Ten severed heads sit contained in a 28x12x12” box and are enclosed by four pieces of plexiglass. Each head is unique, representing the top ten art galleries in the world. New York’s David Zwirner sits in a chamber above the rest. The names of each gallery are stamped prominently on the mannequin’s foreheads. A prominent “Yes, We’re Open '' welcomes critics, collectors and attendees of Art Basel into a fantasy that many have dreamt of for years…. the death of mega galleries and a new era for art. The sign reads “Welcome to Art Basel 2021,Walk-in welcomes. Starting Bid: 1ETH”. A chamber of black paint sits above the case labeled “Time.” Over an hour the black paint slowly leaks within the box to make each head (gallery) indistinguishable.

The piece will exist on the main floor of the convention center in front of some of the richest and most powerful galleries in the world. We are not invited, we are not formal exhibitors. We want to create a conversation about the gallery circuit and allow for you to decide what the real separation of value is between art displayed in multi-million dollar gallery stalls and art displayed independently on the floor just a few feet away. There are two identical versions of the piece, one brought into the convention center and another in our studios in Brooklyn. This conceptual work will be auctioned over the next few days on Open Sea, including Piece #1 and what is left of #2 (if anything). Is it possible that a replica can obtain more value than an original, simply because it was shown at Art Basel? That seems strange.

When asked how the piece made it inside the doors of Art Basel next to million dollar artworks, artist Brother Graham said, “There are no rules anymore. If the pandemic taught us one thing, it is this.” As artists, we celebrate the risk and hard work that is synonymous with creating art, both conceptually and literally.

Artist Statement:

“Same as it ever was,” is a conceptual piece by artist Brother Graham in collaboration with LES PUNK. This piece is the first independent piece of artwork featured at Art Basel Miami. The piece is a visualization of a question.

As the world re-opens, we find ourselves questioning how the art world has been impacted by COVID-19. What feels different about this year’s Basel from the last? What once had been dubbed the ‘Great Reset’ now seems idealistic at best, a romantic fantasy about how this brief pause would change industries and people alike.

And now, as fairs returns and rents in major cities increasing past pre-pandemic levels and work from home mandates fizzling out, is proof of vaccination all you need to enter this post-pandemic world? Is it the beginning of everything or is it the same as it ever was?

Much of this art evades categorization and defies collectors. I see artists bored by light-­without-heat, irked at gigantic galleries’ pushing out art-as-products. Our blood still boiling at the art-luxury freak show, insurgent energies have resolved to make it new and make it over. Or die trying. -Jerry Saltz