Until 2018 it was Peter Bläuer who directed LISTE, one of the most important fairs of the Basel Art Week. In 2019, taking his place is Joanna Kamm, who will now continue to expand LISTE’s vision and dedication. A total of 77 galleries from cities beyond the established art hubs of the world will take part in the 2019 edition, with a now established focus on artists, both renowned and emerging. This will be done through a special exhibition space concept, spanning five floors of Werkraum Warteck pp divided into dedicated rooms!
Stay tuned on all the main events of this Art Basel Week 2019 --> Waiting for Art Basel 2019... - Rudolf Stingel at Fondation Beyeler - MeetMe#6 | VOLTA Basel 2019 - MeetMe#8 | photo basel 2019!
There surely will be lots to see at LISTE Basel in 2019. As many as 38 galleries are hosting presentations dedicated to single artists. There will also be a brand new initiative called Joinery, providing a place for performances and videos, but also at discourse itself. Another novelty comes with Impact, a new grant courtesy of a private Swiss foundation that will provide one gallery with lasting financial support fo a period of three years. And speaking of supporting the galleries, LISTE along with its Friends will once again encourage and finance 11 galleries to present individual or curated group exhibitions.
Find more out about the latest contemporary art fairs together with their protagonist on the new magazine area MeetMe!
What else awaits us at LISTE Basel 2019? Find out from its newly-appointed director, Joanna Kamm!
I MeetMee --> LISTE Basel's Joanna Kamm
You are stepping in as LISTE’s new director. What are the challenges that you expect?
For me in the first year, it's not about turning LISTE upside down, but rather about getting to know all of the processes and then thinking about which adjustments might make sense [for the future]. Looking at the last 23 years of the fair under the direction of Peter Bläuer, the relevance and success of LISTE is clear.
Besides this, the most important thing for me is to use all of the channels at my disposal to point out the social significance of a young contemporary art. In our time – in which more and more emphasis is being placed on security – simplified classifications are gaining the upper hand. I believe it is more important now than ever to engage with emerging artists, because they transcend the limits of our perception, thus allowing us to discover new perspectives toward the world. It's the young artists who not only try to understand the present with their art, but they also produce it. And one must always make oneself clear: many artists would remain undiscovered without gallerists who are willing to embrace the unknown – to enable artists to have their first solo exhibitions and present their art to international audiences at fairs such as LISTE. This must be supported. Now and in the future.
What will the new initiative Joinery bring to both galleries and the audience at LISTE?
The Joinery is the successor of LISTE’s previous performance project. The Joinery opens a new possibility for the galleries, who can now present videos and performances that are not possible to show within their designated space at no extra cost.
The Joinery, in partnership with Spike Art Magazine, will also host a discursive programme on the latest developments in contemporary art. As a fair that shows the latest developments in contemporary art, it's important that we offer a place where the visitors can inform themselves and where new developments can be discussed and explained.
Under the title “Spike Forum”, they have organized a series of discussions on new artistic strategies between participants that include artists, such as Sandra Mujinga and Ed Fornieles; Elie Ayache, CEO of a financial software company; and Kei Kreutler of Gnosis, a forecasting and information platform on the Ethereum Blockchain.
The Spike Forum is free and open to the public.
Where do you see LISTE’s position within the Basel Art Week?
LISTE is the international leading fair for new discoveries in contemporary art, with the latest developments and trends presented by a younger generation of galleries.
LISTE and Art Basel complement each other. Both fairs have their own strong profile, and LISTE is the fair you do as a gallery before you might head to Art Basel, with the possible exception of Statements and Features. We are happy when Art Basel accepts galleries that were first able to introduce themselves and show their programme to the international art market via LISTE. At LISTE you grow and at Art Basel you prove that you have established yourself.
Cover image: Liste, photo by Diana Pfammatter
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