francis alÿs: fabiola at schaulager

francis alÿs: fabiola schaulager at haus zum kirschgarten, basel, switzerlandmarch 12th – august 28th, 2011

‘fabiola’, francis alÿs’s collection of over 370 portraits of saint fabiola, is on exhibition with schaulager

‘fabiola’, by belgian-born, mexico-based artist francis alÿs, opens march 12th as the 2011 public exhibition of switzerland’s schaulager museum. for the first time ever, the foundation has chosen to hold the exhibition in a space outside of the münchenstein’ schaulager building, selecting instead the haus zum kirschgarten in basel.

‘fabiola’ is alÿs’s collection of over 370 reproduced renditions of jean-jacques henner’s 1885 portrait of saint fabiola. most of the pieces are paintings on canvas, but others are needlework or painted on velvet or other materials. all are amateur creations, collected by alÿs over the course of fifteen years from flea markets, junk stores, and estates.

a patrician house still furnished in 18th century bourgeois style, the site of the haus zum kirschgarten provides an interesting setting for the installation of the many-hundred inexpensive reproductions of the saint, who is incidentally the patron of difficult marriages and abuse victims.

preview of the installation space

ever expanding, alÿs’s collection currently consists of over 370 reproductions

closer view of a needlepoint and painted portrait in the collection