BASEL.- SCOPE, the art show that has established its name by curating cutting edge contemporary art from around the world, returns to Basel for the fourth year. Running concurrent with Art Basel for the next three years, SCOPE’s new high profile venue at historic Kaserne is just blocks from Art Basel 41. Located in the heart of the city, SCOPE Basel’s new home, a pavilion offering over 5,000 m², provides the real opportunity for gallerists, collectors, curators, artists, critics and art lovers alike to experience a view of the contemporary art market available nowhere else.

This year’s Basel edition of the fair, June 15-19, 2010, presents 85 international galleries upholding its unique tradition of solo and thematic group shows presented alongside museum-quality programming, collector tours, screenings, and special events. The unique SCOPE experience expands this year in partnership with Kaserne’s cultural organizations, featuring: film, music, theatre and performance. “This season we want to highlight SCOPE’s lead role as creative R+D for a wider audience of taste makers who make art their business” says SCOPE President & Founder Alexis Hubshman. “Introducing artists, curators, and cutting-edge galleries to new international audiences has made SCOPE the most comprehensive destination for the emerging art world.”

Founded in 2002, SCOPE has grown extensively in both volume and stature. Alexis Hubshman, President of SCOPE explains, “We’ve evolved from an industry niche to an influential global contributor, with ongoing events, educational programmes, and the SCOPE Foundation 501(c)3. SCOPE is the dynamic presence in the expanding global art market.”

With art fairs in Miami, Basel, New York, London, and the Hamptons, SCOPE Art Show has garnered critical acclaim, with sales of over $100 million and attendance of over 300,000 visitors.

VOLTA6
Between 16th June and 20th June VOLTA6 will be opening its doors at the new venue, the Dreispitzhalle, gathering a unique selection of 81 international galleries. This year’s fair, now in its sixth edition, presents more than 200 emerging artist from all over the world. This newly-renovated Dreispitzhalle is the centerpiece of Basel’s latest hot spot, the Dreispitz Areal, a former warehouse district and now an artistically-vibrant neighborhood best known for the Schaulager. The new location allows for 79 traditional booths, as well as space for other projects, and promises once again a boutique event of the kind that built VOLTA’s name and reputation.

The esteemed Curatorial Board – composed of Adam Budak (Kunsthaus Graz), Jacopo Crivelli Visconti (independent curator, Säo Paolo), Christoph Doswald (independent curator, Zurich), Jasper Sharp (independent curator, Vienna), Stephanie Smith (Smart Museum, Chicago), screened over 350 applications to create a selection of 81 tightly-focused, fresh and neoteric positions, including 50 galleries from all over Europe and the U.S., as well as an increased number from South America, Asia and Canada.

Director Amanda Coulson is more than happy with this year’s VOLTA6: “With over 350 applications, demand is still high this year. From these we worked intensely to continue with our mandate to put together a strong, curatorially-relevant presentation of emerging and more established contemporary artists. I am particularly pleased that this year we were able to include artists and galleries from other art hubs outside the usual circuit, some of whom are also in the new VOLTA SOLO section and giving a stronger presence there.”

Indeed, following the recurring success of VOLTA NY’s single artist format, this year’s VOLTA6 introduces the VOLTA SOLO section, in which 13 project booths are allocated to a single project, including Dresden-based artist Hannes Broecker; Akihiro Higuchi, Tokyo; Herwig Weiser, Vienna/Cologne; Paris-based artist Raphaël Zarka; 2008 Whitney Biennial participant Ellen Harvey, New York; Toronto duo Jennifer Marman & Daniel Borins; Tadej Pogacar from Ljubljana; Hungarian artist Gyula Várnai from the city of Dunaújváros; Chicago-based Justin Cooper; Hervé Paraponaris, Marseille; Vancouver-based interdisciplinary artist Holly Ward; Katrin Korfmann, Berlin; and finally, São Paulo-based artist João Loureiro.

Complementing the fair are two new initiatives VOLTA LIGHTBOX and VOLTA UNCOVERED. LIGHTBOX takes place on the lower level of the Lounge area and focuses on lightworks, including sculptures, videos and light murals by 12 international artists including: Peter Alexander, Ron Cooper, Laddie John Dill, presented by NYEHAUS, New York; Laura Buckley and Jakob Mattner, presented by 401 Contemporary, Berlin; Christina Benz and Ghost of a Dream, presented by The Cynthia Corbett Gallery, London; Gerry Fox; presented by Eleven Gallery, London; Fernando Gutiérrez and Alica Jiménez, presented by Espacio Líquido, Gijón; Katja Loher presented by VERNON, Prague and Adriaan Verwée, presented by TATJANA PIETERS, Ghent.

UNCOVERED, meanwhile, makes the most of the outdoor spaces with sculptural and painted works, as well as interventions, on the exterior of the Dreispitzhalle. Los Angeles-based arts organisation L.A. Art Machine and Rivera&Rivera presents four legendary street artists—Mear One, Kofie, Retna and El Mac—at work in real time; Czech sculptor Kristof Kintera shows his latest large scale sculpture Paradise Now, while Brazilian artist Marlon de Azambuja, who often uses tape or wrappings, intervenes on the hall's exterior and the surrounding area that will literally uncover new forms underneath the everyday reality of the industrial area. A further highlight is the unique live painting appearance with the prolific Urban and Street Artists from Berlin Nomad, XOOOOX, Katrin Fridriks, Anton Unai, Jaybo Monk, presented by CIRCLECULTURE Gallery, Berlin; they have started a large-scale graffiti work on-site that will stay permanently. Furthermore, Bloodshed Event presents Sensitivity Training, the third in a series of interactive situations by Tara Strickstein.

15 years of LISTE- The Young Art Fair in Basel – a remarkable success story
The LISTE - The Young Art Fair in Basel is back on 15 years of great success. What began in 1996 on the initiative of young gallerists has developed into one of the world's most important fairs for new galleries and emerging art. David Zwirner from New York, Massimo de Carlo of Milan, Maureen Paley of London, neugerriemschneider of Berlin, Emi Fontana of Milan and Andréhn Chiptjenko of Stockholm belong to those pioneer galleries who were there at the beginning - all of them who can be counted among the most well-established in the art market today.

The 15th anniversary edition of LISTE - The Young Art Fair in Basel takes place from June 15-20, 2010. Again this year, LISTE is offering its guests truly remarkable discoveries. Their expert jury has selected 64 galleries from 21 countries from a pool of 350 applications. LISTE is introducing 13 galleries for the first time at the fair. A number of galleries are returning to LISTE after successful appearances at Statements at Art Basel. Thus, the most interesting galleries of the younger generation are represented at LISTE.

The redtoo Art Prize will be awarded for the first time. LISTE is very pleased to have the opportunity to present a second prize - along with the art prize from the Nationale Suisse Insurance Company. The winning gallery will be selected by an international expert jury. The prize includes payment of stand costs and the purchase of a work of art.

Since its inception in 1996, LISTE has made its top priority the introduction of new galleries that have their finger on the zeitgeist and represent important emerging artists. In this way, LISTE contributes in a significant and meaningful way to the promotion of emerging artists and emerging galleries. Consciously limiting the number of participants to 64 galleries - that is, the most important new galleries worldwide - is one of the main reasons for LISTE's great success. Also, its selection policy - choosing trend-setting positions of artists under 40 years and limiting participation to only a few years - gives LISTE its unique importance, high quality and dynamic. At the same time, this concept forms a bridge to Art Basel and serves galleries as a springboard to the world's most important art fair.