Art Basel

Basel, Switzerland – June 12, 2012 – After ten years of experiencing Art Basel Miami Beach, we decided to make the trip to Basel, Switzerland to get a true understanding of Art Basel and see the birthplace of this special event. Basel is such a beautiful city and there is an energy that was palpable as the European art world began to arrive by the thousands to get a first look at Art Basel and Design Miami when the doors opened Tuesday morning.

I thought the Miami Beach Vernissage was the ultimate in VIP openings, until I saw the lines for the Preview of Art Unlimited. And THAT paled in comparison when the actual fair opened a few hours later. The urgency with which the collectors piled into the convention center was stressful and also inspiring. Inspirational enough that we purchased our first piece of art from Galleri Nicolai Wallner in under 30 seconds. Maybe it was the Ruinart, maybe it was the passion of the collectors, but the decision was easy and we can’t wait until it arrives.

Where the parties seem to be a HUGE part of the Miami fair, the social scene is different in Basel, but equally exciting. The Tuesday night Design Miami Party with Le Baron on a barge in the river, the Kirlian – a bar by Jeremy Shaw for Absolut, and the Campari bar were the hotspots of the week and where all of the collectors and gallerists blew off steam after long days at the fair. The music, people, and conversations were so exhilarating. Im still buzzing. We can’t wait for the Miami fair, to make our first trip to Hong Kong, and to continue to visit Art Basel in Switzerland every year.

Lehmann Maupin – New York

Metro Pictures – New York

Michelle, Jason, & Don Rubell

Jason, Michelle, & Don Rubell

Rene Kamm

Nathan Browning

Cocoon II – Andreas Gursky – White Cube – London, Hong Kong

Slient 2008 – Jonathan Monk – Meyer Riegger – Karlsruhe, Berlin

Galerie Micheline Szwajcer – Antwerpen, Belgium

Nathan Browning

You can only change your self, 2012 – Jeppe Hein – 303 Gallery – New York, NY

Art Collector’s Lounge

Nathan Browning

Mark Godfrey & Nicolas Berggruen

Nicolas Berggruen

Nathan Browning

Art Unlimited

Family Straight, A London Picture, 2012 – Gilbert & George – Lehmann Maupin – New York, NY

Portraits and a Dream, 2009 – Art & Language – Lisson Gallery – London, UK

Untitled: Stage, 2011 – Phyllida Barlow – Hauser & Wirth – Zurich, Switzerland

Homage to Luis Bunuel, 2012 – Jimmie Durham – Kurimanzutto – México D.F.

Thousand – Philip-Lorca diCorcia – David Zwirner – New York, NY

You and My Friends, 2011/12 – Ryan McGinley – Team Gallery – New York, NY

First Point, 2012 – Richard Phillips – Gagosian Gallery – New York, NY

Revoltage, 2011 – Raqs Media Collective – Frith Street Gallery – London, UK

Design Miami – Nilufar Gallery – Milan, Italy

Swarovski Crystal Palace

Fendi/Craftica

LightZeit – Markus Kayser

Daylight – Philippe Malouin

Go-Round – Tom Foulsham

Hexacube 1972-2012

Humans Since 1982 – Victor Hunt – Victor Hunt Designart Dealer – Brussels, Belgium

Pavillons – Pierre Gonalons

Matali Crasset

THE KIRLIAN – A Bar by Jeremy Shaw for Absolut

Jeremy Shaw

Le Baron Das Schiff

Francesco Carozzinni, Eva Chow, & Asia Chow

Vito Schnabel

Stephanie Lobato, Kapila Chase, Lakisha Ridley, & Melissa Katz

Lionel Benseroon

Andre Sakhai, Eleanor Cayre, Allese Thomson & David Simkins

Sam Keller, Emmanuel Perrotin, & Benjamin Moreau

David Simkins

Melissa Katz, Allese Thomson, & David Simkins

Allese Thomson & David Simkins

Melissa Katz, Allese Thomson, & David Simkins

Allese Thomson

Anna Williams

Anna Williams

Samuel Boutruche & Benjamin Moreau

Lionel Benseroon

David Simkins