Renzo Piano's Beyeler Foundation is one of the most beautiful museums I've ever seen. The architecture is simple and logical and the views on the garden absolutely amazing. I had the chance to visit it while I was in Basel for Art Basel and the two exhibitions held during the fair were also stunning: Giacometti and Visual Encounters: Africa, Oceania and Modern Art . The combination of two perfectly curated exhibitions plus the architecture made the place fantastic.
Visual Encounters: Africa, Oceania and Modern Art focused on art works from Africa and Oceania juxtaposed with masterpieces of classical modernism from the Beyeler collection which is, in itself, a deja-vu concept. The challenge of this mix was totally achieved! It was beautiful.
The summer exhibition was dedicated to the Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966), who, in Paris, became one of the most influential of modern artists. His seemingly fragile figures in which the human form is reduced to the essentials, his virtually sculpted paintings, and his concentrated drawings are still capable of deeply moving all who see them. Giacometti viewed himself as part of a spacetime cosmos in which his family members were key points of reference.
Alberto Giacometti - Grande femme III, 1960Tall Woman IIIBronze, 237 x 31 x 54 cm
On view were about 150 major works from every phase of the oeuvre, from the family collection as well as renowned collections around the world. These was supplemented by works by Giacometti’s father, Giovanni (1868-1933), his brother, Diego (1902-1985), and his uncle, Augusto (1877-1947). An important role is also played by Alberto’s mother, Annetta, and his wife, Annette, whom he frequently portrayed. This show was totally stunning too. The amount of artworks and the way it was curated made the experience really interesting. It will run until October 11 2009, go if you have a chance to.
