8 EMERGING ARTISTS TO SEEK OUT AT ART BASEL’S 2025 SWISS EDITION
Themes of the corporeal run throughout this year’s Art Basel, dealing with questions such as the potential for the human body to occupy space as both a physical organism and as a repository for personal and historical memory. Art Basel have selected 8 emerging artists who deal with these themes in their artistic practices, working across a variety of mediums. The first artist on the list is Sana Shahmuradova Tanska (b. 1996), a Ukrainian painter whose ethereal scenes overflow with fluid, genderless figures. By blurring the boundaries between the bodies and the ground, Shahmuradova Tanska highlights the connection between one and their homeland. Following Shahmuradova Tanska, is Justin de Verteuil (b. 1990, Trinidad and Tobago), whose paintings occupy a space of liminality. De Verteuil has drawn parallels between his process and turning a radio dial until you find the right frequency. This ambiguity is reflected in the artists intricate manipulation of light, experimenting with visual temperature, saturation, and subtlety. Sagarika Sundaram (b. 1986) employs large scale textile sculptures that are inspired by her mother’s sari collection and the architecture of temples. The organic materials and botanical forms come together to form vibrant, haptic landscapes. The other artists listed include Monilola Olayemi Ilupeju, Felix Shumba, Armineh Negahdari, Alexandra Metcalf, and Ebun Sodipo. Art Basel will be running from June 19-22, 2025, in Basel.
Sagarika Sundaram, Released Form, 2024. Courtesy of UBS Art Collection
CELEBRATING ITS BICENTENARY, LONDON’S NATIONAL GALLERY MAKES THREE MAJOR ACQUISITIONS
The National Gallery in London have just announced the acquisition of three paintings, coinciding with the bicentenary celebration of the museum. The paintings include Edgar Degas’ Ballet Dancers (1888), A View of the Sky from a Prison Window (1823) by Carl Gustav Carus and Floris van Dijck’s A Banquet Still Life(1622). Acquired through the government’s Acceptance in Lieu scheme, Ballet Dancers was previously part of the estate of Ann Marks. The museum described the work in a statement. sharing, “The picture shows the complex pastel technique favoured by Degas during the 1880s, layering, blending and smudging the tones to create the effect of rich, pulsating colour.” The second work to be acquired is Carus’ A View of the Sky from a Prison Window (1832), marking the first time a 19th-century German Romantic painting has entered a public collection in the UK. The painting was purchased for £396,660 courtesy of a legacy (gift in will) left by Martha Doris Bailey and Richard Hillman. Sarah Herring, associate curator of post-1800 paintings, highlighted that “ultimately the picture addresses the dialogue between fear and hope, captivity and freedom, both physical and psychological.” Finally, A Banquet Still Life was acquired in part through the legacy of the Bailey couple. The painting was bought from a private collection for £2.9m, brokered by Sotheby’s. Depicting a table overflowing with an array of food, the National Gallery have noted how the painting is a “superb example marking the beginning of the Dutch tradition of so-called banquet still lifes; Van Dijck’s compositions are always seen as if from an elevated viewpoint”.
Floris van Dijck, A Banquet Still Life, 1622.
ARTEMESIA GENTILESCHI PAINTING, DAMAGED IN BEIRUT EXPLOSION, REEMERGES POST-RESTORATION
A restored Hercules and Omphale (ca. 1635-37) by Artemesia Gentileschi, nearly destroyed by explosions in Beirut in August 2020, will be unveiled by the J. Paul Getty Museum. Ulrich Birkmaier, the Getty’s senior conservator, has noted, “In my over 30-year career as a paintings conservator, this is some of the worst damage I have ever witnessed and was one of the most challenging yet rewarding projects I’ve had the pleasure to work on.” Following the disaster, Lebanese art historian Gregory Buchakjian noted that two of the paintings that were impacted were unidentified works by Gentileschi. Parallels can be drawn between this painting and other known works by the artist, particularly regarding Omphale’s jewellery. The work is thought to have been painted in 1630s Naples, where Artemisia had moved to in 1630. The restoration process began in 2022, the conservators working through damage such as holes and tears from glass, plaster, and other debris. Birkmaier worked with Rome-based conservator Matteo Rossi Doria to stabilise the painting, relining and reinforcing the canvas with a flexible wooden stretcher. Following the removal of debris from the canvas, cleaning and restoration of paint loss was essential. During the process, x-ray analysis was employed in order to visualise the painting process, which particularly aided in the reconstruction of some of the details that were shattered by the explosion. The painting will be featured as the highlight of Artemesia’s Strong Women: Rescuing a Masterpiece opening at the Getty Centre next month.
Artemisia Gentileschi, Hercules and Omphale (ca. 1635–37), with the Getty’s senior conservator of paintings, Ulrich Birkmaier, after restoration.
WHAT TO SEE DURING AMSTERDAM ART WEEK 2025
Frieze have collated a list of top shows and running during Amsterdam Art Week, which opened earlier this week on 20th May. Starting off with Augusta Curiel at FOAM, this exhibition marks the Surinamese photographer’s first retrospective in Europe. The photos presented were taken between 1904 and 1937, documenting the colonial period of Suriname. Fons Welters celebrates its 40th anniversary with an exhibition of works from their roster of artists, including Tom Classen, Maria Roosen, and Berend Strik. Titled 1985-2025, the exhibition will also feature younger artists including Magali Reus and Adriano Amaral. In addition, Melanie Bonajo will be opening an exhibition at AKINCI, screening three of their recent video art pieces. Bonajo represented the Netherlands at the Venice Biennale in 2022, often addressing themes of diversity, sexuality, and activism throughout their practice. Other exhibitions include Arturo Kameya at GRIMM, Pamela Rosenkranz at Stedelijk Museum, OFFSPRING 2025 at De Ateliers, and Nuri Bilge Ceylan at EYE Filmmuseum.
Augusta Curiel, Aankomst van het stoomschip 'H.M. Hertog Hendrik' op de Surinamerivier bij Paramaribo, 6 februari 1928 (Arrival of the steamship 'H.M. Hertog Hendrik' on the Suriname River near Paramaribo, 6 February 1928), photograph
TOP TALENT ON THE MOVE AT CHRISTIE’S AND PHILLIPS
Change appears to be afoot across the auction houses, with a number of figures in leadership positions leaving for new ventures. Phillips announced that Global Chairwoman Cheyenne Westphal and President of the Americas Jean-Paul Engelen will be leaving, and Christie’s Julian Ehrlich will be joining Gladstone. Phillips shared that Westphal will be focusing more on working with private collectors and artists, having been with the auction house for eight years. Engelen will be joining Acquavella Galleries in New York, after over a decade at Phillips. Additionally, Deputy Chairman Robert Manley has been promoted to Chairman of Modern and Contemporary Art at Phillips and Head of Private Sales Miety Heiden has been appointed Chair of Private Sales. Ehrlich, previous Head of Post-War to Present, will be entering as director at Gladstone. Max Falkenstein, senior partner at Gladstone, has shared, “Julian has a real gift for working with artists and engaging with collectors—he understands both the primary and secondary markets, which is exactly what we were looking for.”
ART BASEL EXPANDS INTO MIDDLE EAST WITH NEW QATAR FAIR
Art Basel will be launching a new fair in Doha in February 2026 at M7, a cultural hub in Doha’s pedestrianized Msheireb district. The fair is in collaboration with Qatar Sports Investments and QC+, a Qatar-based cultural organisation. Noah Horowitz, CEO of Art Basel, said in a statement, “Qatar’s depth of collections, history of building great cultural institutions and unique role as an incubator and supporter of talent position the new Art Basel Qatar for success on the world stage.” The fair is part of Vision 2030, a cultural initiative that aims to diversify Qatar’s economic streams and boost its cultural position on the international stage. Sheikha Al Mayassa Bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the chairperson of Qatar Museums, shared with the New York Times that, “it makes sense for Art Basel to come to our region. It’s the right time. Qatar has good contacts with Central Asia, India and Turkey.” She also highlighted how the event held potential of new clients for Art Basel dealers.
M7, Doha, Qatar
Jordan Tan holds an MA in History of Art from the prestigious Courtauld Institute of Art. With a passion for fine art and the art market, Jordan plays a key role at Art Works by researching and interpreting trends across the primary and secondary markets, delivering valuable insights and business intelligence for the fine art department.
