Art Journal #38: Art Unlimited and Art Statements

I liked Art Unlimited quite a bit. Only galleries who's already in other parts of the official Art Basel can show works here. And it's "Unlimited" because you can do whatever you want, however big or outrageous is the idea! So in that way, it's not too different from Venice Biennale, in that you will see avant garde works and larger scale installations that you wont typically see at a normal art fair.

Saw a big Yoshitomo Nara installation - and the man himself! Stefan Balkenhol's wooden carving that's painted on top is an interesting concept (he called them "architectural and sculptural reliefs" - what a big name). Chen Zhen's Fu Dao or Upside-down Buddha is interesting (more I see Chen Zhen's works, more I like them! Another Galleria Continua piece).

Matthew Day Jackson's mixed media skeleton sculptures "Dymaxion Family" made an impression - again (also saw that in Pinault's show in Venice), and is inspired by "utopia scientist and pioneering architect" Buckminster Fuller - need to research on him to read more!

When you get to know the context of Farhad Moshiri's carpet work (that Iranians "invest" in carpets with hope of selling them for higher price later, since banks pay no interest and so there's lack of investment products avail in Iran, and so carpets become substitutes; but Iranians are disappointed that when they move aboard and bring their carpets with them, they are not really worth as much as they thought - expressing how value is impacted by context), it's really interesting to see how he defaced/destroyed what Iranians find valuable at home, but not worth that much when abroad.

Bulgarian Nedko Solakov's "A Beauty 2" make you knee down and interact with the art - and most viewers enjoyed it!

Art Statements, opened to "young galleries" again (but young means 5-10 years in operation at least?), is much less interesting. It's meant to host only solo shows. None of the work made an impression...