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‘United Enemies’ twist and shout in Basel

Keystone

Statues by German artist Thomas Schütte dwarf a visitor in the 14th-century inner courtyard of Basel town hall. The figures, part of a work titled “United Enemies”, are on display until August 5.

The 20-year-old installation consists of pairs of figures bound together, with only their faces visible. Schütte, 49, came up with the idea while living in Italy during a period of high-profile investigations into political corruption.

In 2005, he was awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale. In May 2014, his Großer Geist Nr. 6 (1996), a bronze figure with green patina, fetched $5.3 million (CHF4.75 million) at Christie’s auction house in New York.

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