Liste Art Fair Basel 2023

At Liste Art Fair Basel 2023, Kogo Gallery presents new works by Estonian artist Anna Mari Liivrand at her solo stand Whispers of Unfurling Tears. Using poetic language and her own system of symbols, Liivrand explores evanescence and melancholy in today’s society. As a rather decadent person, she is interested in different emotional experiences, undercurrents in the space like the breeze or sweet smells, impermanence, traces of time and overlaps of cultural history. Recently, Liivrand has been occupied with gloomy feelings of anxiety. As a result, she has created new works that resemble metal cut altarpieces combined with delicate drawings, ornaments and ready-made objects. Keeping the aesthetic and form she recently found, Liivrand’s interest has shifted towards the movement of change, the slow but unstoppable process of rebirth.

As the symbol of rebirth, the artist has chosen a tadpole. It forms from a frog’s egg but has yet to develop into a frog – an amphibian that can partly live in the water and partly on the ground. In Western history, it has been perceived as a mysterious creature, a symbol of uncertainty. Change means instability and doubt as rebirth goes hand in hand with entropy turning old lives and worlds into ruins for the new life to start. Relying on aesthetics, iconography, decor and storytelling elements forming various visual histories and craft practices, Liivrand will exhibit a group of installative sculptures inlaid with drawings, stained glass and organic matter. Together they will form a surrealistic landscape depicting the birth of a new, unknown life form among the ruins of the old. 

THE ARTIST

Anna Mari Liivrand (born in 1993) is an installation artist who also works with drawing. She is a sensitive creator interested in the conventional use of everyday materials and related unconscious judgements. Using poetic language, Liivrand explores evanescence and melancholy in today’s society. In recent years, Liivrand has focused on everyday rituals, ornaments and decoration. She often examines them from the point of self-creation and how they act as anchor points in an ever-changing world filled with uncertainties and anxieties. Her works are combinations of unusual materials (i.e. pieces of her skin, vitamins etc.) and traditional craft practices, which come together in elegant spatial installations.
Anna Mari Liivrand graduated from the sculpture and installation department (BA, 2016) and contemporary art (MA, 2022) at the Estonian Academy of Arts and has also studied fine arts at the Iceland University of Arts. In 2014, Liivrand received the Young Sculptor Prize. In addition to solo exhibitions, she has participated in numerous group shows, including the 7th Artishok Biennale. She was the recipient of the Eduard Wiiralt prize in 2020. She was awarded with Estonian Cultural Endowment’s annual award (2021).

THE FAIR

Liste Art Fair Basel is an international art fair that is considered to be the most significant for a younger generation of galleries, it runs from 1996. This year, 88 galleries from 35 countries participate at the fair, presenting the works of more than 100 artists. Next to the physical fair, also a digital art fair Liste Showtime Online is open. Liste art fair runs in parallel with the oldest and most noted art fair Art Basel (15 – 18 June 2023).

LOCATION
Messe Basel, Hall 1.1
Maulbeerstrasse / Riehenring 113
4058 Basel, Switzerland

VISITING TIMES
VIP Preview (with invitations)
Mon, 12 June 11.00–18.00
Open to the public
Mon, 12 June 18.00–20.00 (opening of the fair)
Tue–Sat, 13–17 June 12.00–20.00
Sun, 18 June 11.00–16.00

Liste Showtime Online
Preview 7 – 11 June 2023
Open to the public 12 – 25 June 2023

TEAM

Artist: Anna Mari Liivrand
Curator and project coordination: Šelda Puķīte
Project management: Liina Raus
Sales coordination: Stella Mõttus
Installation: Siim Asmer
Communication: Karin Kahre, Kristlyn Liier
Photography: Albert Kerstna (artworks), Studio Shapiro (stand)
Translation and language editing: Refiner Translations

FUNDERS

Kogo Gallery’s participation at the fair is funded by The Ministry of Culture of Estonia from the fund Estonian Culture Abroad, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia and Stiftung Liste Basel.

THE GALLERY

Kogo is a contemporary art gallery in Tartu, Estonia, founded in 2018. The gallery focuses on the younger generation of artists, currently representing eight artists from the Baltic countries. Kogo is committed to encouraging dialogue on important issues of today by running an extensive public programme alongside the exhibitions. The gallery’s recent and upcoming presence in international art fairs includes Art Brussels (2023), Liste Art Fair Basel (2021, 2022, 2023), viennacontemporary (2023), Around Video Art Fair (2022) and others.

CONTACT
Liina Raus, gallerist
liina@kogogallery.ee
+372 5560 7971