Hauser & Wirth will inaugurate its new gallery space in Basel on June 1st with a historical survey of Vilhelm Hammershøi. The show, titled “Vilhelm Hammershøi. Silence,” marks the first solo exhibition of the 19th–20th century Danish artist in Switzerland. The new gallery is located at Luftgässlein 4 in Basel’s old town, minutes from the city’s major art institutions Kunsthalle Basel and Kunstmuseum Basel.
The focus on Hammershøi is a somewhat surprising choice to inaugurate the new outpost, given the gallery’s market star–studded artist roster, and the timing ahead of Art Basel. That said, Hauser & Wirth is well known for its historical and museum-worthy presentations—a tradition that will continue with this show, which is curated by Dr. Felix Krämer and will feature 18 pieces by Hammershøi compiled from private collections.
Born in 1864, Hammershøi is celebrated for his ability to convey a sense of stillness in his paintings. Throughout his career, he concentrated on capturing this tranquility, evident in both his portraits and detailed interior scenes. The figures in Hammershøi’s portraits often appear in the midst of routine chores or caught deep in thought.
“Hammershøi’s work reveals a remarkably modernist sensibility that continues to garner new generations of followers who join those steeped in the history of art of the 19th and early 20th centuries,” said Carlo Knöll, the senior director at Hauser & Wirth who will be directing the Basel gallery. “His work resonates with the current international artistic community, including museums and institutions in Europe and the U.S., collectors, scholars, and living artists. Yet, despite being an artist of great acclaim and nuance, whose work is held in museum collections around the world, exhibitions dedicated to Hammershøi have been relatively few and far between.”
Hauser & Wirth’s exhibition will span from 1883 to 1914, offering a complete survey of the artist’s works. Hammershøi died in 1916 due to throat cancer at 51 years old.
