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The Man From Basel Sam Keller on Going With the Flow, and Moving On
By Ryan Brown
SunPost: What’s special about this year’s Art Basel Miami Beach? Keller: First of all, the art is different. We have a record number of new applications, and we’ll be introducing some famous new galleries that have never done art fairs before. [According to Peter Vetsch, the fair’s communications manager, “Newcomers include contemporary galleries such as Mary Boone Gallery (New York), Robert Miller Gallery (New York) and Skarstedt Fine Art (New York), as well as dealers in 20th-century masterworks like DC Moore Gallery (New York) and Knoedler & Company (New York), and vintage photography specialist Edwynn Houk Gallery (New York).”] We have a new area, the art guest lounge, which is a place for the public to get information on art. Art institutions will present programs and booths will introduce art in South Florida. We’ve made a big investment in Collins Park. We’re going to have a tent, in which there will be a temporary art school, which will be run by the Mountain School of Art, where some of the best artists teach. In the [Miami Beach] Botanical Garden, right behind the convention center, we’ll be doing a tribute to the father of video art, Nam June Paik, who died this year in Miami Beach.
What’s your life like during Art Basel? For me it’s actually not that busy, thanks to the rest of the team. All the operational things are in good hands. I travel a lot and give a lot of interviews. I don’t need to be involved in all the logistical things. In the last month, some things come up that don’t work, but most things can be planned.
When are you stepping down as director of Art Basel? I will be here in 2007. In 2008 I’ll be leaving Art Basel. I’ll still be chairman, but not operationally.
Why did you decide to leave Art Basel? I got an offer I couldn’t refuse, to direct one of the finest art museums in the world, the Beyeler Foundation, in Basel, Switzerland. But everyone involved knows Art Basel is not me, it’s the artists.
Are there any candidates to take your place? After this show I will start looking.
What exhibits are you especially excited about this year? I’m excited about the public art that will be displayed around Collins Park. Some really important artists who have created art in public places will display their work.
Who will be the musical guest this year? We always look for bands with a connection to the art world. This year we chose Peaches, because she’s someone who a lot of artists like. Her lyrics have real meaning; she’s not just an entertainer.
Is it true that Dennis Hopper will be hosting an event? Yes, he’ll be hosting “Art Loves Film.” We’ve been asking him for a while. He’s an artist as well as an actor; he’s a painter and does photography too. We’ve been showing his art every year at Art Basel. He’s going to speak and do an interview with Bob Colacello, a well-known Vanity Fair editor [Friday at 8:30 p.m. at the Colony Theatre].
One of the daily items on the schedule is “Art Salon.” An art salon is typically a meeting place for artists to exchange ideas. Do you see Art Basel as a place for artists to exchange ideas, and for new artists to learn from established artists?
Yes. There are so many artists at Art Basel, famous artists and people who are just starting; the salons are just one way to have the artists interact with the public. You can also just see them walking around. We want the public to be able to meet with each other and also meet the movers and shakers.
How would you suggest a first-timer go about getting the fullest ABMB experience? It’s like a menu; you don’t eat everything on the menu. I’d say you should first go to the [Miami Beach] Convention Center — it’s the most concentrated area; then Collins Park, to see what the young artists are doing. After that, look at the program and choose your path according to your interests. For example, if you like video, go to the video area. Just wear comfortable shoes and go with the flow.
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