AO Art Observed™

partying at the Art Basel via the New York Times

The 39th Annual Art Basel, visited by 60,000 guests over the course of the fair, proved to be a very successful showcase of the world’s most famous artists. Basel, on the Rhine where Switzerland meets France and Germany, created a perfect setting for wealthy collectors, art enthusiasts, and 300 international exhibitors to network and indulge among the most stylish and cultured of the art world.

Brad Pitt Buys Table at Art Basel; Mittal, Abramovich Browse [Bloomberg]
The 39th Edition of Art Basel Closes With Outstanding Results [artdaily]
Ellsworth Kelly, Basking in Basel [New York Times]
Pre-Partying With the Jet Set of the Art World [New York Times]
Russians Help Art Basel Shake Economic Woe, Falling U.S. Demand [Bloomberg]
The Art Fair Explosion and Its Fallout [WSJ]
In Basel, Contemporary Art Enjoys a Bounty of Friends [NYTimes]
Picture perfect [Financial times]
Art Basel, Switzerland, Is On, Right Now [Art Observed]

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Visitors Outside Art Basel in Switzerland via myswitzerland.com

Freud Painting Sells for $12 Million [Bloomberg]
New Freud Paintings Enter the Market [Times Online, UK]
Roman à Clef [artforum]

The painting, titled Girl in Attic Doorway and dating from the mid 1990s, was reserved during much of the fair’s preview yesterday. The work sold today via Freud’s international agent, Acquavella Galleries, for $12 million to a buyer who wished to remain anonymous. This sale follows Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s record-breaking purchase of Freud’s Benefits Supervisor Sleeping for $33.6 million at Christie’s last month, making the British painter “the world’s most expensive living artist.”

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A view of Art Basel via the NY Times

The largest international contemporary art fair opened June 4^th (through June 8^th) in Basel, Switzerland. The show, run by Annette Schonholzer and Marc Speigler, has occurred every spring since its inception in 1970. An estimated 60,000 people are expected to show up at the four-day fair. This number includes artists (2,000), collectors, galleries (300), as well as art enthusiasts, representing thirty different countries viewing art in the mediums of painting, drawing, sculpture, installation, performance and video art.

Art Basel Takes Off [NY Sun]
Art Basel, world’s largest art fair, opens in Switzerland [Sun sentinel]
Art Basel Awaits Sales [NY Sun]
At Art Basel, Old Names and Few Showstoppers [NY Times]
Art Basel heats up [the Moment]
Art Basel:El Dorado of the international art world set to open in Switzerland [art daily]
Abramovich Prowls art basel;$8 Million Murakami “Budha” sells [Bloomberg]

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Leonard Lauder via The New York Times

Lauder Steps Down as Whitney Chair [NY Times, Art Forum]
“The primary market has only one event, and that is Art Basel” [Bloomberg]
A look at the work of the Guggenheim’s Chief Conservator [NySun]
An Interview with Nan Goldin in her Paris home [The GuardianUK]

Damien Hirst and the skull via the age

Hirst’s $100M diamond skull cancelled at Hermitage[Financial Times]
New Museum: “freeze-dried packet of desiccated minimalism” [Arts Journal]
Rome mayor to tear down museum designed by Richard Meier? [NY Times]
Artistic Director of Art Basel steps down [Bloomberg]
Public art illuminates Fifth Avenue [NY Sun]

Maison Tropical via The New York Times

Jean Prouvé’s Maison Tropicale to Art Basel Miami [The Art Newspaper]
Met buys Delacroix in honor of retiring director Montebello [New York Times]
LACMA spends $12 million on more land [Los Angeles Times via ArtForum]
81 artists are selected for international Biennial in New Orleans [ArtForum]
Capital’s influence on Chinese contemporary art [GuardianUK via c-monster]
Rome’s growing contemporary art scene [New York Times]

“Athenian Moon Owl” by Joseph Beuys via Tate

More on Gagosian Opening Gallery in Rome [Artnet]
Even More on Gagosian in Rome [TAN]
Coverage of The Fanciest Sattelite Parties at Art Basel Miami Beach [NYT]
The Insider - Profile of Gallerist Melissa Bent [The Moment]
New MoMA Acquisitions Include Joseph Beuys Pieces [NYT]

“The Faun” Formerly attributed to Gauguin, via MAN

Art Basel Party Coverage [Style]
Miami Dispatch: The Weekend at Art Basel [Vogue]
Jeff Koons to Exhibit at Palace of Versailles Next September [Bloomberg]
Gauguin Sculpture at Art Institute of Chicago a Fake [MAN]
LACMA Receives Huge Gift of Modern Works [LA Times via MAN]

(Credit: Gage Academy)Photos and Writing by Faith-Ann Young for ArtObserved

Art Basel Miami, nestled in the sun and exorbitant hedonism that epitomizes Miami, began with a flush of exhibits, salacious parties, and collagen displays yesterday. The 4-day extravaganza is the most vital art show in North America and a requisite on the growing Art Fair circuit. To accommodate, Miami, usually a place that moves at the pace of its large population of retirees- adopted a New York pace- as party after party unveiled the newest pieces the Art world has to offer.

Beginning at 10 am, a media reception in the convention center hosted champagne, deviled shrimp and an opportunity to peak at the 200 gallery displays including 1500 artists. Held in a maze of white walls, it was immense and intimidating in size and visual stimulation. One critique is that at an event this large, the most time one can dedicate to a piece is a few seconds; no matter- as is widely known almost all the displayed pieces are already sold. So why head to Miami? Regardless of its commercial grandeur, intimidating size, and general over-exposure (most of New York has headed this way- and it is more likely this year to run into a record label executive, magazine intern, or investment banker than a legitimate artist), Basel and the manifold associated satellite fairs expose the state of the art world today, the commercially-accepted frontiers, the coinciding limitations, as well mandatory networking opportunities.

Full details after the jump. (more…)

Photos and Writing by Faith-Ann Young for ArtObserved

After the bustle of the opening Vernissage at Basel, attendees needed an infusion of energy. The Polo Ralph Lauren Party for the publication of RL’s newest photography book, sponsored by Interview Magazine, provided the perfect remedy: refreshing pear martinis. While Bruce Weber was a no show, Lance Armstrong stopped by to say hello.

Next, the party of the night was the Whitney Museum party at the Sagamore Hotel. (more…)

Photos and Writing by Faith-Ann Young for ArtObserved

The Vernissage (Opening) of Art Basel caused a traffic jam inside and outside of the Convention center. Though it was supposedly restricted on VIPs and press, the fair was overflowing with characters, well-suited men and art divas. Truth be told, it was more spectacle than substance as it was difficult to appreciate any of the actual pieces or talk with the artists while people shoved and sashayed by. However, with 200 galleries represented, (more…)

Courtesy of AFC
The Art Observed Staff is enroute to New York. We will have full coverage of all the Miami Art Basel Events starting Monday. Check in for more updates on the various events surrounding Basel.

Per Page Six:

“THE Art Basel convention in Miami this week has drawn planeloads of hard-partying New Yorkers. Tonight, Condé Nast and jeans company 7 for All Mankind co-host an event at the Ice House, while Cartier serves dinner at the Botanical Gardens and Jimmy Choo pours for the fashionistas at the Raleigh. Dennis Hopper will be at the Russia Miami exhibit organized by Jana Bullock and Hugo Boss. Tomorrow, Vanity Fair and MoMA hold a bash at the Shore Club, while Linda Evangelista hosts a dance party with Visionaire at the Florida Room. On Saturday, the event’s closing night, Russell Simmons and Allison Weiss Brady throw a benefit for the Rush Philanthropic Organization at Intermix, as Adidas stages a Y3 event in the design district. But the big invites for Saturday are the private dinner at Paul Wilmot’s home and the soiree for Julian Schnabel and Lou Reed’s flick “Berlin” at Set.”

Hernan Bas Painting via Hikari

A not to miss on the Miami Art Basel agenda, is the famous Rubell Family Collection. Displayed in the design district in a large, blockish, museum-esque building. While a private collection, there’s nothing private feeling about it, including the vacuous galleries, bookstore and several banners on light posts proclaiming its presence. It’s clear that the Rubell’s have contributed and shaped the contemporary art world as we know it.
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Courtesy of the Naked Eye

Art Observed has multiple members of our staff currently enroute to Miami for Art Basel 2007. We will be updating the site live for the duration of the week. Check in for our latest posts. If you have any information you would like to pass onto us please e-mail us.