ART FAIRS:25 Years Liste Art Fair Though Posters
In the summer of 1995, the Zurich- based gallery owners Eva Presenhuber and Peter Kilchmann contacted the curator Peter Bläuer from Basel with the idea of founding a new fair for young, international galleries with contemporary art in Basel. The idea was supported by various art historians and curators, “Liste-The Young Art Fair in Basel” was born.
By Efi Michalarou
Photo: Liste Archive
After its founding in 1996, Liste developed within a very short time into one of the most important fairs for a new and middle generation of galleries and their mainly young artists. The fair annually hosts approximately 80 highly promising international galleries from over 30 countries, many of which are young and mostly still unknown. Similarly, it is very important to Liste to introduce important, new and interesting galleries from locations not near the art market. Thus, it would be difficult to find a gallery established after 1996 and numbering among the world’s most important whose path included an appearance at Liste. Since Liste’s inception in 1996, only artists under 40 have been allowed to present at the fair. Over the last several years, however, an increasing number of new galleries have accepted older artists who are often “re-discoveries”. While Liste has adapted to this changing reality by allowing galleries representing artists over 40 to apply, the fair’s focus remains on young artists and the vast majority of artists presented are still under 40. In 1997 the private bank E. Gutzwiller & Cie., Banquiers, Basel becomes Liste’s main partner. With their longstanding generosity in sponsorship, they have helped and continue to help Swiss young galleries to participate in Basel’s art fair week at very reasonable terms and conditions. For the first time in 1999, there are performances as a permanent feature of Liste. In 2001, a platform is created for digital media. Each year plug.in, today HeK (House of Electronic Arts), presents at Liste. The Art Prize from the National Suisse Insurance Company, Basel (today Helvetia) is awarded for the first time in 2004. In 2004, Peter Bläuer receives the Basel Culture Award. The prize is awarded annually to a member of the Basel city community who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to Basel’s cultural life. In Liste’s 10th birthday (2005) launching the independent Performance Project under curatorial direction. New at the fair in 2013 , the Gallerist Programme, a program of study for prospective gallerists by de Appel Arts Centre Amsterdam. For the first time in 2017video clips are sent as newsletters. An era is coming to an end and a new chapter begins in 2018, Peter Bläuer hands over the LISTE direction to Joanna Kamm.
Info: Director: Joanna Kamm, Liste Art Fair, Burgweg 15, Basel, Preview: (by invitation only) Mon (15/6/20) 11:00-18:00, Public Opening: Mon (15/6/20) 18:00-21:00, Tue-Sat (15-20/6/20) 13:00-21:00, Sun (21/6/20) 13:00-18:00, Admission: Single entry CHF 20, Reduced entry CHF 10 (Students / seniors / AHV), Free admission for kids up to 16 years (if accompanied by an adult), After 20:00 Single entry CHF 6, Free admission (Students / AHV), www.liste.ch
