Installations & Paintings take over Art Basel Unlimited 2023
The 2023 edition of Art Basel presents a diverse range of sectors, each with its own distinct focus, featuring works by both established and emerging artists. Among these sectors, such as Parcours, Feature, and Kabinett, there is one that always manages to capture our attention: Unlimited. Dedicated to projects that transcend the classical art fair stand, the pioneering exhibition platform at Hall 1 includes large-scale sculptures and paintings, video projections, installations, and live performances. Curated by Giovanni Carmine (read our recent interview here), the exhibition unfolds inside the 16,000-square-meter hall with 76 projects that, for the most part, are being shown for the first time at Art Basel.
As part of our visit to the 2023 art fair, we spotlight below some of the large-scale projects that caught our attention at Unlimited. From Serge Attukwei Clottey’s huge plastic gallon tapestry to Monica Bonvicini’s leather and steel swing installation, explore all the projects below.
Sea Never Dries by Serge Attukwei Clottey | image © designboom
Serge Attukwei Clottey – Sea Never Dries (2022)
Serge Attukwei Clottey’s installation Sea Never Dries (2022) pays tribute to the yellow containers commonly found in Ghana by transforming them into large-scale tapestries. These vibrant artworks, reminiscent of Gustav Klimt’s gold leaf dresses and Byzantine mosaics, hang from the ceiling, creating flowing waves that cascade onto the floor. Initially designed for storing cooking oil, the yellow vessels now serve locals for water and fuel collection, reflecting the water shortage crisis. With the support of his community, Clottey cuts these containers into small pieces and binds them together using wire, resulting in flowing tapestries that he calls ‘Afrogallonism’. See our coverage of the artist’s work at the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale here.
Simon Lee Gallery
UNLIMITED | U73
image © designboom
Mai-Thu Perret – Untitled (2021/2023)
Mai-Thu Perret’s installation, titled Untitled (2021/2023), features 29 yellow neon palms arranged in a pattern along a 15-meter wall. This abstract composition, incorporating both vertical and horizontal orientations, is a product of the artist’s extensive research in cultural history, literary works, and feminist narratives. The hands, serving as a symbol for labor and art-making, draw connections to their presence in ancient cave paintings, particularly those of women. Often juxtaposed with depictions of animals or hunting scenes, these handprints or outlines reflect a complex relationship between protection and freedom. Perret’s installation further explores this dynamic through the reference to Franz Kafka’s aphorism, ‘I am a cage in search of a bird,’ employing the imagery of immobilized hands.
Galerie Francesca Pia, Simon Lee Gallery, Galerie Barbara Weiss, David Kordansky Gallery
UNLIMITED | U8
the project embodies both vertical and horizontal orientations | image © designboom
image © designboom
Cornelia Parker – PsychoBarn (Cut Up) (2023)
Cornelia Parker’s artwork, PsychoBarn (Cut Up) (2023), is a reinterpretation of her earlier work called Transitional Object (PsychoBarn) commissioned by the Metropolitan Museum in 2016. The original work was a replica of the iconic mansion from Alfred Hitchcock’s film Psycho, constructed using parts of a typical American red barn. In the new installation, Parker deconstructs the building to create an exploded view. The various elements, such as windows, doors, panels, and the metal roof, have been weathered by time spent on both sides of the Atlantic. The panels are arranged in a salon hang-style, appearing to float over three walls, and some are even placed on the floor. Using the Dadaist cut-up technique, Parker rearranges the shingled roof, windows, porch, and stairs to form a new composition, turning the barn inside out in a creative manner.
