Artists from across the globe are represented at the 46th edition of the international art show Art Basel, with 283 leading galleries presenting a selection from 33 countries which ranges from key figures of 20th century modernism to new and emerging artists at the forefront of contemporary practice.

While galleries from Europe continue to be strongly represented, the show presents new exhibitors and artists from around the world. This year’s edition once again offers a strong selection of exhibitors from the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region.

The main sector of the show, Galleries, will feature 222 exhibitors presenting the highest quality of painting, sculpture, drawing, installation, photography and video. Three galleries will exhibit within the sector for the first time: Rodeo (Istanbul, London), Take Ninagawa (Tokyo) and Vilma Gold (London).

Among the festival’s many and diverse threads, the Feature sector focuses on galleries with precise curatorial projects. James Cohan Gallery (New York, Shanghai), for example, shows a selection of art by John Cage – best known as the composer of experimental music including the famous silent piece 4’33”. It includes Cage’s very first visual art project, Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel, a series of “plexigrams” created as a tribute to Marcel Duchamp after his death in 1968, as well as later watercolours and smoke drawings.

Luxembourg & Dayan (New York, London) presents lesser-known bodies of work by Michelangelo Pistoletto, La Gabbia and Mobili Capovolti, critical within the development of the artist’s oeuvre. Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects (Culver City) has an installation of drawings by Andrea Bowers, entitled #sweetjane, examining an Ohio high-school rape case from 2012, the subsequent trial and the political activism that was triggered by it.

Solo presentations in the Statements section offer visitors and collectors the opportunity to discover emerging artists and young galleries. This year, eight of the 16 galleries within this section are new to the show. Laura Bartlett Gallery (London) presents a major new film by British artist Beatrice Gibson. Société (Berlin) has an installation by New York-based artist Bunny Rogers – a series of objects relating to the idea of mourning the death of a fictional character, and a homage to Michael Scofield from the TV series Prison Break.

Grey Noise (Dubai) shows Remote Local, an installation by Caline Aoun playing with the parallel languages of printing, sculpture and architecture. RaebervonStenglin (Zurich) features a site-specific project by Raphael Hefti, with the Swiss artist producing aluminium sculptures throughout the duration of the show.

Unlimited, Art Basel’s platform for projects that transcend the limitations of a traditional art-fair stand, is curated for the fourth year by Gianni Jetzer, curator-at-large at the Hirshhorn in Washington DC, featuring large-scale sculptures and paintings, video projections, installations and live performances.

At Stadtkino Basel, the film programme is curated by Cairo-based film curator and art lecturer Maxa Zoller. Art Basel also features an extensive series of talks and panel discussions as a key part of this vibrant showcase of the international art world.

Art Basel, various venues, Basel, Switzerland, until 21 June. For more information visit www.artbasel.com

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Credits
1. A arte Invernizzi: François Morellet. Courtesy the artist and the gallery.