Last year we asked some of the art dealers to define art as it is today, but we did not get positive responses, none that they wanted included in an article. It has to be difficult for an art dealer to commit to a statement about what art is since everything is art. This contributes to the sense of inclusion that exists at Art Basel. Whereas art used to be the representation of a person or an object in reality, objects themselves like trees, stones, old furniture, real fruit, and plants are today marketed as works of art. It is the conception of the artist that gives validity to these items as works of art. Whereas painting, sculpture and architecture were the techniques used to represent reality; all crafts are included in the art market as acceptable techniques to create art today. It is normal to see beautiful and imaginative works produced by taxidermists, weavers, iron workers, clothing workers, plastic mold makers, and all other craftsmen. An installation by Brazilian artist Paolo Nazareth that included his old VW Van loaded with bunches of bananas, which he sold at the show for ten dollars apiece to pay for his show expenses, gave the show a charming quality. His booth at the show was one of the best attended, as were galleries presenting classic works, like Galerie Thomas from Berlin that sold works by artists like Calder, Alexander Archipenko, Chagall, and many more modern artists. The combination of new and well established artists makes Art Basel exciting to view and experience as a place where all artist share equal attention from viewers.

We are attracted to specific works of art through the individual reaction of our senses. Some of us are more visual, while others are more auditory, sensorial, or olfactory. It is in this manner that we choose today what type of art best fits our taste, added to our knowledge of a specific technique as is applied to the work of art. In addition it is important to consult with the art dealers who are familiar with going prices for specific artist’s works. This is important for collectors, since they might be investing hundreds of thousands in installations that can be made out of natural products representing no actual value in real money, and that they themselves could easily reproduce at home. The art market is exactly what it implies, a market where objects of art are sold for higher and higher amounts as they are exchanged among collectors and dealers from year to year. I overheard a collector saying that he had counted on spending four hundred thousand on a work of art that had already escalated in price to one million since last year. Art ultimately is an investment for collectors, and dealers act as the gate keepers of value on the works of art. The art market is also a safer investment than the stock market, where value can disappear overnight. Art on the other hand escalates and rarely goes down in price. Article by Jaime Izquierdo Editor: Sarah Freedman-Izquierdo

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