Photos by Carissa Pelleteri for Artcards Review

The tone at Basel on Friday was solidly optimistic. The mega galleries were out in force. Hauser and Wirth had a breathtaking late work by Louise Borgouise and drawing and sculpture from art star Paul McCarthy that were of particular note. Gagosian gallery had a similar spread, showing works by star studded gallery favorites Serra, Koons, Hirst and Warhol. White Cube was showing the YBAs in all their glory, but even here the tone seemed markedly less conspicuous than usual. A new, sparkling cubic zirconium filled gold vatrine by the king of bling, Damien Hirst, seemed awkwardly out of place.

Gagosian

Paul McCarthy at Hauser and Wirth

Damien Hirst at White Cube

Murakami

Georg Baselitz

Galleries who experimented with razzle dazzle spectacle seemed contented to tout their painterly roots. Works from George Baselitz were ubiquitous. Werner gallery had a particularly striking, mural sized painting from this year. Positioned near the entrance of the fair, it seemed to foreshadow the work to come and to serve as a reminder that Pulse and NADA aren’t the only places to see vital new art. Mitchell Innes and Nash’s booth felt a bit like a museum. Their two man show dedicated to Kenneth Noland and Anthony Caro seems to illustrate a trend this year. Galleries seem to be digging deep into their stables. With results like this, one can hardly complain.

Kenneth Noland and Anthony Caro at Mitchell Innes and Nash

Eddie Martinez

After a long day of traipsing through art madness Art Positions offers a welcome and decidedly less noisy respite for the weary fair visitor. Art Positions is a special initiative that offers galleries the opportunity to present individual projects by single artists. Grouped together in the top left of the convention center the feel was significantly younger. A collaboration between Zieher smith and stable artist Eddie Martinez was particularly wonderful. The artist painted a massive, expressive triptych conceived specifically for this project. The painting is powerful and painterly without losing a sense of relevance. With an obvious debt to Basquiat and German expressionism, Martinez depicts a raucous banquet, filed with detritus and frequented by characters which seem to pop up throughout his oeuvre.

Chris Martin

This little gem by Chris Martin was one of many examples of work by young contemporary painters exhibiting at Basel.

Jenny Holzer

Joseph Kosuth

Barbara Kruger

Stellar art from the 70s and 80s abounded. There were unusual works by a slew of artists. Especially interesting was a neon light work by institutional critique artist Joseph Kosuth. Equally amazing was a chess set from Barbara Kruger, executed in her signature red and black subversive style.

Sudarshan Shetty

Gallery SKE from Bangalore was one of several galleries that made the trek from the other side of the world.  Indian artist Sudarshan Shetty’s intricate teak cage dominated the space. I was thoroughly impressed and equally happy to see something outside of the European and American norm.

awesome

More photos on Carissa Pelleteri’s flickr.