Art Basel 2022 · return to normality
Mario Merz - 8 CASE - 1981-1982Lawrence Weiner - Out Of Sight
The 2022 edition of Art Basel returns to its usual June dates, featuring 289 art galleries and a large number of large-scale art projects.
Source: Art Basel · Images: Mario Merz, "8 CASE", 1981-1982. Tucci Russo Studio per l'Arte Contemporanea ·· Lawrence Weiner, "Out of Sight". © Lawrence Weiner
After its postponement to September for its 2021 edition, and its cancellation the previous year -both caused by the COVID-19 pandemic- Art Basel returns to its usual dates of June. This new edition, which will take place from 16 to 19 June 2022, will include works by 289 galleries, an increase over last year's 272. The fair seems to be off to a strong start, with several sources yesterday suggesting that a colossal "Spider" by Louise Bourgeois had been sold by Hauser & Wirth for around $40 million.
The Unlimited section -curated by Giovanni Carmine, director of the Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen- presents large-scale artworks and installations, including 'Untitled (Drawings for SDI)' (1986), a set of 21 individually signed drawings by Gerhard Richter, a project presented by Sies + Höke; and 'Bilongue' (2020), an installation of 45 wooden panels by Barthélémy Toguo, presented by Galerie Lelong & Co.
Large-scale projects, in this case exhibited in public spaces, are also on view in the Parcours section, curated by Samuel Leuenberger; including large-scale sculptures by Anna Hulačová, Alicja Kwade and Tomás Saraceno. Puppies Puppies (Jade Guarano Kuriki-Olivo) will present a sculptural installation and performance on Freie Strasse in the city centre, while paintings and installations by Matthew Lutz-Kinoy are on show in the Verkehrsdepartement.
Meanwhile, Basel's Messeplatz will pay tribute to artist Lawrence Weiner with a participatory installation entitled "Out of Sight". The recently deceased artist explained his installation as follows: "A person coming in with whatever situation they find themselves in, the minute they have any thoughts about themselves going FROM HERE TO THERE, they will be able to stand in front of the marelle (French for hopscotch) and realize they first have to imagine themselves doing it, that is, assuming a position."
Art Basel also inaugurates what is the "big fortnight" of European art fairs, which will continue with TEFAF Maastricht (24-30 June) and Masterpiece London (30 June-6 July).

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