. Its hard to capture with a photograph. In person from not too far away it looks like a painting.
Only after pushing through the crowd to get a close-up look does it become evident that it is made of countless legos.
Concave Convex Mirror (oval)
Anish Kapoor
Concave Convex Mirror (oval)
Stainless steel
58″ x 59″ x 20″
Lisson Gallery
There are so many dimensions to this thing its impossible to capture with a single photo- it’s like an alternate reality.
Anish Kapoor’s use of concave/convex mirrors creates a sense of disorientation and challenges our perceptions of space and time.
He has long been fascinated by the way these mirrors can fill up with “mirror-ness” and create a sense of void or emptiness.
His work often explores the relationship between the self and the world, using mirrors and light to create complex and thought-provoking installations.
That's a Wrap!
The game’s afoot, and the players are on the prowl. That’s a wrap folks, on this Art Basel review.
Thanks for joining me on this journey. Stay tuned! Join me same time same place, for Art Basel 2024 – coming soon!🔫 bang!!
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