I went to Liste straight after Art Basel. One could consider Art Basel gave birth to Liste. Peter Bläuer targeted the thousand galleries that did not make into Art Basel and set up Liste with a focus on young artists and galleries. Many participants in Liste were later invited to Art Basel.
If I did not bump into Play Lust Blooger (www.playlust.net), it could take me much longer to find the venue. It is hidden in a red brick building with its entrance surrounded by eateries. The scent of grill sausages and eggs filled the air.
Apparently the building used to be a beer factory. It is a spacious venue with a long and winding corridor. An aged building, the brick walls were run down and even pipes were in sight. There were staircases outside the walls, taking people inside the fair.
Talking about Chinese contemporary art, I often hear that the ‘space’ is more interesting than the ‘art’. However, this is also what I felt here. The art pieces, installations and images became the ornaments of this space, which was the most overwhelming of all.
Liste is a young art fair, therefore the work are more edgy and risky. Although not as established and well set up as Art Basel, it is exactly why it is exciting and unique. Talking to a female artist in eccentric outfit, I realised she was Julie Verhoeven. She was showing video, installation and collage pieces in the fair.
Apart from the main exhibition, there is also an outdoor space for young artists to hold events in the evening. Providing a platform for artists as well as showing their work made Liste more characteristic.
