Art Basel 2016 Parcours: Site-Specific Works Transform Basel's Public Spaces

During Art Basel 2016, the Parcours sector presented 19 site-specific sculptures throughout Basel's historic districts. Curated by Samuel Leuenberger, who also directs SALTS, this exhibition explored themes of territory and spatial demarcation. Works were installed in gardens, streets, and public areas around the Romanesque cathedral, with each location featuring historical context alongside artistic descriptions. Iván Navarro contributed traffic lights suspended beneath Wettsteinbrücke, creating a symbolic stop signal in an unconventional setting. Alberto Garutti placed concrete benches with sculpted local dogs in a private rose garden, referencing a public-art project originally from Trivero. Bernar Venet's monumental 'Effondrement: Arcs (2016)' featured rusting steel arcs over three meters long, dominating an elegant courtyard. Hans Josephsohn's bronze forms occupied Münsterplatz with minimal figuration, while Michael Wang positioned a broken statue limb on cathedral altar steps. Allan McCollum displayed hundreds of unique wooden shapes at Museum der Kulturen, part of his ongoing 'The Shapes Project' with mathematical potential for global scale. The curated narrative connected these diverse installations through philosophical inquiries about space, the body, and human presence, offering a reflective counterpoint to the commercial fair atmosphere.