Auf brüchigem Grund
The article reports that Nairy Baghramian and Ibrahim Mahama have been named as the Art Basel Gold Awardees, receiving commissions to create new public artworks that will occupy urban spaces. Baghramian, an Iranian-German sculptor who fled the Iranian regime as a child, is recognized for her politically engaged practice, while Mahama, a Ghanaian artist, is known for works addressing labor and colonial histories. Their projects are set to debut in the context of Art Basel's programming, highlighting the fair's commitment to site-specific, socially resonant public art.
This matters because the Art Basel Gold Award positions public art as a platform for critical dialogue, especially at a time when debates around censorship, migration, and institutional power are intensifying. By selecting artists whose work emerges from experiences of displacement and resistance, the award underscores how contemporary art can challenge dominant narratives and engage broad audiences beyond the gallery. It also reinforces Art Basel's role not merely as a commercial fair but as a cultural institution that shapes discourse through commissioning and public programming.