ART BASEL CONVERSATIONS Open to the Public/FREE ADMISSION PRESS RELEASE/2008 All Art Basel Conversations panels take place in the Art Guest Lounge, Entrance D, Miami Beach Convention Center Daily | from Thursday, December 4, until Sunday, December 7, 2008 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Panel Discussion 11 – 11.30 a.m. | Meet the Panelists What is Art Basel Conversations?By staging public encounters between leading cultural figures, Art Basel Conversations offers the show's audience access to first-hand information on important aspects of the international artworld. It is a forum that encourages a lively exchange of ideas, through a series of platform discussions that can range from single ar tists exploring their practice to larger panels that include the leading players within various scenes and fields of artistic activity. The themes of Art Basel Conversations focus on producing, collecting, and exhibiting art. Distinguished artists, art collectors, museum directors, curators, critics, gallerists, publishers, and others active in the cultural sphere take part. Presenting their current and upcoming projects, reporting on their experiences and commenting on the challenges they face, these speakers provide an insider's view and open up the oppor tunity for dynamic and inspiring dialog. After each Art Basel Conversation, there is time allotted for the audience to approach the panel in a more informal fashion. THURSDAY | Dec 4 | Premiere | Artist talk Chuck Close | Artist, New York Vik Muniz | Artist, New York MODERATOR | Richard Flood | Chief Curator New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York FRIDAY | Dec 5 | the Future of the Museum | Africa, America and the World What art institutions does Africa have and need? What is its relationship to America and the broader ar tworld? What are the challenges for producing, collecting, exhibiting, conserving, and researching contemporary art in Africa? What are the role of artists, institutions, collectors, galleries, and foundations? How is the art scene in Africa interacting with the international art world? What are the effects of globalisation on its artists and different art scenes? Speakers: Eungie Joo | Keith Haring Director of Education and Public Programs, New Museum, New York; Commissioner, Korean Pavilion, 2009 Venice Biennale Glenn Ligon | Artist, New York Raphael Chikukwa | Independent Curator, Harare/London CO MODERATORS: Thelma Golden | Director and Chief Curator, The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York Hans Ulrich obrist | Co-Director of Exhibitions and Programmes and Director of International Projects, Serpentine Gallery, London SATURDAY | Dec 6 | Public/Private | the Artist as Philanthropist What are the increasingly important roles that artist-endowed foundations are playing in the today’s art world? Which are the risks, opportunities and challenges of funding such a foundation? How do artist-endowed foundations vary in their activities? What are the aims and focus of these foundations? Speakers: Charles C. Bergman | President and CEO, Pollock-Krasner Foundation, New York Jack Cowart | Executive Director, Roy Lichtenstein Foundation, New York Jack Flam | President, The Dedalus Foundation, New York Christine J. Vincent | Director, National Study of Artist-Endowed Foundations, The Aspen Institute, Washington D.C. Nicholas Fox Weber | Executive Director, Josef & Anni Albers Foundation, Bethany, Connecticut MODERATOR | Andras Szanto | Author, consultant to arts and philanthropic organizations, New York SUNDAY | Dec 7 | Artistic Production | Los Angeles, An Alternate Artworld Model? What are the main drivers for the art scene in Los Angeles? How does the interaction between the artists’ generations come into play? How do the different ar t sectors influence each other? What role do art schools play? And what impact do galleries have? Speakers: Billy Al Bengston | Artist, Venice, California Sterling Ruby | Artist, Los Angeles Paul Schimmel | Chief Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles MODERATOR | Russell Ferguson | Chair, UCLA Department of Art, Los Angeles Further panelist to be confirmed.(as of November 30, 2008) |