Zurich (AFP)
Art Basel, one of the largest contemporary art fairs in the world, which is held annually in June in Basel, Switzerland, announced Thursday the postponement of its 2020 edition to September due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In concert with the galleries, collectors and various partners of the event, the organizers, who had already had to suspend the version of the fair in Hong Kong scheduled for the end of March, decided to postpone the event and fix it from September 17 to 20 , they said in a statement.
The days reserved for major collectors, who usually come to jostle to shop before the fair officially opens, will be held on September 15 and 16.
The decision to postpone the event was taken so that "as many collectors, curators and art professionals can attend," the organizers said in the statement.
Art Basel, which comes each year in two other versions in Hong Kong and Miami in addition to the historic Basel fair, is one of the biggest annual events for the art market where wealthy collectors flock aboard their private jets.
"We hope that the situation will improve quickly," said Marc Spiegler, its director, quoted in the press release, adding that the organizers will continue to follow the pandemic "closely" and adapt according to its evolution.
In the immediate future, the organizers of the fair have already put online a virtual exhibition space to allow galleries to present their pieces after the cancellation of the Hong Kong edition.
Many events had to be canceled in Switzerland with restrictions to fight the pandemic, including the Geneva Motor Show and the Basel Watch and Jewelery Fair.
© 2020 AFP