VOLTA10 Basel
(16/06/2014 - 21/06/2014)
http://voltashow.com/index.php
VOLTA10 BaselViaduktstrasse
VOLTA, Basel's
renowned art fair for new and emerging art, is
thrilled
to announce its return to
Markthalle, the domed landmark situated in the heart of the city
on the
Rhine. This move coincides with
VOLTA's tenth anniversary and, as artnet Magazine wrote in 2012
– "the
most established of the Art
Basel satellite fairs" – reaffirms VOLTA's boutique position as
an
integral part of Basel's art fair season.
"In our tenth year, we wanted once again to do something spectacular,"
stated the fair's Artistic Director
Amanda Coulson, "and in Basel there is no location more awe-inspiring
than the Markthalle. The
dome's redesign means we can reduce exhibitor numbers further and
return to the boutique flavour of
our original edition. Now entirely refurbished and upgraded, the site
will bring us back from the fringes,
both literally and metaphorically, with many former exhibitors
signalling their interest return for this
decade anniversary and for this special location. It's not our 50th
anniversary, but it'll be a golden one
nonetheless!"
Markthalle is an iconic presence on the Basel skyline, greeting
visitors from the central railway station
and direct airport-bus. Upon its completion in 1929, Markthalle was the
third-largest cupola structure
in Europe and, as an unsupported concrete dome, ranks in the Top 10
today. After several years of
renovations, including a chic residential tower erected next to it, the
historic building reopens as a fullfledged
marketplace and a hub for Basel business. Five years ago, VOLTA
made a
splash at Markthalle
before moving on to ignite up-and-coming industrial neighborhood
Dreispitz, southeast of the citycenter.
In returning to Markthalle, VOLTA elevates its exhibitors'
respective
platforms for an experience
mutually beneficial to fair visitors and the galleries alike.
VOLTA has strengthened its presence and message in each
iteration,
creating a brand known and
respected for its strict selection of exhibiting galleries and artists,
including a growing list of alumni who
have graduated to the main fairs. Former exhibitors like A Gentil
Carioca (Rio de Janeiro), STEVENSON
(Cape Town/Johannesburg), One and J. Gallery (Seoul) and bitforms
gallery (New York) ascended
to Frieze and Art Basel after exhibiting at VOLTA. Likewise,
artists
including Theaster Gates, Chris
Johanson, Zilvinas Kempinas, Cameron Platter, Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook,
and Adrian Williams
have shown in prestigious events like the Venice Biennale, the
Orangerie (Paris), dOCUMENTA, Art
Basel’s Art Parcours and Art Unlimited, following their featured
showings at VOLTA.
Encouraged by the response of collectors and institutional
representatives to the fair’s solo presentations
and curated booths, VOLTA continues to highlight single-artist
projects
and dynamic configurations
of two or three artists in dialogue as the backbone to its program. In
doing so, VOLTA returns the
focus of the art fair atmosphere back to its most crucial component:
the artists and their works. This
coming June, over 60 international galleries will mount compelling
projects under Markthalle’s illustrious,
octagonal dome. Showcasing the highest calibre of new art bearing
salient contemporary positions
within an elegant environment: this is VOLTA’s mission.
VOLTA can be reached with just a few steps from the main SBB
train
station and by direct tram from the
Messe (Tram Line 2, 5 stops). There are also several underground public
car parks closely, so reaching
the fair from anywhere in town will be effortless.
VOLTA was founded in Basel in 2005 by dealers Kavi Gupta
(Chicago),
Ulrich Voges (Frankfurt), and
Friedrich Loock (Berlin). The next edition, VOLTA10,
occurs on Monday,
June 16 - Saturday, June
21, 2014, coinciding with Art Basel Week. Additionally, VOLTA NY
returns to its elegant SoHo venue
82MERCER from Thursday, March 6 - Sunday, March 9, 2014, during Armory
Arts Week.