'renewal comes from the artists themselves': giovanni carmine on curating art basel unlimited

art basel unlimited 2023

Art Basel in Basel, Switzerland, returns once again to captivate art enthusiasts with its 2023 edition. Showcasing 284 leading galleries from around the world, the event presents a diverse array of artists and works across various mediums, including painting, sculpture, photography, and digital art. One of the standout sectors at Art Basel is Unlimited, which provides a unique platform for exhibitors to showcase monumental installations, expansive wall paintings, comprehensive photo series, and immersive video projections. With Giovanni Carmine at the helm as curator, the event features 76 large-scale artworks, encompassing historical pieces and new submissions that span a wide spectrum of artists, galleries, mediums, and concepts.

‘There are interesting things for every generation to discover and see. I think this will be a very interesting edition,’ Giovanni Carmine tells designboom. ‘The submissions from the galleries this year were really amazing. We would like even to even show more, but we had to exclude some really interesting projects, for obvious reasons.’

To gain further insight into the new edition of Art Basel Unlimited, the selection process, the must-see exhibits, and the intricacies of curating such an event, designboom spoke with Giovanni Carmine. Read the interview in full below.

Jam Proximus Ardet, la dernière vidéo, 2021 | all images courtesy of Art Basel

interview with Giovanni Carmine

designboom (DB): This is your third time curating Art Basel Unlimited. How did you approach the 2023 edition and was there a specific framework or theme guiding this year’s selection?

Giovanni Carmine (GC): Well, first of all, this is the first normal Unlimited that I was able to do. The first one was in 2021 and it was the September issue of Art Basel. It was a bit of a strange thing. It was a miracle that it even happened at all. The second one was created in only nine months. This time is a normal time to prepare Unlimited.

This year I came with more experience and more connections to the Art Basel community. It was easier for me to approach galleries and ask for specific projects. That’s what we do every year: we discuss different possibilities with the galleries. Unlimited is not a thematic exhibition; it’s a reflection of what interests the market at the moment. So this year we had the chance to see many projects, and we were able to select 76, which is a lot. It’s a beautiful potpourri, an overview of many interesting artists, from historical pieces to new productions that were made specifically for Unlimited or at least premiered in Unlimited. That’s a great development because it’s something that we are trying to establish more and more in Unlimited, to see all sorts of possibilities for new artistic productions. That’s the direction we want to go this year: new and specific productions.

Firelei Báez, the vast ocean of all possibilities (19°36’16.9″N 72°13’07.0″W / 41°30’32.3″N 81°36’41.7″W), 2022

DB: Can you elaborate on the artwork selection process? Are there certain criteria that you follow or specific elements that you are looking for when going through the artwork?

GC: Unlimited lives out of heterogeneity. It’s a very heterogeneous exhibition and this is obviously something that leads the selection: representing as much as possible in terms of media, diversity, and so on. The main criterion is the quality of the artistic proposals. I have to say, in this case, it was even more difficult because the submissions from the galleries were really amazing. We would like even to even show more, but we had to exclude some really interesting projects, for obvious reasons.

Diamond Stingily, How Did He Die, 2016

DB: In your opinion, what are the factors that contribute to the creation of high-quality artwork?

GC: I think the uniqueness of the aesthetic experience, or the experience it offers in general, is definitely one of the criteria. The capacity of a piece to prompt reflection on reality and the world is also something that, I think, makes artistic quality. Also, let’s not forget about technical skills. Obviously, these are not fixed measurements and the criteria change all the time depending on the context.

Serge Attukwei Clottey, Sea Never Dries, 2022

DB: Amid the 76 large-scale artworks on view, are there any that stand out for you most, and why? What are some that you would consider ‘unmissable’?

GC: This is a question that I get asked a lot. It’s funny because every time, new pieces come to my mind. It really depends on my mood, too. There are a couple of interesting pieces, there are some new productions and productions created specifically for Unlimited which I’m really looking forward to. For example, the performative piece by Tomo Savić-Gecan which is based on artificial intelligence. It’s something that is really on the top of this discussion right now, but it’s going to be sort of invisible inside because it’s a light intervention.

There is also a fantastic installation by Roni Horn, an artist I really like. There are some historical pieces like Richard Avedon’s series of portraits that he made in the Midwest in the ’80s that look really amazing and different from what we currently see in photography or in museums. I think there will be some surprises and a lot of young artists participating. There are interesting things for every generation to discover and see. I think this will be a very interesting edition.

François Morellet & Tadashi Kawamata, Pier and Ocean, 2014

DB: Were there any new challenges or issues that emerged while curating this third edition of Unlimited?

GC: I think one of the challenges is to encourage submissions from a more diverse group of artists. We still need to work on that in order to get an even more representative or equal distribution in terms of gender and media. Regardless, I think we are on a good path. Last year we had a perfect balance and somehow this year we are out of balance again. But that is a structural problem that we can not avoid. It’s more of a societal problem. And that’s what Unlimited is, it’s a reflection of what’s around us, a reflection of the reality of the art world and the market.

Monica Bonvicini, Never Again, 2005, Exhibition view, ‘I Love You,’ ARoS Aarhus Art Museum, 2010

DB: What do you hope visitors will take away from their experience at Unlimited this year? How do you expect them to engage with the artwork?

GC: The atmosphere in Unlimited is always quite unique, because it resembles an outdoor exhibition that happens indoors. It’s kind of like strolling around this huge space filled with interesting artwork. I think this atmosphere is pretty relaxed, and less intimidating than a museum visit. I believe this act of strolling around helps people have interesting discussions about what they are seeing. It’s like going to a market inside the city and then bumping into your friends. This is something which I really look forward to. I normally spend a lot of time in the halls myself. I talk to a lot of people and I also learn a lot from the perceptions and the impressions of others.

Roni Horn, Doubt by Water, 2003/2008

DB: Looking ahead, how do you envision the future of Unlimited evolving? Are there any new directions, themes or formats that you want to explore?

GC: Unlimited has always had a unique format. Having been around artworks for more than 20 years, I saw the first edition of Unlimited and it was already something unique. It’s still something that doesn’t exist in this form in any other art fair or museum. From my point of view, I’m very happy that the galleries and the artists see Unlimited as an interesting platform for new productions. It’s great! But, at the end of the day, renewal comes from the artists themselves, it doesn’t come from a theme or a format. So, the artists will bring new things, new ideas, new formats, and new kinds of artwork, and we will give them the space to experiment.

Stan Douglas, Evening, 1994