Deborah Roberts, 'The Black Effect', 2022. Mixed media and collage on canvas165.1 x 114.3cm (65 x 45in) Framed: 170.4 x 119.8cm (67 1/8 x 47 1/8in). Copyright Deborah Roberts. Courtesy the artist and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London. If a picture paints a thousand words a collage paints a million! And so I discovered during a compelling broadcast interview with American contemporary artist Deborah Roberts, courtesy of Stephen Friedman Gallery. With her show launching in Lond

Stars in Their Eyes, Jeffrey Gibson. Courtesy of Stephen Friedman, London Naturally, I'm talking about the two recent art fairs: Frieze London and Art Basel Paris+ which took place in successive weeks in October. Both cities lavished upon their visitors generous helpings of mouthwatering contemporary art juiciness. I've had my fill, digested the input and I'm now thirsty to write. Frieze London Frieze London (12-16 October 2022), took place in the elegant setting of Regents

Champagne Mercier Cellar © Christophe Meireis A post to celebrate the sunshine season. Having spent three weeks on the south coast of England in warm sunny weather, I travelled back to Switzerland by car and stopped off at the beautiful region of Champagne in France. You may be wondering what champagne has to do with contemporary art. Well, apart from the exquisite wine-making which is an art in itself, champagne is the perfect accompaniment to an art preview event, and v

THE GAZE interview with Swiss Art Award winner 2022, Pe Lang

A surprising title you may think given current times. But the title is inspired by the plethora of Russian artists who are speaking out and demanding to be seen and heard. During Art Basel, I attended three inspirational preview evenings that showcased the work of such talents. Emerging, unrepresented, even completely unknown, and often working without government sponsorship, these young creatives are defining a new consciousness that is both poignant and stark. ‘State of Di

I dropped in at the ’Surrealism Beyond Borders’ exhibition at TATE Modern (London) last week. As many people, I’m familiar with Surrealism as a revolutionary cultural movement that ignited in Paris during the 1920’s. This exhibition however challenges many of our preconceptions about Surrealism and tracks its spread across the world. We learn how this cultural mindset inspired artists in Buenos Aires, Cairo, Lisbon, Mexico City, Prague, Seoul, Tokyo, America and many parts

Extract from 'Daddy's Little Helpers' by Jodok Wehrli (2022) I attended the opening of this eclectic contemporary art exhibition, cleverly staged by the Nomad Design & Lifestyle Hotel, Basel and curated by Dorian Orlando Weber. In its second year and set to become an annual event, the show brought together nine young artists from different backgrounds and perspectives. Interestingly, the works are displayed in the bedrooms over three floors, allowing the visitor a casual mea

I was invited by gallerist Daria Lobyntseva, founder of on-line gallery. Voskhod, to the opening of her new physical gallery in Basel. I find the new 'space' and the group of guests gathered for its launch in an intriguing nook within the access passages to Basel's Swiss and French railway station. It's a glacial evening but spirits are warm. The excitement being the featured artist, Fedora Akimova and the installation that laid hidden behind the paper covered 'vitrines' of

We often think of art and science as mechanisms that are difficult to combine. I for one had my perceptions shifted after a visit to a rather special exhibition 'Terra incognita - art science fabulation' at the Praxis, Basel. Here's a brief taster. Conceived and curated by Bienne based artist Andrea Marioni, the exhibition brought together 32 artists from all over Switzerland and internationally with a contributor from India. 'The project's methodology was Inspired by the sci

Last week I had the privilege to catch renowned contemporary artist Jenny Holzer's exhibition at the Kunstmuseum in Basel. Running until 15 May. it features the work of French-American artist Louise Bourgeois (1911-2010) . Arresting installations, sculptures and the written word, form part of this remarkable showcase. Widely considered one of the most influential artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, Bourgeois tackles deep human emotion through her art especially from the p

I dropped in at the HeK (House of Electronic Arts) based in Basel to check out their Swiss Media Arts exhibition. The show, featuring the work of 2021 Pax Award Winners Marc Lee, Chloé Delarue and Laurent Grüdel totally stole my afternoon and I'm so pleased it did. The works throw a critically reflective light on some of today's most relevant and challenging topics - such as over-fishing and ocean acidification, the destruction of animal habitats and the alarming extinction o