Dirk Goes To Art Basel

About Art Basel

Art Basel stages the world's premier Modern and contemporary art shows, held annually in Basel, Miami Beach, and Hong Kong. Founded by gallerists in 1970, Art Basel has been a driving force in supporting the role that galleries play in the nurturing of artists, and the development and promotion of visual arts. 

In addition to showing exciting works by world-renowned artists, Art Basel is always innovating, thus expanding its platform for new artists who represent the vanguard of the visual arts. Its worldwide reputation – earned over the last forty years – for showing work of the highest merit, and attracting the world's leading gallerists and collectors, has made Art Basel the place where the artworld meets.

Hello Dear Great Ones,

I don't consider myself a great art appreciator, my interests and likes are rather limited to classic European paintings of people and landscapes, and Norman Rockwell type art depicting normal life in a wry humour, but profound way.  So going to Art Basel with my artsy, almost wife to be Celia, was a bit of a stretch, for much of the art at this exhibit is a bit out there, which is a gentle way of saying some of it was obscene, outright strange, ridiculous, stupid, and disturbing.  Yet, art is in the eye of the beholder, so without further ado here are a few pics from Art Basal, Hong Kong,  2015.  

Yep thats me I went to Art Basel.

The exhibition took over two floors of the Hong Kong convention center.

Ok, these pics were not from Art Basel, but rather at a mall here in HK.  Yet I threw this in here cause its funky art, like what can be seen at Art Basel. 

Ok back to Art Basel. Furniture made of wire.  Would be torture to sit on.  Ouch. Interesting.

Colored planks of wood along a wall.  Yeah so.  The work of art (beautiful woman taking a selfie) in front of these planks is amazing.

I do like Chinese landscape art.  This example was over the top.

There were several different types of mirrors at the exhibit, which made you the art.  Funky, kind of funny.

No I am not at Home Depot checking out plywood for my basement renovations.  This is supposed to be art.

The Albertan in me kind of liked this.  I have seen millions of deer back in my home and native land, tons of brown leaves and the branches in the antlers, gives this art a real woodsy feel.  Ok. Like.

Football painting.  Good detail.  Depicts an intimate rugged encounter typical of football.  Shows how tough the sport really is.

Goofy.  Desecration of two great paintings.

Cake balancer about to fail.  Amusing and far out.  Like the colors.

This guy reminded me of some native shaman.  This guy was also a man wandering around dressed like this.  A "work of art."

This reminded me of an Alberta winter day around Christmas.  A Christmas tree bogged down by snow.  How many times have I seen this for real?  Way too many.

This has an Egyptian, idol worship feel to it.  Disturbing, especially the foot with the long toes.

Amusing random picture tinted in blue.  Ha ha.

This was cool.  Two statues made of silicone.  These are about 4 feet each, and the detail, veins, hair, expression on the faces was startling.  They looked very real.

Ha ha ha ha ha.  This is art?  I think I could have done this.  

Best art piece at the exhibit.  Love pics like this.  A scene from old China.

Me getting serious at the exhibit.

Grotesque.  Poor horse.  Don't get how deformity is art.

Huh?  A bunch of boxes with metal. Reminds me of Home Depot.

An amazing quilt.  My dear Queen Elizabeth.

A rock on dark colored plywood.  I think Art Basel is endorsed by Home Depot.

Old pics incased in glass, in front of a map.  Journey of life perhaps?

On my way to eternity.  Not bad.

Standing by a narrow sculpture of a head.  Very interesting.

Ok I admit this is cool.  A butterfly and backdrop made up entirely of butterfly wings.  A lot of butterflys gave their lives for art.

Well thats it.  Art Basel will return next year.  Think I might show up again to give my emotions a bit of a workout and expand my mind a bit.

God bless you all!

Love adios and ping on!

Dirk