art basel 2015: HAUSER & WIRTH hosts eclectic roth bar at grand hotel les trois rois

art basel 2015: HAUSER & WIRTH hosts eclectic roth bar at grand hotel les trois rois
(above) installation view, ‘roth bar & studio. dieter roth, björn roth, oddur roth’, hauser & wirth zürich, 2015
© dieter roth estate / courtesy HAUSER & WIRTH

in the lobby of basel’s grand hotel les trois rois, HAUSER & WIRTH gallery present a fully-functional, specially-crafted bar on the occasion of art basel 2015, remaining open for the duration of the fair.

‘roth bar’ has been conceived by björn, oddur and einar roth — son and grandsons of german-born swiss artist dieter roth — as a visual juxtaposition to the luxurious furnishings and elaborate chandeliers of the existing lobby. the bar is made up of scavenged wood, brightly-colored electric lights, disco balls, sculptured busts and hand-painted signs. additionally, cans of paint and other assorted detritus has been repurposed to form part of the bar’s overall structure.

a fully-functional bar is presented on the occasion of art basel 2015

björn roth recalls childhood memories of the hotel, formerly known as hotel drei könige which have informed the design for art basel 2015: ‘it was the first time I left iceland to travel with my father in 1972. we went all over: england, germany, then finally ended up in switzerland. when we came to basel we went directly to hotel drei könige. I had never been in a place like that! I was amazed and I got a big beautiful room for myself. I was interested in a box of cigars that was in the room and in the mini bar. on the wall next to the bathtub there was a rubber telephone. I ended up in the bathtub – in a full bubble bath, just lying in the foam – smoking a cigar, drinking a whiskey (the first one of my life) and I called my mother to tell her that I was in heaven.’

‘roth bar’ is presented within basel’s grand hotel les trois rois

the idea of the bar as a constantly changing installation was first conceived by dieter roth in the early 1980s, and continues to embody the central themes that are found throughout the roths’ work. the iteration of the ‘roth bar’ at the grand hotel les trois rois has gradually evolved over the course of various presentations around the world– for each exhibition, site-specific materials have been incorporated into the installation.

the creative and social space will remain open for the duration of art basel