{"title":"Go Back the Way You Came","metaTitle":"Go Back the Way You Came · Kunsthalle Basel","uri":"exhibitions/kaari-upson","hide_title":false,"teasermode":false,"hide_artists":false,"artists":[{"uri":"artists/kaari-upson","title":"Kaari Upson","firstname":"Kaari","surname":"Upson"}],"startdate":1567116000,"enddate":1573340400,"medias":[{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/f2a854dd20-1759999050/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_01-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":2002,"height":3000,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019, view on Mother’s Legs, 2018– 2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_01.jpg"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/a73eab9eb2-1759999050/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_02-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":2002,"height":3000,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019, view on Mother’s Legs, 2018– 2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_02.jpg"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/6ae2734aff-1759999050/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_03-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":3000,"height":2002,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019, view on Mother’s Legs, 2018– 2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_03.jpg"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/5a8ee09cb6-1759999050/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_04-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":3000,"height":2002,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019, view on Mother’s Legs, 2018– 2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_04.jpg"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/02f456bb4b-1759999051/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_05-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":2002,"height":3000,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019, view on Mother’s Legs, 2018– 2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_05.jpg"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/1bee5a9d8d-1759999049/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_06-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":3000,"height":2002,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019, view on Mother’s Legs, 2018– 2019 (detail). Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_06.jpg"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/0a85ec24f2-1759999050/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_07-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":3000,"height":2002,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019, view on O. Snag, 2018–2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_07.jpg"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/1d4c61f387-1759999049/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_08-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":3000,"height":2002,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019, view on O. Snag, 2018–2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_08.jpg"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/292a692ef8-1759999050/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_09-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":2002,"height":3000,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019, view on O. Snag, 2018–2019 (detail). Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_09.jpg"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/4f0a83353f-1759999050/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_10-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":3000,"height":2002,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019, f.l.t.r. view on Urmutter, 2018– 2019, and Night Splitter, 2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_10.jpg"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/5b2d064715-1759999050/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_11-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":3000,"height":2002,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019, f.l.t.r. view on Urmutter, 2018– 2019, and Night Splitter, 2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_11.jpg"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/08a8596383-1759999050/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_12-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":3000,"height":2002,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019, f.l.t.r. view on Urmutter, 2018– 2019, and Night Splitter, 2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_12.jpg"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/3648196de4-1759999050/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_13-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":3000,"height":2002,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_13.jpg"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/72a4334002-1759999050/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_14-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":3000,"height":2002,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019, f.l.t.r. view on Prairie Fundamentalism, 2019, and A Place For a Snake, 2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_14.jpg"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/2b5ff4a93e-1759999051/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_15-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":3000,"height":2002,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019, f.l.t.r. view on Strump, 2017– 2019; Center, 2017–2019; Police, 2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_15.jpg"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/d6030cc179-1759999051/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_16-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":3000,"height":2002,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_16.jpg"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/65f5ad8b1f-1759999051/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_17-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":2002,"height":3000,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019, view on Him, 2017–2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_17.jpg"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/d809347fd8-1759999051/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_18-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":3000,"height":2002,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_18.jpg"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/3413ead7b5-1759999051/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_19-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":3000,"height":2002,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_19.jpg"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/cdf7e08981-1759999050/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_20-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":3000,"height":2002,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_20.jpg"}],"listmedias":[{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/1d4c61f387-1759999049/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_08-x1400-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":3000,"height":2002,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019, view on O. Snag, 2018–2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"exhibitions/kaari-upson/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_08.jpg"}],"heromedia":{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/5a8ee09cb6-1759999050/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_04-1920x1400-crop-q90.webp","type":"image","extension":"jpg","width":3000,"height":2002,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019, view on Mother’s Legs, 2018– 2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","keep_ratio":false,"audiofile":null,"audiotitle":null,"audiosubtitle":null},"description":"

For her first institutional solo exhibition in Europe, Kaari Upson (*1972) presents a new body of wood and latex sculptures that continues her ongoing exploration of both the figure of the mother and the uncanny double. The US-American artist casts, cuts down, or replicates natural and architectural elements that she grew up with, fusing home and mother, body and object, desire and trauma. The gripping result interrogates family, consumer culture, and “Americanness,” all while literally eviscerating parts of her childhood environment to do so.

","exhibitiontexts":[],"pressimages":null,"maincontent":[{"type":"mediatwocolumns","content":{"anchor":"","anchorlabel":"","maincontent":"[{\"content\":{\"anchor\":\"\",\"anchorlabel\":\"\",\"image\":[\"file://BNHlN4qh7jYsOOJw\"],\"alt\":\"\",\"keep_ratio\":\"false\",\"with_margins\":\"false\"},\"id\":\"da9ffc9b-eb66-45fc-85f7-1178a243f082\",\"isHidden\":false,\"type\":\"image\"},{\"content\":{\"anchor\":\"\",\"anchorlabel\":\"\",\"image\":[\"file://xj8NRjU4vCRpbSMj\"],\"alt\":\"\",\"keep_ratio\":\"false\",\"with_margins\":\"false\"},\"id\":\"2a903b01-a84b-403e-8e31-b236de177bbe\",\"isHidden\":false,\"type\":\"image\"}]","blocks":[{"type":"image","content":{"anchor":"","anchorlabel":"","image":{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/02f456bb4b-1759999051/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_05-1000x1400-crop-q90.webp","width":2002,"height":3000,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019, view on Mother’s Legs, 2018– 2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"file://BNHlN4qh7jYsOOJw"},"alt":"","keep_ratio":"false","with_margins":"false","audiotitle":"","audiosubtitle":""},"id":"da9ffc9b-eb66-45fc-85f7-1178a243f082","anchor":"","anchorlabel":""},{"type":"image","content":{"anchor":"","anchorlabel":"","image":{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/292a692ef8-1759999050/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_09-1000x1400-crop-q90.webp","width":2002,"height":3000,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019, view on O. Snag, 2018–2019 (detail). Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"file://xj8NRjU4vCRpbSMj"},"alt":"","keep_ratio":"false","with_margins":"false","audiotitle":"","audiosubtitle":""},"id":"2a903b01-a84b-403e-8e31-b236de177bbe","anchor":"","anchorlabel":""}]},"settings":[],"id":"428f311c-058f-456a-90d6-d2a46077ee9d","anchor":"","anchorlabel":"","html":"
\n\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Kunsthalle\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Kunsthalle\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n
"},{"type":"image","content":{"anchor":"","anchorlabel":"","image":{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/kaari-upson/d6030cc179-1759999051/kaar-upson_kunsthalle-basel_16-1920x1200-crop-q90.webp","width":3000,"height":2002,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Kaari Upson, installation view, Go Back the Way You Came, Kunsthalle Basel, 2019. Photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel","id":"file://0nMJoJWAJ6btZ4qz"},"alt":"","keep_ratio":false,"with_margins":"false","audiotitle":"","audiosubtitle":""},"settings":[],"id":"d58d4e54-c554-4e0a-9032-67a8ad7cd291","anchor":"","anchorlabel":"","html":"\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Kunsthalle\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t"}],"sponsors":[{"type":"text","content":{"anchor":"","anchorlabel":"","size":"regular","alignment":"left","text":"

The exhibition is made possible through the generous support of Martin Hatebur and the Isaac Dreyfus-Bernheim Stiftung, with additional support from the Ernst und Olga Gubler-Hablützel Stiftung.

In parallel to the exhibition at Kunsthalle Basel, the Kunstverein Hannover presents an extensive overview of Kaari Upson’s previous work in her solo exhibition DOOR, OPEN, SHUT from 7.9. to 17.11.2019.

"},"settings":[],"id":"ea5a5f5b-7cb2-4c9e-9ad6-2a3de24eb2ed","anchor":"","anchorlabel":""},{"type":"sponsorsblock","content":{"anchor":"","anchorlabel":"","medias":[{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/sponsors/f64896b750-1748889119/isaac-dreyfus-bernheim-stiftung-x300-q90.webp","width":236,"height":179,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","website":"https://www.dreyfusbank.ch/de/ueber-uns/isaac-dreyfus-bernheim-stiftung","id":"file://oiVl90OJ536Zspql"},{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/sponsors/a6de2a500e-1748810369/ernst-und-olga-gubler-habluetzel-stiftung-x300-q90.webp","width":650,"height":295,"alt":"Sponsor image","website":"https://gubler-habluetzel.ch/","id":"file://8yeiP3OMBP1JIGZJ"}]},"settings":[],"id":"afc01829-2c87-4215-abe3-8cf56318f90d","anchor":"","anchorlabel":"","html":"
\n\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n
"}],"currentExhibitions":[{"title":"Geneva","id":"exhibitions/janiva-ellis","uri":"exhibitions/janiva-ellis","hide_title":false,"hide_artists":false,"teasermode":false,"cover":{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/janiva-ellis/2f9b2b588f-1777553161/janiva-ellis_kunsthallebasel_2026_01_low-1200x850-crop-q90.webp","type":"image","alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":"Janiva Ellis, Glint, 2026,  installation view, in: Janiva Ellis, Geneva, Kunsthalle Basel, 2026,photo: Philipp Hänger / Kunsthalle Basel"},"artists":[{"uri":"artists/janiva-ellis","title":"Janiva Ellis","firstname":"Janiva","surname":"Ellis"}],"startdate":1777586400,"enddate":1786226400,"color":"#f67de4"},{"title":"Wild Wild Wall","id":"exhibitions/coumba-samba","uri":"exhibitions/coumba-samba","hide_title":false,"hide_artists":false,"teasermode":false,"cover":{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/exhibitions/coumba-samba/d40a73fe77-1758199297/coumba-samba_kunsthallebasel_2025_06_low-1200x850-crop-q90.webp","type":"image","alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":null},"artists":[{"uri":"artists/coumba-samba","title":"Coumba Samba","firstname":"Coumba","surname":"Samba"}],"startdate":1758232800,"enddate":1787436000,"color":"#f67de4"}],"events":[{"title":"Curatorial Tour – Dominique White","id":"events/curatorial-tour-dominique-white","uri":"events/curatorial-tour-dominique-white","startdate":1778968800,"starttime":"15:00:00","endtime":"16:00:00","category":{"title":"Tour","uri":"events/tour"},"color":"#078e49","cover":null},{"title":"Rosennacht","id":"events/rosennacht-2026","uri":"events/rosennacht-2026","startdate":1779400800,"starttime":"16:00:00","endtime":"20:00:00","category":{"title":"Workshop","uri":"events/workshop"},"color":"#fc3c2a","cover":null},{"title":"Mal•Mal Zeichnen am Modell – Janiva Ellis","id":"events/mal-mal-janiva-ellis","uri":"events/mal-mal-janiva-ellis","startdate":1779832800,"starttime":"18:00:00","endtime":"20:00:00","category":{"title":"Workshop","uri":"events/workshop"},"color":"#fc3c2a","cover":null},{"title":"Theaterplatz-Quartier Wanderung","id":"events/theaterplatz-quartier-wanderung-jun-2026","uri":"events/theaterplatz-quartier-wanderung-jun-2026","startdate":1780437600,"starttime":"10:30:00","endtime":"11:45:00","category":{"title":"Tour","uri":"events/tour"},"color":"#f67de4","cover":{"url":"https://www.kunsthallebasel.ch/media/pages/events/theaterplatz-quartier-wanderung-jun-2026/3c58880063-1767879946/theaterplatz-quartier_logo-682x973-crop-q90.webp","width":1654,"height":1654,"alt":"Kunsthalle Basel","caption":null}}],"color":"#000000"}