Installation view, “Secondary Evidence of Things Unseen,” via VeneKlasen Werner

Currently on view at VeneKlasen Werner (VW) in Berlin is “Secondary Evidence of Things Unseen,” featuring four artists of varying notoriety- Neil Campbell, Paul Sharits, Ryan Sullivan and Jeffrey Wells.  The show was curated by Clarissa Dalrymple and brings together work in various mediums including drawing, sculpture, painting and video installation.

Paul Sharits, Hand and Cube (1982), via VeneKlasen Werner

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Art 41 Basel, entrance view. All images by Art Observed unless otherwise noted.

AO was on site yesterday at Art 41 Basel, Switzerland, to see the 56 installations exhibited by the eleventh Art Unlimited, a museum-like forum for sizable and high-priced pieces. Installations of established masters and up-and-comers alike are characteristically oversized this year, with six pieces taking up over 200 square meters.  Despite the diversity of work, galleries, and featured artists, a distinct tonal resonance pervades Art Unlimited.  The lustrous style favored by Art Unlimited’s formative years gives way to a bold, rustic minimalism.  Although an intellectual understatement saturates this year’s Art Basel, Art Unlimited is hardly a quaint affair.  Economists and art experts alike are predicting major acquisitions for the international art elite, with a Giacometti and a Bourgeois notably up for grabs.

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Brown Skin, Stanislava Kovalcikova, 2010; Green Face Bar, Peter Doig and Chris Ofili, 2000; Past Tense, Embah, 2010; Port of Spain, Peter Doig and Chris Ofili, 2000. Installation view, ‘Self-Consciousness,’ via VeneKlasen Werner.

‘Self-Consciousness’ at VeneKlasen Werner, Berlin, features the portraits of 41 international artists.  Curators Hiltons Als and Peter Doig selected pieces that represent the diversity and evolution of modern portraiture: artists come from several generations, use varying media, and range from established to outsider.  ‘Self-Consciousness’ juxtaposes distinct artists and their work in such a way that questions the definable qualities of portraiture.  Despite myriad styles and genres, many of the artists share a common exploration of themes of sexuality, race, and gender.  Among the featured artists are Boscoe Holder, Giorgio de Chirico, Alice Neel, Glenn Ligon, and Chris Ofili.

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