Art 38 Basel
«Plenty of Liberties» — A Lounge by and for Artists
Art Basel is launching a new «Artist Lounge» this year. It is designed by the distinguished Städelschule in Frankfurt am Main, which was invited to create a place by and for artists at the international art show. A program of music, lectures, and discussions showcasing artists and creative personalities from Europe and North America will be staged there daily (June 12 through 17) from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The «Artist Lounge» is located in the foyer on the 1st floor of the «Art Unlimited» hall. The lounge is open to the public. Admission is free.
«Plenty of Liberties»: This slogan by American artist Raymond Pettibon, which is emblazoned on a wall of the cafeteria of the Städelschule (Frankfurt am Main), also serves as the motto for the «Artist Lounge». Under the guidance of Daniel Birnbaum (Director of the Städelschule, Portikus) and artist Mark Leckey, students including David Catherall, Michele Di Menna, Kristoffer Frick, Hanna Hildebrand, Maria Loboda, and Bernhard Schreiner have turned the 350m2 space into an extraordinary lounge fea-turing the «Golden Rausch Bar» and the elegant «Cake» café, with its daily offer of delicious Danish cakes and fresh pastries from Berlin. The students describe the lounge as follows: «Delicate, glittering, crystalline structures in combination with raw, untreated wood; luxuriant plants, loud music, and flickering colored light seem to fill the room. That is the «Artist Lounge, and we have taken plenty of liberties». They go on to say: «Music, knowledge, and the irrational are presented by means of performances, lectures, presentations, and films by a host of creative personalities. We have a few surprises in store. Spontaneous encounters are extremely welcome.»
The roster of participants appearing from 5 to 7 p.m., Monday, June 11, through Sunday, June 17, includes: Bernhard Schreiner, artist, musician (Austria, Germany),
Kevin Killian, author, poet, performer (San Francisco), Man Like Me, musician (London), Jeremy Shaw (M21, Circlesquare), artist, musician (Vancouver), Carl Michael von Hausswolff, artist, composer, curator (Stockholm), Alexander Overwijk, professor and World Freehand Circle Drawing Champion (Ottawa), Ching Chong Song, musician (New York), Demons (Alivia Zivich and Nate Young), artists, performers, and musicians (Detroit), ILIOS, musician, composer, artist (Greece, Spain), Reiner Höhndorf, energy theoretician (Schwiern), Jacob Holdt, world traveler, performer, activist, documentalist (Copenhagen), Steven Connor, professor, researcher, lecturer (London), Kevin Blechdom, musician (San Francisco), and Nick Bullen, artist, musician (Birmingham). Further well-known artists will be at the «Artist Lounge» as special guests every day.
