10 Picks from Art Brussels 2017

With more than 250 art fairs occurring every year around the world, the pressure for each fair to differentiate itself is high. The key to success for Art Brussels is often found in elements of surprise and discovery. This year, more than 20 of the 145 participating galleries are making their debut, establishing plenty of room for experimentation and newcomers. Even at the more seasoned galleries’s booths, however, many staple art fair artists are missing or in low supply: only one booth is showing Michelangelo Pistoletto; just two have works by Marina AbramoviÄ?; we didn’t see a single Koons, Kusama, Murakami, or Muniz; and we only saw three Ai Weiwei‘s and one Paul McCarthy.

In addition to traditional multi-artist booths, Art Brussels places an emphasis on miniature solo exhibitions as well as a special artistic program. This year, 18 artists received solo booths, and Jens Hoffmann and Piper Marshall curated “Mementos: Artists’ Souvenirs, Artefacts, and Other Curiosities,” an exhibition featuring precious personal objects from artists whose artwork is shown in the main fair. The resulting collection of more than 70 objects includes items like a meat hook from Jenny Holzer and a card given to Joseph Kosuth signed by Hillary Clinton.

With the fair opening to the public today, click through the slideshow above to see 10 works—and, in some cases, solo booths—that shouldn’t be missed.

ART BRUSSELS IS ON VIEW THROUGH APRIL 23, 2017.