Whilst benefitting from the main fair’s presence in the city, photo basel stands apart from its IKEA-sized counterpart with its “the more, the better” philosophy. Conversely, photo basel focuses on the diversity and quality of its propositions. With a returning network of collectors, as well as a number of high-profile art world names attending this year, photo basel’s third edition looked set to be a success from the start.
Romain Mader, Ekaterina, Mariagea Loeche les Bains. inkjetprint. 100x140cm, 2012. Courtesy Hélène Lacharmoise and Galerie Dix9.
Compared to its competitors, such as Photo London, photo basel benefits from both its more viable size and the diversity of the works on show — it’s clear that the photography fair exists as an entirely independent entity.
With works ranging from photography legends such as Imogen Cunningham or Robert Mapplethorpe to the more experimental — and incredibly intriguing — collages/photographs by Josephine Taylor and Stacey Steers (both at Catharine Clark Gallery) or Norio Takasugi, to a younger generation of artists — including Anika Schwarzlose, Liu Xiaofang, Tania Franco Klein, Reine Paradis or Anastasia Chaguidouline — photo basel hosts an impressive variety of work.
Liu Xiaofang, I remember II. Courtesy mc2gallery.
Very much like the similarly-sized Galeristes, the fair establishes a path for visitors, so that all galleries benefit from equal exposure — there’s almost a harmony in photo basel’s layout, with booths blending in with each other rather, making for greater openness and an approachable and intimate atmosphere, one where both business and a genuine interest in photography thrives. For example, the two Bastiaan Woudt photographs welcoming visitors as they enter the fair set the stage for one of the recurring themes of the works on show: calling into question preconceived ideas as to the photographic representation of the body.
Romain Mader, Ekaterina, Demande en mariage. 40x50cm, inkjetprint, 2012. Courtesy Hélène Lacharmoise and Galerie Dix9.
What is most striking, however, is the curatorial approach to the fair. With an equal mix of solo and group shows, the booths appear like micro exhibitions in their own right — and it’s clear that gallery have focused more on quality than quantity. At Galerie Dix9, for example, the social satire project Ekaterina by Swiss artist Romain Mader — winner of the 2017 Foam Paul Huf Award 2017 and arguably one of the fair’s best presentations — is coupled with works by Sebastian Riemer, Edith Roux and Paula de Solminihac, similarly exploring several of the issues approached by Mader: the representation of the female body, the definition of photography as a medium as well as the influence of societal surroundings on the construction of one’s identity.
With strong presentations and attendance, a strong network of collectors, as well as a laid-out atmosphere, certainly more enjoyable and less frantic than other fairs, photo basel continues to be a valuable addition to the Basel art fair panorama.
Fabrice Monteiro, Prophecy #6, 2014 courtesy Mariane Ibrahim Gallery.
