Despite their differences, almost all the artists brought together here have in common that they have made drawing their primary artistic process or use it as a prerequisite for further artistic steps.
The publication “ÜBERZEICHNEN. From Basel” (Overdrawing. Departing from Basel) is published to accompany the exhibition of the same name at Kunsthaus Baselland. The subtitle “Von Basel aus” refers to the direction of gaze, the procedure of letting the view begin here – in Basel. This is obvious not only because of the location of Kunsthaus Baselland, but also because drawing has for decades played a special role in Basel and a large number of artists are currently concentrating on drawing as their central medium. In concentric circles, the exhibition and publication look at the work of certain artists of different years in Switzerland and abroad, whose graphic work exemplifies a direction within the broad field of possible forms of drawing. The eighteen selected positions are presented not only with individual works, but in most cases with entire groups of works, in order to provide a better insight into the respective work. Some artists are represented with works from the 1980s or 1990s as well as with very recent works. Others have developed new works on site and for the exhibition space.
The publication extends the exhibition’s spatial programme in the form of a picture newspaper and a text booklet. Through the numerous texts and conversations with the artists, the text section provides the opportunity to deepen the reader’s understanding of their respective works. The picture section offers – through the newspaper format - the chance to experience further drawings and works, most of which are not shown in the exhibition, in large format. The individual contributions have been selected for the newspaper and in some cases newly developed.