June 12, 2025 (Basel, Switzerland) – German artist Heinz Mack will present The Mechanical Ballet, an installation comprising seven motorized stainless-steel stelae of varying heights that rotate within a mirrored room, in Art Basel’s 2025 Unlimited sector. The presentation is held in collaboration with his global representative, Almine Rech, at Booth U28, from June 19 – 22, 2025.
The polished stainless steel steles, each standing between 120 cm and 250 cm tall, move axially through motorized bases. These steles act as mechanical dancers, placed in a mirrored space that multiplies the visual effects of this kinetic ballet. As the steles rotate on their own axes, they absorb light, reflect it, and set it in motion—making it dance through the space. The mirrored surroundings become the stage for this choreography, amplifying both the light and the movements of the rotating steles.
Das Mechanische Ballett was last exhibited in 2023 at the ZKM | Center for Art and Media in Karlsruhe, Germany. Here, an open space with a mirrored rear wall was chosen. Conceived in 1966, the installation was first realized for an exhibition at Kunsthal Rotterdam in 2018. Additionally, a light and sound choreography accompanied the installation, featuring the composition Atmosphères by György Ligeti.
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NOTES TO EDITORS:
The Mechanical Ballet installation by Heinz Mack will be on view in Hall 1.0 at Booth U28.
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About Heinz Mack:
Heinz Mack (b. 1931, Germany) is the co-founder of the ZERO movement, known for his explorations of light, color, and movement through painting, sculpture, and installation. Heinz Mack's work is included in the collections of: the Museum of Modern Art, New York, US, and the Tate Modern, London, UK, among others. His work has been exhibited in major institutions, including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, US; the Centre Pompidou, Paris, France; the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Netherlands; and is part of the collections of The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, US, and the Tate Modern, London, UK, among others.
Image credits:
Installation view of Heinz Mack, 'Das Mechanische Ballett', 1966–2015.
© Heinz Mack and ZKM | Karlsruhe - Photo: Tobias Wootton. Courtesy of the Artist and Almine Rech