Finding favour were artists with concurrent institutional shows, notably at this year’s Venice Biennale. At Goodman Gallery, Yinka Shonibare’s astronaut sculpture (2024, £250,000), Kudzanai Chiurai’s imposing “Black Vanguard Comunique 4” (2024, $150,000), Kapwani Kiwanga’s “Orb” (2023, €65,000) and Pélagie Gbaguidi’s “Incandescence” (2023, €45,000) were among their Venice artist sales, while Pérez Art Museum Miami bought Claire Gavronsky’s “Parting Words” (2024, $40,000).
“Everyone is feeling unsettled, so knowing that artists are in Venice or other institutional exhibitions gives a bit of confidence [to buyers],” says gallery owner-director Liza Essers. The Basel fair, she says, “is critical to us”, adding: “We may not have the big numbers, but here you see people from museums and foundations that you don’t get anywhere else. It gives hope that there’s life out there.”
