Nairy Baghramian Transforms the Messeplatz Fountain at Art Basel 2026

Iranian-born, Berlin-based artist Nairy Baghramian, recipient of an Art Basel Gold Medal, has returned to Basel with a major new public commission for Art Basel 2026. Titled Modèle vivant (S’empilant), the installation transforms the fountain at Messeplatz one of the fair’s most familiar public spaces into a sculptural environment composed of four large-scale works.

The installation combines biomorphic aluminum forms, polished steel armatures, and soft lavender and pastel tones. Rather than depicting complete or clearly defined bodies, the sculptures evoke states of suspension, fragility, and transformation. Resting on structures that resemble spines or support systems, the forms appear to balance between stability and uncertainty.

The project expands Baghramian’s ongoing Modèle vivant series, which explores the history of sculpture and the representation of the body. Through this new intervention, the artist reconsiders the relationship between sculpture, site, and viewer while emphasizing the possibility of constant change, reconfiguration, and renewal. The work is on view in Messeplatz troughout Art Basel 2026.

Cover and Slider Image: 

• www.artbasel.com