Kara Walker / Kunstmuseum Basel

Paper is a central medium in American artist Kara Walker‘s creative practice. For the Kunstmuseum in Basel, she opened the doors to her personal archive that she has closely guarded for the past 28 years. Curated by Dr Anita Haldemann (Head of the Kupferstichkabinett at the Kunstmuseum Basel) the exhibition presents more than 600 drawings from her studio, including brand-new works. In this video, Dr Anita Haldemann provides us with an introduction to the artist and her current solo exhibition at Kunstmuseum Basel.

A Black Hole Is Everything a Star Longs to Be is Kara Walker’s first extensive solo exhibition in Switzerland. Kara Walker became famous with her panoramic silhouettes in 1994. She is considered as one of the most prominent artists working in America today. Her topics are racism, gender, sexuality, and violence. In 2019, she conceived a 12 meter tall working fountain for Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall that deals with the interconnected histories of Africa, America and Europe.

Kara Walker: A Black Hole Is Everything a Star Longs to Be / Kunstmuseum Basel | Neubau. Press Preview. Basel (Switzerland), June 3, 2021.