latifa echakhch's music festival invites all to the messeplatz at art basel 2023

latifa echakhch erects deconstructed stages at art basel 2023

At the 2023 edition of Art Basel, Moroccan-born, Swiss-based Latifa Echakhch joins forces with Luc Meier, director of the La Becque Artist Residency, to transform the Messeplatz with a series of deconstructed stages. These stages are set in a vertical fashion, complemented by the presence of lowered lighting rigs. Their purposeful arrangement allows for multiple interpretations —as scenography, minimalist sculptures, or even obstructions— intending to simultaneously fulfill and challenge the romanticism often associated with live performances.

Through its fragmented geometry and integration of musicians, this year’s Messeplatz commission titled Der Allplatz and curated by Samuel Leuenberger serves as a continuation of the artist’s interrogations of deconstructed concert stages that were at the heart of last year’s ‘The Concert’ project at the Venice Biennale 2022. The resulting space functions as a venue for an inclusive music festival, with performances featuring renowned artists such as Rhys Chatham, Robert Longo, and Naama Tsabar, while also evoking collective memories of ruins.‘That was an idea that I was really interested in — organizing a free festival, open to everybody, that does not only concern the artwork. I am so privileged to have been able to do that. I’m grateful,’ Latifa Echakhch tells designboom.

a series of deconstructed stages transform the Messeplatz | image © designboom (also head image)

From Venice Biennale to Collaborative Soundscapes at Art Basel

According to Latifa Echakhch (find more here), her journey with deconstructed stages began two years ago. Her previous work for the Swiss Pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale 2022 experimented with smaller stages accompanied by charred wood sculptures and debris bathed in orange light. This time, Echakhch feels she has enough space to experiment with a larger installation of two stages.

In this latest project, the Swiss-based artist collaborates with Luc Meier (find more here), programming concerts by musicians and sound artists whose work resonates with the sculptural concept. Together, they aim to explore the emergence of sound and its potential to create a collective experience at the heart of their artistic proposal.‘We started with musicians that are very close to my practice. They approach the idea of deconstruction, poetry, and a certain kind of romanticism, and they push several boundaries in their own manner. It was like following an inner dialogue that I have with myself, but I also got to see how other people deal with the very same ideas,’ she mentions.

the installation’s arrangement allows for multiple interpretations | image © designboom

an ever-changing music festival open to all

With a vision of creating an all-embracing atmosphere for a free music festival, Latifa Echakhch envisions the stage as a space that welcomes people of all ages and backgrounds. As she shares with designboom, the Messeplatz is the ideal location, because it is a spacious and bustling area where visitors flock to attend the Art Basel Fair or catch a tram. The vibrant mix of individuals and the energetic ambiance of the surroundings captivate Echakhch’s interest, drawing her towards the potential of this diverse gathering space.

Latifa Echakhch’s Der Allplatz transcends the boundaries of a conventional art installation. It offers visitors an ever-changing and immersive experience, combining visual and auditory elements. With two to three concerts held daily, the installation is in a constant state of flux, continuously transforming its form.‘Here, you have something that is always in motion. Since it is a bit messy, people think that we are always in installation. I like this imperfection. The only moment when everything is fixed is when the musician plays. And then, after, everything changes again,’ Latifa Echakhch shares.

the spacious location allowed the artist to experiment with a larger installation | image © designboom

the stages are set in a vertical fashion, complemented by the presence of lowered lighting rigs | image © designboom

concert by Moor Mother and Olof Melander on Tuesday, June 13 | image courtesy of Art Basel

Concert by Moor Mother and Olof Melander on Tuesday, June 13 | image courtesy of Art Basel

project info:

name: Der Allplatz
artist: Latifa Echakhch

curated by: Samuel Leuenberger
concerts programmed by: Luc Meier
produced by: Björn Alfers (A&PM)

musicians and sound artists: Moor Mother w/ Olof Melander, Rhys Chatham and Robert Longo performing Guitar Trio (w/ guests), Buttercup Metal Polish (Alexandre Babel and Nicolas Field) w/ guests, Leila Bordreuil, Naama Tsabar, Mats Gustafsson, Oren Ambarchi’s Carpe Diem, Lucy Railton, Jessica Ekomane, Chaos Clay, Alvin Curran, Not Waving, Kassel Jaeger, and Okkyung Lee.

location: Messeplatz, Basel, Switzerland
event: Art Basel 2023