MichaelC provides an exclusive report from Art Basel 2014 in Switzerland, detailing Audemars Piguet's presence as an Associate Sponsor. The article highlights the custom-designed Collector's Lounge by Mathieu Lehanneur and Kurt Hentschläger's panoramic film, 'Measure,' both inspired by the Vallée de Joux, offering a unique blend of art and horology.
Last week, I joined a team of international journalists in Basel, Switzerland, to attend the world's premier art shows for modern and contemporary artworks, Art Basel. In 2012, Audemars Piguet announced its partnership as an Associate Sponsor of Art Basel. Each year, the show is held in Basel, Miami, and Hong Kong. AP will continue to be present at each location, occupying a custom booth in the Collector's Lounge.
For 2014, Audemars Piguet commissioned two professionals to design the new lounge and display. Mathieu Lehanneur, Designer, was tasked with creating the Collector's Lounge and Kurt Hentschläger, Video Artist, made a new panoramic film.
Lehanneur's inspiration came straight from the Vallée de Joux, home of Audemars Piguet, where he studied and researched the local landscape. So prominent are the ancient Swiss rocks, Lehanneur made resin and fibre moulds of them and and constructed new cast resin and mineral rocks to utilize in the display. A beautiful expression of "mass and glass", the streamlined glass panels emerge directly from the rock cropping.
On the watchmaker's side of the layout, a massive rock is suspended in the ceiling and hangs down over a circular display table. On the back wall, a series of lit glass cases contained an impressive collection of AP watches, mostly Royal Oak Offshores. Arranged in squares, we see a subtle tone of the Offshore Themes larger guilloche pattern, contrasted with the tighter guilloche of the Royal Oak dial pattern behind the watchmaker's desk. Very cool!
The left side of the layout features Kurt Hentschläger's amazing new video, Measure. A small glass conversation room and some additional seating areas allowed for interviews and private interactions.
Measure is a rather amazing display. Hentschläger shot video in the Vallée de Joux and processed it in his studio. It is raw, edgy, and bold. It made for an incredible artistic background to AP's layout.
A few additional rocks were strategically placed. iPads allowed guests to examine additional information about AP and Art Basel.
Back on the watchmaker's side, AP workers continually engaged visitors. The working desk had a full compliment of AP tools and parts.
As mentioned before, the entire wall had a Royal Oak guilloche.
The circular table under the hanging rock had many displays of watch components. Here, we see a Royal Oak Extra Thin in exploded form.
And the Calibre 2121
Guest were able to observe AP watchmakers in action. Here, a bezel polishing was being demonstrated.
A focus was placed on modern watchmaking materials. Perhaps commonplace for us collectors, but surely surprising for casual visitors of Art Basel to learn about alacrite, forged carbon, ceramic, etc. as used in watchmaking.
This young watchmaker is 21 years old. Audemars Piguet has made a real commitment to engaging younger generations in high end watchmaking.
A personal favorite here on display, and one I continue to dream of.
And who dares question the popularity and style of the Millenary collection? I was lucky to catch a few words with the always accommodating Jasmine Audemars, Chairwoman of the Audemars Piguet Board of Directors. On her wrist, a wonderfully coordinated Millenary.
The event culminated with the announcement that Marc-Olivier Wahler will be the guest curator for the 2015 Audemars Piguet Art Commission. The first artwork will be presented next year in Basel at Art Basel 2015. The yet to be selected artist will work with Wahler and Audemars Piguet to realize the art commission. It is Audemars Piguet's intention to make a "meaningful contribution to artistic innovation", and the watchmaker will commission one new artwork every year.
On behalf of PuristSPro, I thank Audemars Piguet for allowing us an up close view of this very unique partnership between AP and Art Basel. Much of my personal interest in watches has always been the artistic qualities they possess, and a partnership between the world renowned watch company and the world's premier art fair is one of complete harmony.
This message has been edited by MichaelC on 2014-06-26 14:09:41 
