Latest News
23.06.2025
Fifty-five years of Art Basel
Marking 55 years of Art Basel, the fair concludes on a high note with strong sales across all segments, cementing its position as the premier event of the global art market:
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Founded in 1970, Art Basel’s highly anticipated 2025 edition featured 289 leading international galleries from 42 countries and territories, served once again as a hub for discovery and connection, and a driving force within the international art world.
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The fair attracted an overall attendance of 88’000 throughout its preview and public days.
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Maike Cruse, Director, Art Basel in Basel said: “This year’s edition of Art Basel has demonstrated the enduring strength, resilience, and international reach of the global art market. We were delighted to welcome collectors, curators, and art lovers from around the world, and to see such strong presentations across all sectors of the fair. The energy in the halls and throughout the city was a powerful reminder of the role Basel plays as a cultural meeting point and catalyst for artistic exchange.”
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Christl Novakovic, Head UBS Global Wealth Management EMEA and Chair of the UBS Art Board, said: “Art Basel in Basel ignites the global art world as a vital meeting point. UBS has remained an enthusiastic partner of Art Basel for over 30 years for many reasons. We can immerse ourselves in dynamic environments, fresh perspectives and creative forces that shape our world. We need the dialogue, curiosity and connection that Art Basel provides more than ever. In Basel this year, UBS again created spaces where art engages and inspires inside the halls and throughout the city.” As Global Lead Partner of Art Basel, UBS returned to the 2025 edition of the fair.This year’s participation included Endless Possibilities: Geometric Abstraction, a presentation of works from the UBS Art Collection in the UBS Lounge, alongside a series of activations around the fair. UBS supported public programming throughout the Art Basel week.
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Prominent private collectors and art patrons from over 96 countries and territories across Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa were in attendance, including Switzerland, Germany, the USA, the UK, France, Italy, Belgium, China, the Netherlands, and Spain. This year’s edition also welcomed private collectors and art patrons from a diverse range of other countries, including Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Chile, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda and Uzbekistan.
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Representatives from over 250 world-class museums and foundations visited the show, underscoring Art Basel in Basel’s role in connecting the global art community, including: A4 Arts Foundation (South Africa), Art Gallery of Ontario (Canada), Castello di Rivoli Museo d'Arte Contemporanea (Italy), Centre Pompidou (France), Collection Pinault (France), Denver Art Museum (USA), Fondation Louis Vuitton (France), Galleria Borghese (Italy), Groeningemuseum (Belgium), Guggenheim Abu Dhabi (UAE), Guggenheim Museum (USA), Istanbul Museum of Modern Art (Turkey), Kunsthaus Zürich (Switzerland), LACMA – Los Angeles County Museum of Art (USA), Leeum – Samsung Museum of Art (South Korea), Leopold Museum (Austria), Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (Denmark), Madre · museo d’arte contemporanea Donnaregina (Italy), MALBA – Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (Argentina), MAMCO – Musée d'art moderne et contemporain (Switzerland), M+ Museum (Hong Kong), The Metropolitan Museum of Art (USA), MoMA and MoMA PS1 (USA), Museo Jumex (Mexico), Museum Rietberg (Switzerland), National Gallery Singapore, Neue Nationalgalerie (Germany), New Museum (USA), Norval Foundation (South Africa), Palais de Tokyo (France), Palazzo Strozzi (Italy), Rijksmuseum (Netherlands), Serpentine Galleries (UK), SFMOMA – San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (USA), Städel Museum (Germany), Staatsgalerie Stuttgart (Germany), Tate (UK), Tel Aviv Museum of Art (Israel), The National Gallery (UK), Watari-um – The Watari Museum of Contemporary Art (Japan), Whitney Museum of American Art (USA), Yuz Museum (China), and Zeitz MOCAA – Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (South Africa).
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Exhibitors reported strong sales across all market segments and show sectors, with standout placements including David Hockney’s Mid November Tunnel (2006), Ruth Asawa’s hanging sculpture (c. 1955), Gerhard Richter, Keith Haring, and Mark Bradford. Works by leading female artists also saw major success, including Cecilia Vicuña, Loie Hollowell, and Alina Szapocznikow, with strong institutional acquisitions and momentum for first-time exhibitors.
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Several participating exhibitors remarked on their experiences at the show. Quotes are available for the media here.
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As one of the highlights of the fair, renowned German artist Katharina Grosse painted across the architecture and surfaces of the Messeplatz, transforming it into a vibrant, immersive environment. CHOIR (2025) is Katharina Grosse’s largest work to date in an urban center, covering more than 5000 square meters, while Grosse employs magenta because it’s the most visible color to a human eye in outdoor settings. Curated by Natalia Grabowska, this striking site-specific painting redefined the experience of public space through bold chromatic expression.
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Unlimited, Art Basel’s unique platform for large-scale installations and performances, returned with a compelling selection of nearly 70 works curated for the fifth consecutive year by Giovanni Carmine, Director of the Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen. Highlights included Andrea Büttner’s monumental Shame Punishments series; Atelier Van Lieshout’s epic The Voyage – A March to Utopia; Felix Gonzalez-Torres’ evocative Untitled (Go-Go Dancing Platform); Marinella Senatore’s inspiring We Rise by Lifting Others; the haunting premiere of Sham3dan (Candelabra by the Cairo-based dance collective nasa4nasa; and Thomas Schütte’s striking Engel. The sector was further celebrated during Unlimited Night on Thursday, June 19, featuring extended hours.
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Curated for the second year by Stefanie Hessler, Director of the Swiss Institute in New York, Art Basel’s public sector Parcours returned to Basel’s Clarastrasse with the theme Second Nature. Featuring newly commissioned, site-specific works, the sector explored the tension between nature and artifice through immersive, multi-sensory experiences. Highlights included Hylozoic/Desires’ monumental 80-meter textile installation at Münsterplatz, Selma Selman’s scent-and-sound- infused car hood memorial in St. Clara Church, and striking works by Sturtevant, Marianna Simnett, Shahryar Nashat, Thomas Bayrle, and Yu Ji—each engaging deeply with urban space and the human condition.
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This year marked the debut of Art Basel Awards in Basel, honoring 36 Medalists during an official ceremony at Rathaus Basel and the inaugural Medalist Reception at Kunstmuseum Basel, both held on June 19. At the Reception, Art Basel Awards announced the Koyo Kouoh Fellowship in collaboration with RAW Material Company, which will support one art professional from Africa, every year for three years, with a fully funded professional development program at Art Basel in Basel. The following day, June 20, the first Art Basel Awards Summit took place in Hall 1.0 of Art Basel, supported by the Canton of Basel-Stadt. Free and open to the public, the flagship summit featured keynotes and panel discussions with Medalists, Jurors, and prominent voices from across the cultural sector — including artists, cross-disciplinary practitioners, curators, museum and foundation leaders, and patrons. Art Basel Awards is presented in partnership with BOSS.
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World-class exhibitions across Basel complemented the fair, offering an extraordinary range of museum-quality shows and immersive experiences. Highlights included major presentations at the Fondation Beyeler (Vija Celmins, Presentation of the Collection and Jordan Wolfson), Kunstmuseum Basel (Medardo Rosso and Verso), and Kunsthalle Basel (solo shows by Dala Nasser, Ser Serpas, and Marie Matusz). Additional standout exhibitions were on view at Kunsthaus Baselland, Museum Tinguely, Schaulager—featuring a new site-specific work by Steve McQueen— and the Vitra Design Museum and Schaudepot. The city's cultural programme was further enriched by Liste Art Fair Basel, marking its 30th anniversary, the Swiss Art Awards exhibition, and the fourth edition of Basel Social Club, transforming a former private bank into a multi-room artistic universe.
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Art Basel in Basel, took place at Messe Basel from June 19 to 22, 2025, with Preview Days on June 17 and 18. The 2026 edition of the show will take place from June 18 to 21, with preview days on March 16 and 17.
Courtesy Esther Schipper Gallery
22.05.2025
Aboriginal Art
Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Summer Celebration Courtesy Sotheby's
A recent auction at Sotheby's which took place in New York on May 20, 2025, featured a selection of Aboriginal art works. The sale, which included works by Emily Kam Kngwarray, Richard Bell, and other artists, was part of a larger effort by Sotheby's to promote Aboriginal art on a global stage. While the results of the auction didn't meet expectations, Sotheby's states they remain committed to the appreciation and sale of this art form.
Here's a more detailed look at the press release and related information:
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Auction Highlights:
The auction featured a range of Aboriginal art, including works by established artists like Emily Kam Kngwarray and contemporary artists like Richard Bell.
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Legacy of Tim Klingender:
The auction was a continuation of a partnership between Sotheby's and Tim Klingender Fine Art, with the auction honoring the legacy of Tim Klingender, a pioneering Aboriginal art dealer who passed away in 2023.
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Works by Emily Kam Kngwarray:
Several pieces by the late Emily Kam Kngwarray were featured, including a two-meter tall painting from 1990 with an estimate over AU$1 million.
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Works by Richard Bell:
Two works by contemporary artist Richard Bell, "Strike" (2022) and "Where is the Outrage" (2023), were also offered, with estimates reaching $70,000 each.
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Sotheby's Commitment:
Despite the results of the New York auction not meeting initial expectations, Sotheby's stated they remain committed to promoting and appreciating Aboriginal art globally.
23.04. 2025
Turner Prize 2025 shortlist announced on 250th birthday of the renouned painter
On the 250th birthday of renowned British painter JMW Turner,Tate Britain announces the four artists who have been shortlisted for the coveted prize in his namesake. Shortlisted for the Turner prize 2025 are Nnena Kanu, Rene Main, Mohammed Sami Zadie Xa.
For over 40 years the Turner Prize has recognised the creativity of contemporary British artists following Turner’s legacy of innovation and experimentation and honouring his wishes to establish a prize for artists. An exhibition of the shortlisted artists’ work will open at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Bradford on 27 September to 22 February 2026 -- with the winner announcement on Tuesday 9 December 2025 -- as a major moment in the Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture celebrations.
Nnena Kalu
Nominated for her presentation as part of Conversations at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool and Hanging Sculpture 1 to 10 at Manitesta 15, Barcelona. Kalu makes cocoon-like shapes out o paper and Textiles which are then bound, layered and wrapped in brightly coloured cellophane and tape to create expressive hanging sculptural installations. Her work is rooted in a process of repeated gestures, as seen in her abstract swirling, drawings on paper. The jury commended her unique command of material, colour and gesture and her highly attuned responses to architectural space.
Rene Matic
Nominated for their solo exhibition 'As opposed to the truth at CCA Berlin. Matic captures fleeting moments of joy in daily life, and expressions of tenderness within a wider political context. Their work includes highly personal photographs of family and friends in stacked frames, paired with sound, banners, and installation. The jury were struck by the artist's ability to express concerns around belonging and identity, conveying broader experiences of a young generation and their community through an intimate and compelling bod of work.
Mohammed Sami
Nominated for his solo exhibition After the Storm at Blenheim Palace, Oxtordshire. Sami is best known fOr his large-scale paintings which explore memory and loss. Sami lavers pattern and colour to create haunting, dreamlike scenes, drawing on his life in Baghdad during the Iraq War and as a refugee in Sweden. Devoid of people, he paints empty landscapes, interiors and items of furniture as metaphors for absent bodies and their memories. The jury praised the artist's powertul representation of war and exile, exhibited against the backdrop of Blenheim Palace
Zadie Xa
Nominated for her presentation Moonlit Confessions Across Deep Sea Echoes: Your Ancestors Are Whales, and Earth Remembers Everything with Benito Mayor Vallejo at Sharjah Biennial 16. Interweaving painting, mural, textile and sound, Xa's work focuses on the sea as a spiritual realm to explore traditions and folklore, speaking to a multitude of cultures. Her vibrant installation blended a soundscape with ethereal paintings, bojagi patchwork and an interactive sculpture of over 650 brass wind chimes inspired by Korean shamanic ritual bells. The jury felt that this cohesive work was a sophisticated development of Xa's reflective and enchanting practice.
One of the world's best-known prizes for the visual arts, the Turner Prize aims to promote public debate around new developments in contemporary British art. Established in 1984, the prize is named after the radical painter JMW Turner (1775-1851) and is awarded each year to a British artist for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work. The Turner Prize winner will be awarded £25,000 with £10,000 awarded to the other shortlisted artists.
Turner Prize 2025 is part of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, a year-long celebration of Bradford city and district - the fourth UK City of Culture following Derry/Londonderry, Hull and Coventry. Running from January to December, Bradford 2025 features performances, exhibitions, events and activities inspired by the district's history and heritage, its breathtaking countryside and industrial past, as well as the local artists, creative organisations and the diverse communities who call Bradford home.
The members of the Turner Prize 2025 jury are: Andrew Bonacina, Independent Curator; Sam Lackey, Director, Liverpool Biennial; Priyesh Mistry, Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Projects, The National Gallery and Habda Rashid, Senior Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Fitzwilliam Museum. The jury is chaired by Alex Farquharson, Director, Tate Britain.
Alex Farquharson, Director of Tate Britain and Chair of the Turner Prize Jury, said: 'It's an honour to announce this fantastic Turner Prize shortlist - congratulations to all the nominees. The shortlist reflects the breadth of artistic practice today, from painting and sculpture to photography and installation, and each of the artists offers a unique way of viewing the world through personal experience and expression.
On JMW Turner's 250th birthday, I'm delighted to see his spirit of innovation is still alive and well in contemporary British art today, and I look forward to an unmissable exhibition of their work in Bradford this autumn.
Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, said: 'Having an internationally renowned event like the Turner Prize here in Bradford is a landmark moment for our city. It's a powerful opportunity to welcome visitors from across the UK and beyond, and to showcase everything that makes Bradford such a dynamic and culturally rich place. Each of the nominees has a remarkable ability to take huge subject matters and abstract themes, and turn them into powerful, shared experiences. We believe that audiences will connect deeply with the diversity of vision, ideas, and approach of these exceptional artists. We're delighted to be working in partnership with Tate, Bradford Museums & Galleries, and Yorkshire Contemporary to bring this prestigious event to the beautiful Cartwright Hall Art Gallery.'
17.04. 2025
Hot off the press from Art Basel...
Renowned German artist Katharina Grosse will transform the Messeplatz into a vivid chromatic and shifting environment. The work will be curated by Natalia Grabowska, Curator at Large, Architecture and Site-Specific Projects at Serpentine, London.
Unlimited, curated by Giovanni Carmine, Director of Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen, will present 68 large-scale installations by distinguished and emerging artists.
06.04.2025
Art Market Trends
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Global Art Sales Decline – The latest Art Basel/UBS report reveals that global art sales dropped by 12% in 2024, marking the second consecutive year of decline. The contemporary sector was hit particularly hard, with auction sales falling 36% to $1.4 billion, their lowest level since 2018. Buyers are showing less appetite for risk, favoring established names over emerging artists.1,2,3
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Shift Toward Lower-Priced Works – While high-end sales have slowed, transactions for works under $50,000have increased, suggesting a shift toward more accessible price points. Smaller galleries have seen a 17% boost in sales, while top-tier dealers are experiencing a decline.2
09.04.2025
VOLTA Basel 2025
VOLTA Basel 2025
19 - 22 June (VIP Preview 18 June)
Congress Center, Messeplatz
VOLTA announces its 20th Anniversary edition, taking place in its founding city of Basel from 19 - 22 June 2025. For the first time, VOLTA Basel will take place at the Congress Centre, Messeplatz, placing us in the heart of Art Week.
This year's edition in a new venue, just a two minute walk from Art Basel and the central Messeplatz, will present an expanded exhibitor list of over 65 galleries from 20 countries, including Switzerland, France, Norway, South Africa, USA, Czech Republic, Belgium and Germany.
Featuring a dynamic mix of returning galleries and newcomers, the preview of 2025 exhibitors includes female-led spaces, environmentally focused initiatives, alternative gallery models, and the Middle East North African Pavilion.
Lee Cavaliere, Artistic Director said "The fair this year will be a celebration of the relationships that have anchored VOLTA in the city through two decades of its existence. It is Basel itself that has allowed us to take our place within what is perhaps the most exciting and energetic sector of the contemporary art world: the emerging art market."
Talking about the programme and the fair's ethos, Cavaliere commented, "We have a broader programme which explores our evolution while retaining our founding ethos: the power of discovery and the role of art in our lives. Collectors will find something new and intriguing, while considering how much art means to them, and to us all.”
13.02.2025
Art Basel unveils line-up of 291 leading galleries and first highlights for the 2025 edition of its flagship show in Basel
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Featuring 291 premier galleries from 42 countries and territories, Art Basel will once again bring the international art world together this June for its marquee Swiss fair.
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18 galleries from across Europe, Asia, and the Americas will join the show for the first time.
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New this year, Art Basel introduces its Premiere sector, offering galleries an exclusive stage to showcase bold, cutting-edge works from the past five years by up to three exceptional artists.
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Renowned artist Katharina Grosse will use her signature spray gun technique to turn the Messeplatz and its surroundings into a vibrant chromatic environment, curated by Natalia Grabowska, Curator at Large, Architecture and Site-Specific Projects at the Serpentine Gallery, London.
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Art Basel’s Parcours sector will once again be curated by Stefanie Hessler, Director of New York’s Swiss Institute (SI). The thoughtfully curated public art exhibition will stretch along Clarastrasse towards the Rhine, including the Merian, offering a unique public cultural experience.
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The fair’s diverse artistic perspectives will be complemented by vibrant events across the city, engaging Basel’s leading cultural institutions. This program highlights the city’s unique appeal and reinforces Basel’s position as a key cultural destination.
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Art Basel, whose Global Lead Partner is UBS, will take place at Messe Basel from June 19 to 22, 2025, with Preview Days on June 17 and 18.
For its highly anticipated 2025 edition, Art Basel will unite 291 premier international galleries from 42 countries and territories, showcasing exceptional artworks across all media—from painting and sculpture to photography and digital art. Featured artists will range from iconic early-twentieth-century Modern pioneers to groundbreaking contemporary talent. Art Basel in Basel will once again solidify its unrivaled position as the premier event for the global art market, serving as a hub for discovery, connection, and a driving force for the global art world.
The fair’s remarkable diversity of artistic perspectives will be complemented by vibrant events and activities across the city, engaging Basel’s most renowned cultural institutions. This dynamic program will highlight the city’s distinctive appeal, underscoring the profound impact Art Basel has on its hometown and reinforcing Basel’s position as a unique cultural destination.
Maike Cruse, Director of Art Basel in Basel, said: ‘I am excited to once again welcome the global art world to our flagship event in June. Art Basel 2025 promises to be a defining moment, showcasing a diverse range of extraordinary artworks, sparking international dialogue, and reinforcing its position as one of the most influential events on the global art calendar. With an unmatched line-up of galleries, the introduction of exciting new sectors like Premiere, the return of Parcours, and a stunning immersive installation by Katharina Grosse, Art Basel continues to be a powerful platform for discovery and a driving force for cultural exchange, innovation, and artistic expression.’
Enhancing Art Basel 2025, the fair will debut 18 new galleries from Europe, Asia, and the Americas, enriching its global reach with fresh perspectives. Among them, Arcadia Missa (London) and François Ghebaly (Los Angeles, New York) will enter directly into the main Galleries sector, while 14 galleries will join for the first time in the Feature and Statements sectors.
First-time exhibitors in Feature:
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Anat Ebgi (Los Angeles)
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Jean-Kenta Gauthier (Paris)
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Galería Leandro Navarro (Madrid)
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Polka Galerie (Paris)
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Repetto Gallery (Lugano)
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Galerie Oskar Weiss (Zurich)
First-time exhibitors in Statements:
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Nir Altman (Munich)
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Artbeat (Tbilisi)
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Fanta-MLN (Milan)
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Ginny on Frederick (London)
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Franz Kaka (Toronto)
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Kayokoyuki (Tokyo)
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Eli Kerr (Montreal)
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Gunia Nowik Gallery (Warsaw)
A standout addition to the fair this year is the new Premiere sector, which offers galleries a platform to showcase new, pioneering works created in the past five years by up to three artists. Premiere will provide visitors with a unique opportunity to discover new and innovative voices, further solidifying Art Basel’s role as a key platform for artistic discovery. The sector features a total of 10 galleries, while welcoming two new joiners to the fair:
First-time exhibitors in Premiere:
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Edel Assanti (London)
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Kosaku Kanechika (Tokyo)
Art Basel’s Special Sectors
The fair’s acclaimed Parcours sector will return in 2025, curated by Stefanie Hessler, Director of New York’s Swiss Institute (SI). The 2025 edition of Parcours will center on the theme of Second Nature, bringing together artists and works that explore the increasingly blurred lines between life and lifelikeness. This thoughtfully curated public art exhibition will stretch along Clarastrasse towards the Rhine, including the Merian, transforming the urban environment into a captivating journey of artistic discovery. Parcours offers visitors a unique opportunity to engage directly with art in public spaces, enriching the cultural experience of the city and inviting both locals and visitors to encounter art in unexpected and inspiring settings.
In another exciting highlight, renowned artist Katharina Grosse will take over the Messeplatz and the surrounding structures with her spray gun, transforming the space into a vivid chromatic environment. Curated by Natalia Grabowska, Curator at Large, Architecture and Site-Specific Projects at Serpentine, London, this thought-provoking work will be one of the standout features of Art Basel 2025, momentarily transporting visitors as they arrive at the exhibition hall, while highlighting the fair’s commitment to presenting art in remarkable and impactful settings.
Curated by Giovanni Carmine, Director of the Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen, Art Basel’s unique Unlimited sector will again offer a platform for large-scale installations and performances that transcend the traditional art fair booth. The sector, exclusive to Art Basel’s flagship fair in Basel, will feature around 70 monumental works across all media. The Kabinett sector returns for its third edition, offering exhibitors the opportunity to present thoughtfully curated installations within their main booths.
Further details on the presentations in Parcours, Unlimited, Kabinett, Messeplatz, and other programs will be announced in the coming months.
Courtesy Art Basel
09.02.2025
First phase of Tate Liverpool transformation complete
Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram has visited Tate Liverpool today as the project to renew the galleries begins to take shape. The careful removal of the redundant components of the old gallery in the Grade 1 listed building has revealed the original brick walls of the historic warehouse,signalling the end of first phase of the project. The major reimagining of this Royal Albert Dock landmark is designed by 6a architects and will transform the UK’s most-popular contemporary art gallery outside London.
29.01.2025
Emily Kam Kngwarray
This summer, Tate Modern, London will stage Europe’s first major solo exhibition dedicated to one of the most extraordinary figures in international contemporary art, Emily Kam Kngwarray (c.1914-1996). A senior Anmatyerr woman from the Sandover region in the Northern Territory of Australia, Kngwarray translated her ceremonial and spiritual engagement with her ancestral Country, Alhalker, into vivid batik textiles and monumental acrylic paintings on canvas. Taking up painting in her 70s and devoting her final years to creating a large body of art, Kngwarray forged a path for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, women artists and Australian artists, and continues to entice audiences around the world three decades after her passing. Organised in collaboration with the National Gallery of Australia, this extensive survey will bring together over 70 works from across her short but extraordinary career. Showing many works outside Australia for the first time, the exhibition will offer European audiences a once in a lifetime chance to experienceKngwarray’s powerful paintings and vibrant legacy.
20.01.2025
William Mackrell
Exposed Tender (2024) by William Mackrell has been acquired by the Muzej-Museo Lapidarium and will be presented in their group exhibition ‘Museum as Muse’ in 2025.