Art Basel in Basel.
Photo: courtesy Art Basel.

Art Basel in Basel has announced its conversations and salon program ahead of the fair opening on June 16. The series will have a “larger focus on the African Continent” (see Here Is the 2015 Exhibitor List for Art Basel in Basel).

The 27 talks will feature speakers, including Rosella Biscotti, Julien Bismuth, Mariana Castillo Deball, Simone Fattal, Matthew Higgs, Susan Hiller, Christian Jankowski, Jean Lamore, Lu Jie, Jumana Manna, Robin Meier, Aida Muluneh, Ciprian Mureşan, Shelly Nadashi, Moataz Nasr, Erkka Nissinen, Wael Shawky, Lara Schnitger, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Barthélémy Toguo, Ulay, Danh Vō, Peter Wächtler, and Anicka Yi.

Danh Vo
Photo: artnet News.

The conversation series will kick off  on June 17 with the Premier Artists Talk, which will see Danh Vō discuss his recent presentation at the Venice Biennale with curator Manuela Ammer (see Danh Vo Brings Tequila to Venice for First Artist-Curated Punta della Dogana Exhibition and The Most Outlandish Things Seen at the 56th Venice Biennale So Far).

On Thursday June 18, writer András Szántó will lead a discussion, part of the Public/Private series, entitled Works in Progress: Building New Art Institutions in Africa. Szántó will be joined by a number of leading experts in the field, including Touria El Glaoui, founder, 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair (see 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair Is Full of Good Art and Tough Questions); Mark Coetzee, director and chief curator at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, Cape Town; and Raphael Chikukwa, chief curator at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare.

Hans Ulrich Obrist
Photo: BFA

Hans Ulrich Obrist will also host a panel, as part of his series on diversity in artists practice, with a focus on archaeology.

The Salon program, intended to be an open platform for short presentations, will feature a wide range of art professionals, including Luca Massimo Barbero, associate curator at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, collector Patrizia Sandreto Re Rebaudengo (see artnet Asks: Super Collector and Art Patron Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo); and Josh Baer, of Baer Faxt.

There will be a huge range of topics discussed throughout the fair, from shifts in international focus to the financing of art and artists in today’s climate. These include a timely discussion entitled Beyond Austerity: Supporting Art in Cultural Crisis on Sunday June 21.

As part of the Salon talks on Africa, Bomi Odufunade, of Dash & Rallo Art Advisory, will be moderating Collecting Africa, with the participation of Prince Yemisi Shyllon, collector and founder of the Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Art Foundation in Lagos; and collector Bruce Campbell Smith, from Cape Town.

See the full list of talks on the Art Basel website.