Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar photographed for the Winter 2025/26 issue of LUX by Ben Cope

Two years ago, French-Iranian artist Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar moved from the south of France to Qatar, to the bemusement of many. Now, he finds himself one of the spearheads of a developing art scene turbocharged by the arrival of Art Basel Qatar this winter, and framed by a programme of museum openings to rival any in the world

Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar is an enigma of a contemporary artist. Born in the teens, he subsequently lived in the UAE and London, building his practice and gaining business qualifications before settling in Cap-Ferrat, in the south of France. Over the past years, with his studio in this wealthy residential peninsula, he gained a roster of international collectors, as well as shows in London, Germany, and Monaco. Then, in 2023, he abruptly moved his practice and his family to Doha, Qatar. His gallerist, Setareh, meanwhile, is based in Berlin, Düsseldorf and London. Behnam-Bakhtiar will be having a solo show at Setareh London opening end of May 2026. 

Behnam-Bakhtiar’s move to Cap-Ferrat in 2010 presaged what would become today’s contemporary art and collector revival in the stretch from Cannes, through Cap-Ferrat itself, to Monaco. Not long after he moved to Doha, it appeared he had again predicted the flow of the global contemporary art ecosystem, when it was dramatically announced that his new home would host a new Art Basel fair — Art Basel Qatar — in February 2026.

A portrait of the artist in his Doha studio, photographed by Ben Cope

His practice, with its slurred abstract mixed-media oeuvres — light and joyous on the surface but hinting at either darkness or a different kind of tension underneath — has evolved even during his short time in Doha. His works seem more focused, more technical. His persona, at once thoughtful, combative, and soulful, remains as it always was: he can be as charming as anyone in his family (his great-uncle was, famously, the last prime minister appointed by the Shah of Iran), as hermetic as any artist (as he explains in our interview below), and as efficient as a business leader.

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Behnam-Bakhtiar speaks openly about his personal traumas. He is not an easy person — but then, what real artist is? And his art is good enough for me to have bought (at full price), and it has developed since. We are looking forward to seeing how this unique mid-career artist develops with the burgeoning art scene in Qatar.

Darius Sanai

Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar’s Doha studio, showcasing the oils he uses to create his signature style of peinture raclée

Angeliki Kim Perfetti: So, Sassan, why Doha?

Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar: Simple. It was a real coup de cœur for us. I decided to choose Doha and Qatar as a second home — which has become our first home for the time being, as my son goes to school here now. Many of my collectors in Europe, the UK, and the States didn’t get it: “From Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat to Doha!” And I’m like, “No, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Doha.”

I met many key people in the contemporary art, cultural, and museum scenes here. There is a lot of excitement, energy, and exciting initiatives set in place for the upcoming years. Opening an atelier here in Doha felt like the right thing to do.

AKP: Always ahead of the curve!

SB-B: Haha! It seems I was. I’m just saying, honestly, I’m very early here in Doha. And that’s what I love about it. When I came here I started meeting interesting people, collectors, and key figures in the cultural scene, as well as the very few gallerists present. It’s literally the beginning and I was like, “I need to be there.”

Detail from Energy in Nature, by Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar

I’m always attracted to visionary communities in the arts and culture. It made sense, and it was an organic process. I made great friends and was embraced by the cultural community. I am basically the first international artist who moved to Doha by himself. I just came because I love the place—Doha is a hidden treasure.

What came next was the creation of a bridge between my practice in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, what the south of France has always represented in contemporary arts, and the state of Qatar.

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AKP: What was it about Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat that had resonated with you?

SB-B: When I moved to Saint-Jean from London 15 years ago, people were asking me why I moved. The question was about the geographical journey, but the answer was about my journey as a human being and my creative world. It’s very straightforward: the move was about nature, energy, light, and the environment, and that’s why I love Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar, in the midst of his career within the burgeoning art scene in Qatar

In the region from Arles and St-Paul to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and Aix-en-Provence, you can see the tracks of great artists. Funnily enough, it was Darius who was one of the first people to call it; he said that Sassan’s work resembles a melted Monet and Paul Signac. I was really pulled in by the south of France already being my home. There I continued to study nature, the light, and I started painting energy.

AKP: When did your creative journey start, and what brought about your signature style?

SB-B: I started at the age of four with my father, who taught me how to paint. We lived together on the Île Saint-Louis in Paris, and he would sit me by the window to paint the views. Our weekly museum visits—seeing works by Monet, Signac, Van Gogh, Pierre Bonnard and others—planted seeds that later affected my work without me realising it.

I always had a close relationship with colours found in nature, how their shades would change under different light was a fascinating concept for me as a child. It’s probably why I spent years trying to recreate this effect on my living paintings. I was in Iran between the ages of eight and 18, and was mesmerised by the Persian touch and their attention to detail when creating art. Trying mosaic, mirror works and Ghalamkari entered me into a different world. It seems the mixing of these two creative worlds, alongside my vision of humanity and my life experience brought forth my signature style.

Energy in Spring, by Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar

AKP: What is your working practice? What is your starting point and how does it evolve?

SB-B: Nobody sees how I paint; not even my wife has properly seen how I create my works, which I think is a bit weird. Once I start painting I’m in my space and I do not like to be disturbed, I don’t like to have an external energy enter my bubble.

My work is not planned, there are no sketches, there is no pre-planning in any way. My painting process is literally the release of the emotions I have at a particular moment. It can start with something rather darker, and when the work is finished, the darkness is transformed into a positive tangible experience on the surface of the canvas.

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As I keep on working, layer by layer, all the previous layers are covered, which gradually transforms the darkness into something positive and beautiful to look at – and on this I’m quoting my audience and my collectors.

I work predominantly with natural pigments and various natural media, so my process has become some sort of an alchemy at this stage. I usually let go of my tools when I see that the piece actually transfers that energy I’m looking for, and it needs to be poignant, so you can have a chemical reaction in your brain, leading you to think differently about life and humanity.

The artist at his studio in Doha with his wife Maria, an interiors entrepreneur, and son

AKP: And you need to be alone for this?

SB-B: One of my collectors, a very close friend, saw me paint one time, and it was a beautiful journey for both of us. As a contemporary artist with an old-school soul, I do like to sit down with some of my close collectors and have a vintage bottle of red, discuss art and life and everything in between. And one day I was in the mood, and I started painting in front of him – and this has happened one time only – so he was just sitting there watching me, and at the end he said, “Now I understand how you transform the darkness into something positive in your work and life!”.

AKP: You are in Qatar at a time that is so exciting. How did your move first come about?

SB-B: I came to Qatar in December 2023. And a year and a half later people ask me, “Sassan, how did you do this? You’re such a visionary guy.” And I’m like, “What are you talking about?” I just followed my gut feeling, and I’m very transparent about it. I really saw something great about the art and cultural scene, as well as the immense potential in an upcoming ecosystem.

We were flying back from the Maldives to Nice to go to Cap-Ferrat and we always had stopovers in Doha. We decided this one time to stay in Doha for a week and explore the city. That was in November 2023. So we explored everywhere and we went to a place called the Inland Sea, where the desert meets the sea. It’s beautiful.

‘My process has become some sort of an alchemy at this stage’ – Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar

I remember laying down watching the stars in the sky in the evening. And I had this feeling of having been there already. I felt very rooted, this calmness took over my whole being in a way that was familiar. So I just went with that. I thought, “I really feel good here.” I don’t know if it was the beauty of that place, if it was looking at the reflection of the moon and the stars on the sea, or the energy present. Something made me feel at ease. Two months later, we were here.

AKP: It had to be done.

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SB-B: It just pulled me in. There is this sense of calmness here, which is hard to explain. You have to be here to feel it. It allows you to simply live and be, which in turn had an impact on my life and practice. The energy of this place took me back to my childhood and allowed me to deal with so much buried trauma. It freed me from so much weight I was carrying, and changed my outlook on life. The Qataris are wonderful people, very kind, respectful, and bon vivant. Culture is very important to them, and I appreciate the many friendships I have made here.

AKP: How has it developed in your work?

‘Creation isn’t a one-time act but an eternal performance, and every ending seeds a new beginning’ – Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar

SB-B: I am a workaholic, so in summer I like to disappear and usually end up on an island with my wife and son, and I just meditate. So we were in the Maldives. After meditating, I pick up my sketchbook, creating ideas, not drawing but writing. When I have an idea, I write it and I keep developing that idea, and the latest is a new body of works called Heartbeats.

Channelling earth’s energy to bloom to its full potential, a flower is a symbol in Heartbeats, marking key moments in our lives, whether towards evolution and love, or destruction and darkness. Flowers embody human principles of growth, attraction, and renewal, and can teach us to awaken to our inner light and root in Earth’s energy. By pursuing truth and vitality, we each contribute to a collective blossoming—a human evolution marked by resilience, beauty, and unity.

Under the guiding sun, humanity transforms into a garden, where every flower’s growth illuminates the path to a vital, truthful, interconnected future. Representing hope and interconnectedness, the flowers on the canvas symbolise resilience, encouraging humans to act with integrity even in challenging circumstances.

It is not only what we do, but its source, whose metaphysical action determines the value of all human action with every heartbeat. There is a dance of creation implying rhythm: the ebb and flow of the seasons, the pulse of heartbeats, the oscillation between destruction and renewal. In this view, creation isn’t a one-time act but an eternal performance, and every ending seeds a new beginning.

Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar for the cover of LUX’s Winter 2025/26 issue, designing our logo in his signature style

Heartbeats comes from the time I spent as a young teenager in the vast wild tulip fields of the Alborz mountains, north of Tehran. I always compared my life to these tulip fields, growing back each season no matter how harsh the circumstances. In my eyes, these wild tulips, blooming despite adversity, paralleled human resilience in facing life’s challenges. Perhaps our primary responsibility is to evolve as beings who are conduits for the supreme creative power of the universe, similarly to flowers.

AKP: What are your thoughts on Art Basel Qatar and art in the wider region?

SB-B: I believe they have chosen the best place for such a fair in the region. I think there is a nice synergy. Holding the fair at M7 and at the Doha Design District makes sense, and I’m looking forward to experiencing the fair in Doha. It’s surely a new page in the contemporary and modern art story of Qatar.

sassanbehnambakhtiar.com

Interview by Angeliki Kim Perfetti

Photographs by Ben Cope

For the winter 2023 issue of LUX, rising star photographer Angie Kremer captured the stars of an emerging Parisian creative scene. Her evocative images and her interviews with these individuals explore their relationship with the city and its evolving cultural ambit

Tom-David Bastok & Dylan Lessel
Co-founders, Perrotin Second Marché, which offers collectors a bespoke alternative to auction houses

LUX: How has the creative scene in Paris changed recently?
The art scene in Paris is becoming more dynamic than ever. Some say that the city is regaining its essential place after New York, following Brexit in the UK and the coronavirus pandemic. Paris has always played a key role in art – especially during the 19th and early 20th centuries, when it was the absolute artistic epicentre of the world. Therefore, what the city has lately been experiencing feels more like a logical return to its roots, rather than an unexpected change. Paris has been providing fertile ground for artists and international galleries that have just opened their doors – such as David Zwirner, Skarstedt, Mariane Ibrahim and White Cube.

Anthony Authié
Founder, Zyva Studio, a trans-design architecture studio

LUX: What do you find most exciting about what you do?
The thing I like the most about my job is the fact that you can practise it in different ways. Architecture is plural. You can talk about it, write about it, draw it, virtualise it. I’d really like to write an architectural novel, to be able to do 3D, create NFTs, launch a furniture line. I feel that I can constantly reinvent myself.

LUX: Is Paris better than London?
For someone like me, who loves clichés above all else, Paris is the city of love, while London is the city of punk. While the idea of being able to design rock ’n’ roll architecture appeals to me, I will always choose the love and romance of Paris. So, yes, Paris forever.

LUX: Is Paris still a difficult place for non-Parisians?
I think this is a fantasy. I often have the impression that the provinces tend to have a harder time accepting Parisians than the other way around. Paris can seem harsh, but I think it’s really more about openness than rejection. Let’s just say that you can’t be too sensitive to live and work in Paris.

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Sidonie Gaychet
Director, 110 Honoré, a new Parisian cultural venue on rue Saint-Honoré

LUX: What will Paris+ par Art Basel bring to Paris?
Since 1974 Paris has hosted the unmissable event of the autumn season – the FIAC. Last year was a little different, since the slot at the Grand Palais Éphémère was been allocated to Paris+ par Art Basel. On the bright side, it attracted the highest crop of art institutions, collectors, artists and critics.

LUX: Is Paris better than London?
The London art scene is very different from the French one. London has always been the wild child. Paris takes a little more time to open up. But when it does… A concept such as the one that we’re launching with 110 Honoré has already been somewhat tested in London or Berlin. However, we will bring a very Parisian twist to it.

Brice & Regis Abby
Paris-based twins, known as Doppelganger Paris, who are visual artists and DJ/ sound designers

LUX: What are your biggest challenges?
Before the pandemic we had two separate activities – music and the visual arts. We are working now to create a bridge between our iconographic references and our new musical and cinematographic projects. They deal with our childhood and a period of tension in Ivory Coast. Inclusivity and difference need to be heard and seen.

LUX: How has the Paris creative scene changed?
The pandemic changed the creative scene globally, and Paris has been touched by the same phenomenon. Many artists are part of that scene, but don’t live in Paris any more; they moved to the countryside. But the renewal is definitely there, with new galleries and creative agencies. It was a challenging time, because the culture was non-essential.

Sophia Elizabeth
Co-founder, Spaghetti Archives, which presents a monthly selection of archival fashion pieces around a given theme
Olivier Leone
Co-founder, Nodaleto, a made-in-Italy luxury shoe label

LUX: Is Paris better than London?
SE: They are two different cities, but I love London and the freedom people have in their style. They don’t judge and don’t care about judgment. I love the way the city always evolves. But to be honest, I am a true Parisian.

OL: My fellow London friends won’t like it, but at the moment Paris is the best city for creatives. We are all gathered here, and the mentality is evolving. This city never ceases to amaze me.

LUX: Is Paris still a difficult place for non-Parisians?

OL: Less and less, mostly because many foreigners came to live here and they are making the city evolve. But it’s true that it’s not a city where you can make friends easily. I was born and raised here, but always grew up with an open mind. So many Parisians, though, are snobs for no reason. It’s part of our charm, but it can be difficult.

Charlotte Ketabi-Lebard
Founder, Ketabi Projects, a contemporary art and design gallery

LUX: Is Paris better than London?
Well, you are asking a Parisian! How could I say no? Paris is the city of my heart and I don’t think I could live anywhere else. When I lived in London I would come back to Paris three to four days a week. I have never worked in London, but I know it’s been very complicated for some galleries since Brexit.

LUX: How has the creative scene changed recently in Paris?
More galleries are opening that show young artists from the French scene who have decided to remain in Paris – a few years ago a lot of artists fled to the US or Belgium. And many residency programmes, such as les Grandes-Serres de Pantin or Poush Manifesto, have been developing in Paris and its outskirts.

Anna Gardère & Raphaëlle Bellanger
Co-curators and art directors, KIDZ Paris, a book showcasing the creativity of today’s youth

LUX: How has the creative scene in Paris changed?
We love to see initiatives promoting crossover between the art world and other universes. We were talking with Joy Yamusangie, an amazing British painter, who told us how they loved working with Gucci, who gave them carte blanche on a wall in Shoreditch. We love to see artists and their visions in dialogue with scientists, too, like the one at CERN, which has opened its door to a residence of artists.

LUX: Is Paris still a difficult place for non-Parisians?
Paris still has its own code, but social media has definitely disturbed Parisian snobbery. Influencers have forced the whole creative industry to reconsider its criteria. Nowadays you can break into this world with a simple social-media account, because you’re supported by a community that believes in you and that is ensuring a high rate of engagement. It’s much more egalitarian – even democratic in a certain way, but also much more competitive.

Roxane Roche & Capucine Duguy-Noblinski
Co-founders, Invida Communication, a PR and digital agency

LUX: How has the Paris creative scene changed?
What has changed is the emergence of new brands with real storytelling, and a very thoughtful brand image based on editorial content. There’s a vintage rebound, too, from the 1960s and 1970s, with the relighting of brands like Courrèges and Carel. But, above all, brands are turning towards an ecological and eco-responsible approach.

LUX: Is Paris still a difficult place for non-Parisians?
Paris can be difficult for a non-Parisian. People often keep to themselves and don’t easily open their doors. It’s sometimes quite confusing, but no one is ever really alone in Paris.

Ferdinand Gros
Founder, superzoom, a contemporary art gallery that offers a platform for emerging artists

LUX: How has the creative scene in Paris changed?
There are a growing number of younger galleries, and older ones that are refreshing their programmes. The emerging art scene is at its strongest ever. Additionally, there are great new artist residency programmes in Paris that work like incubators and host hundreds of studios, like Poush Manifesto. We are also seeing the established blue-chip galleries giving opportunities to younger artists.

LUX: Is Paris better than London?
Not quite yet. London has managed to stay very fresh and is always ahead of Paris, in terms of art trends. London collectors are bold and forward-looking. The Parisian scene is getting there, especially in this time of creative momentum. The recent private institutions contribute a lot to this. Perhaps it will surpass London in those areas, but I don’t believe it has happened yet.

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Annabelle Cohen-Boulakia
Founder, Millenn’Art, a club concept that connects young artists and collectors to the art market

LUX: Is Paris better than London?
Paris is the historic city of the art world, but above all the city of my heart and the one in which I founded my project. Admittedly, it is not London, with Anglo-Saxon magic and a cosmopolitan dynamic.

LUX: What will Paris+ par Art Basel bring to Paris?
Paris+ par Art Basel, which belongs to an international group, opens up the art market beyond the Parisian sphere. I think it is a fair that leaves more room for artistic experiment and so has less conventional and, perhaps, more original content than FIAC.

An NFT from Tezos

They’re being shown at Basel, included in Venice: let’s see what the data tells us about NFTs and their long-term potential. Our contributing editor and columnist Sophie Neuendorf looks into it

Sophie Neuendorf

At this point, I believe that most of you will have heard of the phenomenon that’s taken the art world by storm: Non-Fungible Tokens, better known as NFTs. Ever since Christie’s sold that now famous NFT by artist Beeple for $69 Million in March 2021, this nascent category has grown exponentially. Over the past year, something like $44 billion has been spent on about 6 million NFTs, usually issued to certify digital creations but sometimes for physical objects such as paintings and sculptures.

The popularity of NFTs can be attributed to several factors. Primarily, it can be attributed to the rapid digitalisation of the art industry. Now, more and more artists, collectors, and professionals are comfortable with browsing, interacting and transacting online. This coincides with the cultural shift to the metaverse, which is a digital copy of the real world. It’s unsurprising that the metaverse should include fine art and collectibles, given that luxury fashion brands such as Gucci, Prada or Ralph Lauren are also represented.

Jimmy Fallon’s NFT by Bored Ape Yacht Club

But how can one identify ‘good’ or ‘bad’ NFTs and NFT artists? How do we know which NFTs are a good investment? This process is not much different to that of traditional art: after a period of time, a selection of NFT artists will crystallise as those that are most in- demand and desired. This may be a reflection of tastes and preferences but also of the zeitgeist and, most importantly, of who collects them. Many of us look to tastemakers and well known gallerists or collectors to see what they are buying, then use that information to help us form an opinion.

As one does before committing to a traditional work of art, it’s important to research prices and comparables before purchasing an NFT, as the market for NFTs has evolved and changed rapidly, even within the past year.

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As you can see from the graph, the prices for NFTs appreciated rapidly from the spring of 2021. However, since the end of last year, NFT prices have experienced a correction – the average transaction value has decreased substantially. This is in no way a reflection of the long-term viability and value of NFTs as a collecting category, but can be interpreted as the stabilisation of the market. Much more volatile than other assets or collectibles, such as contemporary art or gold, NFTs also suffer from price fluctuations due to the changeable nature of cryptocurrencies. Additionally, as it’s a new category, speculators may see it as less viable and secure as an investment in comparison to traditional blue-chip categories (as demonstrated below, on this page) – as yet, in terms of art as an investment, postwar and contemporary art, for example, are seen as much more secure than the nascent NFTs.

Yuga Labs is the company that is responsible for the extremely pricey ‘Bored Ape Yacht Club’ NFT series. At the beginning of this year, they announced the acquisition of the intellectual property behind their rival Larva Labs’ CryptoPunks and Meebits projects. This means that now three of the world’s most important crypto companies are under one blockchain-supported roof. Yuga Labs thus attempts a novel solution to a riddle facing more and more art professionals in this era of Instagram-ready immersive installations, branded merchandise, and fractionalised ownership: how do you turn a niche obsession into a mainstream phenomenon?

One of 10,000 avatar NFTs created by Azuki

Yuga Labs’ answer is to grant direct financial incentives to NFT owners to help the company build – and market – a creative universe around its tentpole intellectual property (IP). The move makes an expensive category accessible to a potentially much wider fan base. Despite the correction in transaction value, these popular NFTs are still expensive. The cheapest Meebit now costs about 5.6 ETH ($14,500). The floor price for a CryptoPunk is about 75 ETH ($195,000). Bored Apes sell for at least 97 ETH ($250,000).

Read more: Maryam Eisler On Tim Yip’s ‘Love Infinity’

‘Rebirth’ by Beeple

This new development answers the question of how to build a broad fan base for IP in such short supply, and with such impressive price tags: create derivative works available at low costs. Think of the Basquiat estate licensing the artist’s imagery for Uniqlo T-shirts. The difference is that Yuga Labs is outsourcing this task to NFT owners, rather than proliferating the Punks, Meebits, and Apes in house. Yuga Labs will give direct financial incentives to NFT owners to help the company build and market a creative universe. Or, to compare it to the traditional art world: create prints off of original works on canvas for a fraction of the price.

NFTs have already been shown at major fairs, such as Art Basel. This year’s Venice Biennale is showing NFTs in the Cameroon Pavilion. Galleries and museums, such as the Uffizi and Belvedere, are issuing NFTs of their Old Master and modern paintings. With auction houses such as Sotheby’s, Christie’s, and Artnet auctions regularly offering NFTs, it’s only a matter of time until they are less of a novelty and more fully integrated in the traditional art industry.

Sophie Neuendorf is Vice-President at Artnet

This article first appears in the Summer 2022 issue of LUX

von Bartha’s flagship gallery behind a gas station in Basel. Photo by Ben Koechlin.

Stefan von Bartha. Photo by Simon Schwyzer

Swiss gallery von Bartha recently announced the opening of a new space in Copenhagen, becoming the first international gallery to lay down roots in the city. Here, LUX speaks to Stefan von Bartha, the gallery’s director, about von Bartha’s future, the impacts of the pandemic and the return of Art Basel

1. The Copenhagen gallery will be von Bartha’s first location outside of Switzerland. Why now?

One of the more positive aspects of the pandemic was the fact that we had the time to really think about and discuss the future of the gallery in depth. It became very clear that our physical gallery space was the core part of our operation that we can always rely on. During that time, when travelling and art fairs were not an option, it was the only place where we were able to show art and meet with our collectors.

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While we hope that we never find ourselves in this situation again, we have been fortunate in that we have been able to build a closer and more personal connection with our collectors which is very valuable. Copenhagen has always been one of my favourite cities and we are excited to be the first international gallery to open a space there. Being able to open and connect with new audiences and collectors is very much in line with the future direction of the gallery.

2.  Do you think things are shifting in terms of the city’s presence in the global art world?

A city like Copenhagen fits the profile of von Bartha with our primary space being in Basel and from my perspective, I think the more typical ‘gallery centric’ cities are facing more and more issues. I do believe that Copenhagen’s art scene will see a lot of growth over the next few years.

3. Why do you think there has been a recent increase in galleries opening spaces in unusual settings? Your Copenhagen gallery, for example, will be located in a former lighthouse.

I think there is a sense of fatigue with the more ‘typical’ gallery spaces. When we opened our new headquarters in Basel behind the gas station, everyone loved the concept, and we received a lot of positive feedback. So, a lighthouse makes total sense for us!

Record, 1994 by Barry Flanagan will on be display at von Bartha’s booth at Art Basel. Courtesy von Bartha and the artist. Photo by Andreas Zimmermann

4. Aside from digital exhibitions, how else did the restrictions of the pandemic alter the gallery’s structures?

I think the biggest change has been increased personal contact our collectors. Everyone had access to time, which is rare these days! We were able to speak with our artists and collectors at length and without the sense of being rushed.

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5. Are there any artists or art world developments that are particularly exciting you at the moment?

Opening a new gallery space in Copenhagen is exciting enough for me!

6. What can we expect from von Bartha’s presentation at this year’s edition of Art Basel?

In general, I think we can expect one of the strongest and most exciting Art Basel fairs ever. All galleries will bring their best works as it is the first major fair to take place in two years. von Bartha will present a really exciting mix of leading contemporary artists in the gallery’s programme including Marina Adams, Imi Knoebel, Superflex, and Claudia Wieser alongside a selection of work by artists including Barry Flanagan, Jean Arp and Sophie Taeuber-Arp, encouraging a thought-provoking discourse between contemporary and historical. The presentation will be complemented by a strong programme across the city including our collaboration on the opening of Imi Bar, a new permanent bar at the Volkshaus Basel Hotel, featuring artwork by German artist Imi Knoebel and at our flagship Basel space, we will be showing two exhibitions by Chilean-Swiss artist Francisco Sierra and Swiss artist Beat Zoderer (on view until 23 October 2021).

Find out more: vonbartha.com

Alia Al-Senussi is an academic and global arts patron. Photograph by Anton Corbijn

Alia Al-Senussi grew up between Egypt, South Dakota, and Minnesota, and is now based in London where she works as a cultural strategist with a special focus on young patronage and culture within the Middle East. She is the Art Basel Representative for the UK and MENA, a senior advisor to the Ministry of Culture of Saudi Arabia and a guest lecturer at institutions such as Brown University and Sotheby’s Institute. Here, Al-Senussi discusses her philanthropic efforts, work in Saudi Arabia and belief in art as a catalyst for social change

LUX: What forms the basis of your passion for art and culture? When did this interest begin?
Alia Al-Senussi: I am passionate about contemporary art and supporting living artists. I focus mostly on Middle Eastern art and artists as this is close to my heart and my heritage. I very much hope I see the day when more artists of Middle Eastern origin are integrated in to the wider art world, and society looks past myopic views of political systems and embraces people, and the change they are trying to bring.

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The first time I really understood what contemporary meant in the context of art was visiting Tate Modern in January 2004, and experiencing the life-changing work by Olafur Eliasson The Weather Project. It felt like an overwhelming moment: to gaze into this vast space and to see people treating a museum like a social space rather than a temple to worship art. In this way, art could change the way we see and the way we act—I became a believer.

Art provides an alternative discourse by which we can solve problems, promote heritage and instil a sense of national pride. My hope has been that by educating artists and patrons we can then educate the wider population on the benefits that art can bring to their everyday lives, not only beautifying the communities where we live, but also promoting more creative ways to solve problems, bridge differences and build community sentiment and strength.

H.R.H Alia, 2016, Hassan Hajjaj. Courtesy the artist

LUX: What is it about certain contemporary artists such as Manal Al Dowayan that so inspire you to champion them?
Alia Al-Senussi: In Saudi artists and patrons I see this deep commitment to art as a cornerstone of an evolving society. I am proud to be a part of this fascinating art world, and to help introduce more and more of my friends to Saudi culture, and to artists like Manal AlDowayan, Dana Awartani and Maha Malluh. These pioneers, of all ages, have been the voice of their society, as well as patriot activists. They are change-makers as well as cheerleaders, leading us all in to a brave new world.

Phil Tinari, a dear friend, and brilliant cultural leader, visited Saudi Arabia at my invitation in September 2019, and immediately understood what was unfolding. He has since agreed to work with me and our team at the Ministry of Culture, as the curator for the inaugural Ad-Diriyah Biennale. Collaborating with Phil has been a sustaining (and guiding) light in this year of uncertainty amidst Covid-19. Phil sent me this message the night he arrived to Riyadh, illustrating just how quickly he grasped the changes afoot – it is a quote from Václav Havel’s 1994 speech The Need for Transcendence in the Post-Modern World:

“Today, this state of mind or of the human world is called postmodernism. For me, a symbol of that state is a Bedouin mounted on a camel and clad in traditional robes under which he is wearing jeans, with a transistor radio in his hands and an ad for Coca-Cola on the camel’s back. I am not ridiculing this, nor am I shedding an intellectual tear over the commercial expansion of the West that destroys alien cultures. I see it rather as a typical expression of this multicultural era, a signal that an amalgamation of cultures is taking place. I see it as proof that something is happening, something is being born, that we are in a phase when one age is succeeding another, when everything is possible. Yes, everything is possible, because our civilisation does not have its own unified style, its own spirit, it’s own aesthetic.”

Al-Senussi with friends at Roden Crater. Photo courtesy Alia Al-Senussi.

LUX: The world is watching the next generation of Saudis and there is an optimistic outlook for women’s voices to be heard – how have you found your passion for politics, power and patronage is received among educated women of influence in Saudi?
Alia Al-Senussi: My work in Saudi Arabia has been multifaceted, as I have been part of the moment when this cultural community came together and continued to evolve. I was lucky to have been introduced to Saudi through family, and then friends, and to have been there at the first moments of a cultural reawakening almost two decades ago, helping to make connections amongst members of the community within and outside of the Kingdom. Women were then, and still are, at the forefront of culture and are change-makers at every level.

Read more: Life coach Simon Hodges on how to thrive in uncertainty

The idea that culture can change a community was instilled in me throughout my life, but never more so than through my work with Art Basel. I have been able to translate this to so many parts of my personal and professional lives. My colleagues at Art Basel and in Saudi embrace the belief that culture has power; that it is at the nexus of change and positive evolution.

LUX: You are renowned not only for your intellect, but also for your drive. How much of your time does chairing or founding patron groups take up?
Alia Al-Senussi: I actually think I fried brain cells rather than grew them getting my PhD! It certainly was an intellectual exercise, and one that made me realise how important it is to continuously exercise one’s mind, as well as emotions. My mother instilled in me a sense of honesty, integrity and work ethic. She taught me that one must not rest on history or title, but one’s own value and contributions to society. My maternal grandfather often discussed the value of “being a productive member of society.” I have taken these values to heart and strive to make a contribution, big or small, in any way I can through the work I do.

Most of my personal and professional time is taken up with activities in art and culture. I am fortunate that many of my friends are also intimately involved in the art world so I can share these fantastic and special experiences with them. It makes it a lot easier to keep busy with work when you do it with people you love and admire!

Al-Senussi at Mada’in Salih, an archaeological site located in the area of AlUla within Al Madinah Region in the Hejaz, Saudi Arabia. Photo courtesy Alia Al-Senussi.

LUX: What exactly is your role as Chair of the Tate Young Patrons, and how do you ensure you get optimum results?
Alia Al-Senussi: I served as Chair of the Tate Young Patrons for 5 years, and now sit on the Director- and Board- appointed Tate Modern Advisory Council as well as being a founding member of the Art Now Supporters Circle (Tate Britain). The Tate holds a very special place in my heart. It was one of the first institutions I got involved with in London, through the Young Patrons. Then the Middle East and North African Acquisitions Committee was launching and I was one of the first people on board. One thing led to another and I was asked to be a Young Patrons Ambassador, and also to represent the Young Patrons on the advisory board of the Tate. I feel like the Tate is family and also that I have a responsibility to help it evolve and grow, not just in London, but in the Middle East also, and in terms of its role in society, particularly at this fractious time.

LUX: Can you tell us a little about your work with Delfina Foundation?
Alia Al-Senussi: ‘A rising tide lifts all boats’ – that is my motto, and one that I see embodied in the work of Aaron Cezar in his role as Director of Delfina Foundation. Aaron, and the foundation, are unlike any other. Delfina is a home, not just at its physical space in London, but also throughout the world whenever you come across residents (artists, curators and collectors). Delfina Foundation is a safe haven, and Aaron is the ultimate angel, providing solace and shepherding our entire community to embrace new concepts while breaking down the intellectual barriers that keep us apart.

Read more: Juanita Ingram on empowering women in the workplace

LUX: What are your proudest achievements?
Alia Al-Senussi: I discovered my passion for art and the art world by chance. Upon graduating with my MsC from LSE, some friends recommended that I meet Michael Hue-Williams to work on a project he had created in Siwa, Egypt, with the world-renowned artists Ilya and Emilia Kabakov.

I had never worked in the arts, but as I had an interest for non-governmental organisations working in the Middle East, I thought this would be an interesting first job for me. Also, the fact that Siwa bordered Libya was particularly poignant.

In the end, it was fate and I fell in love with art, the art world and everything about it. I saw it as being a perfect way for me to balance my interest in political science, international relations and the history of the Middle East with a “softer” way of approaching the difficult issues facing the region.

My entire life is shaped by this first art world experience, and by the belief that an international cosmopolitan world is a better one. Every time I make an introduction, conceive a project or bring people somewhere new, I feel a deep sense of pride – the world shrinks that tiny bit more and we learn more about our neighbours and about humanity.

LUX: How will COVID-19 affect what do you do?
Alia Al-Senussi: I hope, and fervently believe, that people will realise the importance of culture in this new and renewed world. Of course things are moving online in the short term, and I believe that this means we can share our shows and messages with a wider audience and hopefully make them want to come see things in real life. Art Basel provided me, and so many, with an online community, but this was not a substitute for the thrill of interacting with people, swapping stories, having fun and experiences in Hong Kong, Miami and Basel.

Al-Senussi at The Lightning Field.

LUX: We know you have been passionately engaged with the US election process and we would love you to share with us a few ways you think the result will benefit the work of your partners over the next four years.
Alia Al-Senussi: I have decided to embrace beauty. I also have committed myself to art and artists that reflect my values, and who work to effect positive change in their worlds, and in mine.

A large part of my Libyan identity was actually shaped by my mother, an American of Scandinavian-German origin who grew up in Worthington, Minnesota. My mother studied International History for her Bachelor’s degree in Minnesota. She fell in love with Middle Eastern culture so upon graduating decided to pursue a Master’s at the American University of Cairo. It was in Cairo that she met my father.

My American identity is inextricably linked to my Libyan heritage, to my belief in an international cosmopolitan world, and to the life I have built for myself in London, the Middle East and Asia. Everything I held dear was shattered in 2016, by others’ small-minded desire to isolate ourselves from the “other” in the US and the UK. I couldn’t imagine that was the world I was living in. How could my community reject the essence of me in such a way? My friends bundled me up, helped me to heal and gave me my marching orders (literally!). Going to the Women’s March in Washington was a therapeutic moment, and now four years later I see the change again, and I am hopeful we can rebuild and evolve by making a world that is more equitable and by embracing the ideals that I hold dear.

LUX: Any other advice for our readers who might be considering going into art philanthropy?
Alia Al-Senussi: Artists, collectors and institutions are becoming more aware, and truly taking ownership of their ability to be change-makers. I applaud institutions like the Tate that are working to accurately reflect our world in their galleries—a global cosmopolitan world.

Fill yourself with passion, surround yourself with people you admire and embrace the idea of what is right, rejecting what is wrong. As mentioned before, a rising tide lifts all boats, so make sure your community rises with you.

Follow Ali Al-Senussi on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alia-al-senussi

The Power Of Black And White, Dennis Osakue, Acrylic & Collage on Canvas, 150cm x 150cm, 2020

Signature African Art, one of Nigeria’s leading contemporary art galleries, opened its first European location in Mayfair, London in March this year and is now hosting a group exhibition entitled Say My Name in collaboration with award-winning writer and film director Ava DuVernay. Ahead of the show’s public opening tomorrow, we speak to the gallery’s director and curator Khalil Akar about the Black Lives Matter movement and power of visual art 

Khalil Akar, Photo © Zaki Charles

1. What influenced the gallery’s decision to expand internationally, and why London in particular?

We have been supporting the work of African artists for the past 30 years, since opening the gallery in Lagos. We have been waiting for the right opportunity and the right time to open a space outside of the continent. Over the past few years, African art has become increasingly popular and having assessed the global art market, we felt this was the best time to open in London. We chose London as it is one of the art hubs of the world. We wanted to give our artists a platform to showcase their talent to the European market and we felt the UK was the best place in which to do so.

Follow LUX on Instagram: luxthemagazine

2. How have global attitudes towards African art changed in recent years?

The global art market has finally started to recognise the contemporary talent that exists within the continent, outside of traditional art forms. We have seen increased sales of African art at auction houses, and fairs like 1-54 Contemporary African Art have helped to encourage a greater interest in art from Africa. The next step for the market would be to have a larger presence of African galleries in household fairs such as Art Basel.

George Floyd, Oluwole Omofemi, Acrylic on Canvas, 50cm x 50cm each, 2020

3. The timing of the gallery opening was rather unfortunate, how has the pandemic impacted business?

We opened a solo show by Nigerian artist Oluwole Omofemi just before lockdown, which was very popular by collectors and sold out. We have worked hard to adapt to the current circumstances and challenges, increasing our digital networking and outreach to collectors and providing virtual tours of our exhibitions to our audiences. The additional digital approach has allowed us to reach more collectors and increase sales.

Installation view of Say My Name, presented by Ava DuVernay at Signature African Art, London, Photo © Mora Ltd

4. What was your curation process for the upcoming group show Say My Name and how did the collaboration with Ava DuVernay come about?

The curatorial process was rooted in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. The vision was to shine a light on things that need to change in society including how Black people are perceived and treated in the global community. Ava and I discussed this theme at length for Say My Name, which also aligned with the topics raised in her 13th documentary for Netflix. The collaboration also focused on raising awareness of police brutality following Ava’s announcement of her LEAP (Law Enforcement Accountability Project) initiative, which aims to hold police in the US accountable through artistic storytelling. We’re planning to donate 40% of proceeds from the sales of both the London and LA shows to the fund. In terms of the artists selected, we have worked with them in the past and knew that they would feel strongly about paying tribute to these figures and histories in the UK and US. We wanted to connect the continent with the deep experiences of the diaspora.

Read more: Sculptor Helaine Blumenfeld on the power of public art

Breonna Taylor, Moufouli Bello, Acrylic on Canvas, 150cm x 120cm, 2020

Boshielo, Giggs Kgole, Anaglyph, Oil, Acrylic fabric & mixed media on Canvas, 230cm x 150cm, 2020

5. Many of the works celebrate key figures and moments in Black history, is it important that viewers recognise and understand these specific references?

It is hugely important that everyone knows the correct history and understands the references in the show. We hope that visitors to Say My Name will learn more about Black history in the US and UK and leave the gallery with food for thought on what part they can play in improving the current world system.

In Remembrance of Bruce’s Beach, Dandelion Eghosa, photography, analogue collage and embellishments with acrylic paints on canvas, 190 x 127cm, 2020

6. In a more general sense, how do you see visual art participating in wider contemporary discourse?

Visual art plays a key role in wider contemporary discourse and has the power to influence the status quo. As Say My Name opens in London, Americans continue to protest on the streets every day since the murder of George Floyd in May. On the continent, young Nigerians are now protesting and advocating for the #EndSARS movement. As an art gallery, we feel it is our responsibility to use our voice to continue and support these conversations to help the creation of a better world.

‘Say My Name’ runs until 28 November 2020 at Signature Art London, and will open in in Los Angeles in February 2021. For more information visit: signatureafricanart.com

Installation view from Huang Yong Ping’s exhibition ‘Wu Zei’ at Musée océanographique de Monaco (represented by Kamel Mennour)

The art world has been hit harder than most industries by the global pandemic, but the industry is adapting quickly with new digital platforms and a renewed focus on local identities. Nick Hackworth speaks to three leading European galleries, Victoria Miro, Kamel Mennour and SETAREH, about the future and how their businesses are responding

‘It was too much’ is an almost universal sentiment expressed now by those at the top of art world reflecting on pre-Covid times. For those caught up in the global merry-go-round of art fairs, biennales and major openings, the disconnect between the art – the thing-in-itself – and the business and culture around it, was increasing apparent year on year.

The energy and flavour of that now, suddenly distant world is brilliantly captured in the prologue of Boom, Michael Shnayeson’s recently published account of the rise of the contemporary art market. His opening scene is set in the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois on the eve of Art Basel 2017, where the mega dealers are congregating: ‘Gagosian has flown to Basel on his $60 million Bombardier General Express jet two days before the fair’s first choice VIP preview… Most other dealers would arrive on Monday, a day before the fair’s coveted VIP opening. A few, like silver haired blue chip dealer Bill Acquavella, would arrive in their own planes. Others would descend at Basel’s EuroAirport in NetJets filled with collectors and money, like an art world air force.’

Follow LUX on Instagram: luxthemagazine

Basel was, of course, just one of the many stops in a hyper-globalised art world sustained by an increasingly intense circulation of people and product. In a bid to capture as much of that energy as possible the biggest galleries, the likes of Gagosian, Pace and Hauser & Wirth opened spaces across the world, becoming truly global businesses.

Generally speaking, however, art is an object of aesthetic and intellectual contemplation, often revealing more of itself to those willing and able to take the time to look and think – a resource squandered by a culture of constant travel. Then the pandemic hit, the music stopped – cue much soul-searching about the systemic problems in the art world, prime among them, an profound imbalance between the global and local.

Victoria Miro, London & Venice

Founded in 1985, Victoria Miro is one of the most significant contemporary galleries in the world and a foundational presence in the London art scene, representing some 40 international artists and artist estates. The gallery has a boutique space in Venice, and a space in Mayfair, London, but without doubt the gallery’s spiritual home is its extraordinary complex of voluminous spaces designed by Claudio Silvestrin in its building on Wharf Road in East London.

Victoria Miro and gallery partner Glenn Scott Wright in Victoria Miro Mayfair, with artworks by Yayoi Kusama
Artworks courtesy the artist, Ota Fine Arts and Victoria Miro. © YAYOI KUSAMA

Glen Scott Wright: “We don’t see ourselves as specific to a locale. Our artists come from all over the world, they show all over the world, and the world comes to London. I think London is a great place to be for that. In the past, of course, we were able to to engage with specific localities through art fairs. For a while we were doing something like twelve or thirteen fairs a year but obviously that will change now and we’re finding different ways of addressing that global marketplace. The digital marketplace is going to be an increasingly important, of course.

Read more: Meet the winners of Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s awards

We recently did a collaborative project with David Zwirner called Side by Side, where we created a micro-site, showing some of the artists that we both work with. We also used the occasion to launch an extended-reality app called Vortic Collect, a project that Ollie, Victoria’s son, has been developing for three years now. On Vortic people can actually enter our spaces virtually and look at art. They can walk around a Grayson Perry sculpture, they can walk up to a Njideka Akunyili Crosby painting and look at it close-up. It’s really very exciting that people can look at exhibitions on their phones or their iPads and have an accurate experience, in terms of being able to see what the art is like.

Victoria Miro, 16 Wharf Road, London N1 7RW. Courtesy Victoria Miro. Photograph © James Morris.

Installation view of THE MOVING MOMENT WHEN I WENT TO THE UNIVERSE
, by Yayoi Kusama, Victoria Miro, Waterside Garden, 16 Wharf Road, London N1 7RW. 3 October – 21 December 2018. Courtesy the artist, Ota Fine Arts and Victoria Miro. © YAYOI KUSAMA

We’ve actually doing well in terms of sales on these digital platforms. We’ve had opened a sell-out show with Flora Yukhnovich on Vortic. The project with David Zwirner was very successful for us as was Frieze New York online. This illustrates an interesting point. I have clients of the old-school variety who’ve been collecting for decades and faithfully go to all the major fairs, biennales and openings. Some of them have written to me and said, ‘Look, we’ve always bought art that we can see, experience and engage with in the gallery, at an art fair, or see in a major exhibition. That’s not going to happen anymore. We’re not travelling. We’ve never bought art digitally, but we still want to buy art! So we’re going to be buying art and looking at digital images for the first time.’ These are several conversations that I’m merging together. But, in essence, the way people engage with art is changing and I think that’s a really interesting paradigm shift.

In terms of what change we would like to see happen in the art world as a result of this crisis, the change of pace is good. I mean, the amount of travelling I was doing! I just looked at first ten weeks of the year in my diary and I was in a different city, at a different opening, at a different event, at a different exhibition every other day. And this is all over the world, from Paris to Asia, to Australia to the States. Literally, just bouncing around all these places. I was recently scrolling through my photos and it was just pictures of planes and airports and different cities and dinners and openings and artists. My life was crazy! So less travel would be great and in terms of global warming it’s good that we’re not shipping things willy-nilly all over the world. Just having a little bit of breathing space has been fantastic.”

Find out more: victoria-miro.com

Kamel Mennour, Paris & London

Kamel Mennour

One of the world’s most respected gallerists, Kamel Mennour has been in business for over 20 years. His roster includes some 40 artists, including Tatiana Trouvé, Anish Kapoor, Lee Ufan, Daniel Buren, Douglas Gordon, Philippe Parreno, Martin Parr and Ugo Rondinone. Mennour is known for the quality of his program, going the extra mile to realise the creative ambitions of his artists and for championing his home town of Paris. He has three galleries in the city, two on the left bank and one on the right bank on the prestigious Avenue Matignon, as well as a boutique London space in the Claridge’s building.

Kamel Mennour: “People were often offering me opportunities to open everywhere. Bigger spaces in London, New York or Hong Kong and I was always saying no. I prefer to be extremely stable and to be extremely confident and strong in my city. I decided long ago that being Parisian was in the DNA of the gallery.

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As you may know, twenty years ago, Paris was totally empty, there was nothing in terms of contemporary art. I was thinking that I could, along with others, help restore Paris’ place in the art world. Also I didn’t want to be the number 38 in New York, you know? In Paris I am one of the key players, the one that the Pompidou Centre or the Palais de Tokyo calls. But of course, in order to expand and promote my artists and the gallery, my strategy is to be ambitious at art fairs like Frieze or Basel, and to stage extremely strong displays that keep the attention of the art world.

Kamel Mennour’s gallery space on Avenue Matignon, Paris

An installation by Tatiana Trouvé at Kamel Mennour’s booth at Frieze London 2018

When we opened the space on Avenue Matignon [on the right bank of Paris], people said, ‘Are you kidding? Why are you opening there?’ The right bank, yes, that’s where the wealthy collectors live, but for contemporary art at that time, it was a desert, a total no man’s land. People are coming there now, but my idea was quite retro. In the thirties and the forties, before the second World War, the right bank was where the centre of Paris’ contemporary art scene, but it collapsed as France collapsed. So I wanted try to do something new and bring something back. I said to myself, instead of opening something weak in New York, I would prefer to be confident and strong in my own city and to be very present. When a collector or the director of a museum wants to see me, I’m here. I can be extremely reactive and I am always taking the subway or an Uber to meet people. I also represent artists from my city. Some of my artists are based in Berlin or New York, but most of them are here and I’m always trying to persuade artists to come and live in Paris.

Now, with lockdown, the world we knew before – with planes and travel – is gone. Now, I’m thinking every day how lucky I was to have had this intuition, to be strong here. I wish them all the best, but it will be extremely difficult for those galleries that have places all over the world to manage in this new world.”

Find out more: kamelmennour.com

SETAREH, Düsseldorf

Samandar Setareh

Founded in 2013 by two brothers – Samandar Setareh and Elham Setareh – SETAREH grew out of a third generation family-run business specialising in textile art. That background eventually led them to open the gallery which now has three spaces in Düsseldorf, including two on the city’s grandest avenue, Koenigsallee and one, SETAREH X, that showcases emerging artists. With its broad program of global contemporary art, the gallery has brought a new and vital energy to the venerable Rhineland art scene.  Highlights have included shows of new Iranian and Chinese contemporary art, as well museum quality shows of major German art such as Hans Hartung and the Zero group.

Samandar Setareh: “I think this pandemic will have a profound effect on the art world. I already see successful business models being challenged. Galleries that had detached themselves from their artists and their natural collector base and moved into a kind of travelling environment and artificial marketplace are going to find it difficult. Galleries that are are deeply rooted in relation to their collectors and their artists will be the winners of this new time which we are facing. This is an approach we’ve had from the beginning. On starting the gallery, we decided to be deeply rooted in this area and to make that a point of excellence in a sense. We have deep relations with the collectors and collections here, and we’re very close to the institutions of the regions. We have world-class museums in this area, the Ludwig museum in Cologne is very close, the NRW Collection in Düsseldorf and one of the best things is that we have is the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, which has produced perhaps 75% of the very important German artists in the post-war period. So while Düsseldorf isn’t a financial hub compared to places like Paris, London or New York, it’s a cultural production hub.

Read more: Founder of London Art Studies Kate Gordon on digital art history

‘Light and Ceramics’ by Otto Piene at SETAREH Gallery, 2014

Installation view of Zero group exhibition at SETAREH gallery, Düsseldorf

When we started in 2013, the art market was exploding in terms of how international it was becoming. The Rhineland then was still dominated by all big artists, such as Gerhard Richter, Sigmar Polke and Joseph Beuys (who all come from the Düsseldorf Academy), the Zero art movement, Markus Lüpertz and Jörg Immendorff and so on. They dominated the way people collected and accepted art. Being from a mixed German and Persian background, one of our missions was to expand and broaden the kind of art that collectors in the region looked at and to make it more diverse, culturally. So we staged the first Italian Modernism art exhibition in Germany, the first contemporary Iranian art show in the region and have showed artists from China and so on. That’s why we also had to have a number of different spaces in the city so that we can show a wide range of art at the same time.”

Find out more: setareh-gallery.com

Nick Hackworth is a writer and curator of Modern Forms, an art collection and curatorial platform founded by Hussam Otaibi, Managing Partner at Floreat Group.

Gerhard Vormwald, Thomas mit Messlatte, 1980, Gelatin silver print photography, 30cm x 30cm Courtesy Prince House Gallery

photo basel is Switzerland’s first and only international art fair dedicated to photography, showcasing works from both contemporary and classic photographers. Galleries from around the world come together for five days in June, during Art Basel, to showcase their artists. Ahead of this year’s fair, founder Sven Eisenhut speaks to Kitty Harris about the rising popularity of photography as a collectible, the future of the market and the contemporary photographers to watch out for

Sven Eisenhut. Courtesy photo basel

LUX: What’s the birth story of photo basel?
Sven Eisenhut: A couple of business partners and myself had the idea in early 2014. We realised that at Art Basel there were only a handful of “real photo galleries” left. And since we are all from Basel and regular fair and museums goers, it was a no brainer.

LUX: How does the circle of experts work?
Sven Eisenhut: We implemented two circles of experts: one consists of galleries, their main focus being to support photo basel’s long term strategy. Alongside this we have the second circle of experts, where curators and collectors select the participating galleries for photo basel so to avoid bias.

LUX: What is the importance of a photography fair today?
Sven Eisenhut: With photo basel, we have the chance to narrow down to one specific medium. We can truly highlight photography in all its shapes and forms, from contemporary to vintage. By occupying this niche, we make sure to attract targeted collectors and photography enthusiasts.

LUX: How does photo basel differ from other photography fairs?
Sven Eisenhut: We are the only true photography fair in the German speaking world – and the only one in Basel during Art Basel fair. We are a boutique fair which guarantees that only the finest galleries and their artists will get selected. We see ourselves as hosts to our gallerists but also to our collectors, we are really dedicated in both respects.

photo basel 2018, Volkshaus Basel, 12 – 17 June 2018

LUX: How do you select who will present at the fair?
Sven Eisenhut: The selection is conducted according to a wide range of criteria which includes the quality and the originality of the submitted proposals, the clarity and rigor of the booth concept, the way it fosters an overall diversity of historical and contemporary expressions as well as the relevance of the proposed art works.

In addition we care if a gallery works sustainably and whether they have a long term interest in the success of their represented artists.

LUX: What’s the key to curating a great booth at an art fair?
Sven Eisenhut: Mainly not to overhang it – it is difficult to find the right balance – especially because as a gallery you spend a lot of money on an art fair, so you want to make sure to bring “all you’ve got” – but it’s best to have quality over quantity. We encourage our gallerists to exhibit solo shows – although we are aware of the risks.

LUX: How does the photography market compare to the contemporary art market?
Sven Eisenhut: Photography is on the rise – but compared to the prices seen in the contemporary art market it is very affordable. For around 10,000 Euros you can get some amazing pieces by world renowned museum quality artists.

Antanas Sutkus, Toys, 1971, Photography, 46.90 x 46.90 cm, Courtesy Gallery STP

LUX: Why do you think we’ve seen an increased interest in photography as a collectible?
Sven Eisenhut: Since the majority of us carry smartphones with cameras – we all became photographers to some extent. This also implies that many more people are now emotionally attached to the medium. Photography can still be the starting medium for any art collection – it is accessible and affordable.

LUX: How do you know when a photograph is exceptional in an age where everyone is a photographer if they have a smart phone?
Sven Eisenhut: You know when you know it – there is so much more to a successful artist than just “the talent to take images” – today you need to be skilled on so many levels in order to be sustainably successful as an artist. Train your eyes, you will learn it as you see it.

LUX: What trends are we currently seeing in photography?
Sven Eisenhut: We see a trend towards unique pieces. Those can be Polaroid works or artists that paint over their photos or even stitch over them.

Gerhard Vormwald, Uschi an der Decke, 1975, Courtesy Prince House Gallery

LUX: Which contemporary photographers are ones to watch?
Sven Eisenhut: Right now I’m really interested in Peter Klare, Elene Usdin, Iris Hutegger, Paolo Ventura.

LUX: How do you think the market will change in future?
Sven Eisenhut: It will become faster, we will see many more galleries close and many more alternative spaces pop up. The distinction of the terms “galleries and dealers” will blend. I doubt that digitalisation will change a lot in terms of online sales etc. We need to stay focused on what defines us and why and then take it from there.

LUX: What do you think of the idea of art as secondhand?
Sven Eisenhut: Photography is a medium that can be replicated, that is why it is so important for artists to produce a low number of editions and prints. Most galleries we work with are in total control of their artists work and their editions. From time to time, you’ll see prints reappear in the auction houses. Interestingly, the fine art photography industry is not competing against auction houses and this is due to the ability of making editions. Some of the older Masters don’t even have limited editions, they have open editions and those prints can still be very expensive.

photo basel 2018 runs from 12 – 17 June at Volkshaus Basel. For more information visit: photo-basel.com

Art Basel Hong Kong is trying to create the same buzz for Asia’s burgeoning collector scene as its parent fair, Art Basel, does in Europe. MAGNUS RENFREW, director of Asia for Art Basel, explains the challenges involved in a fluctuating Asian art market

Over the past six or seven years, the Asian art market has developed considerably. Historically, the market had been quite auction driven, particularly between 2006 and 2008 when there was a sudden big increase in interest for Chinese art. There had also been a lack of curatorial and critical frameworks, which the market had moved to replace. The perception was that an expensive work must be important, which is somewhat back to front.

Marnie Weber – Log Lady & Dirty Bunny, 2009
Simon Lee Gallery

However, in the last few years, things have changed. The turning point came after 2009 when the prices dropped for some of the artists that had been doing well at auctions. Those artists had adopted the attitude of “make hay while the sun shines” and worked with many different galleries, sometimes consigning works directly to auction.

Artists and collectors have grown to appreciate the importance of the gallery system and its role in promoting the practice of artists, not just selling objects. The galleries we are interested in build the career of the artist for the long term, not just to make a quick buck. They have an agency role to protect the interest of artists for the long term, ensuring there are not too many works going out into the market, that the quality of the work is consistent, try to help put their work in major institutions and institutional shows like biennales and finally try to sell the work to genuine collectors, not speculators.

I think that the art market is far more sophisticated now. It isn’t just about buying a big name artist, but the right period, the right subject matter and purchasing an artist that is growing in critical and curatorial stature. Asia is a very dynamic environment and it is an audience that learns extraordinarily quickly. There is a new generation of collectors who really want to collect from galleries and are passionate about collecting, rather than investing.

artbasel.com/hongkong

One and J. Gallery – One of the first galleries to focus primarily on young contemporary Korean artists

Laurent Grasso
Visibility is a trap, 2012
Edouard Malingue Gallery

Susumu Koshimizu – Paper, 2013
Gallery Yamaki

‘Paper Rain Parade’
Hong Kong artist Angela Su performs during Art Basel
Hong Kong in 2013

Doug Aitken – You/You, 2012
303 Gallery

Melora Kuhn – Her permanent mark on him, 2014
Galerie Eigen+Art

Antony Gormley – Feeling Material XXXV, 2008, White Cube