Art Basel in Basel, where it was founded in 1970 by galleries from the city on the Rhine, is taking place again - as an IRL edition, ie "in real life".
The traditional fair had to be canceled in their Swiss city of birth in 2020 due to Covid-19 and, due to the ongoing pandemic, could not take place on the usual date in June this year.
It has now been announced for September 24th to 26th, with three preview days from September 21st to 23rd, which can only be visited by invitation.
Rose-Maria Gropp
Editor in the features section, responsible for the “art market”.
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According to the announcement, 273 galleries from 33 countries will be physically present in Halls 1 and 2 of Messe Basel, only seventeen fewer than in the previous edition in 2019. All known sections are to be retained: the hard core that defines the "Galleries" , with 221 exhibitors; the curated individual shows by “Feature”; the “statements” dedicated to the young artists; and also “Unlimited”, with the large-scale projects in Hall 1; plus the site-specific installations and performances in the urban space. The German, not infrequently internationally operating galleries are still strongly represented; the list of exhibitors names a good forty participants, most of them from Berlin, as well as from Cologne, Düsseldorf, Munich and Frankfurt.A fundamentally hybrid design of the show is planned, owing to the ongoing situation. For all those who cannot or do not want to travel to Basel, the digital platform "Art Basel Live", as it did at Art Basel Hong Kong in May, will present the fair in the exhibitors' online viewing rooms, in virtual tours and on social media.
Of course, the trade fair ensures that all rules according to the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health are observed. Access is only granted to those who are fully vaccinated, who can present a current negative Covid-19 test or who have fully recovered. In any case, the legendary atmosphere at the fair itself will be different this time as in the city. Art Basel has always attracted visitors, especially well-funded clients, from all over the world, who have literally stormed it, as a coveted event in the global trade fair calendar for decades. Certainly there will be fewer people arriving from the United States, even if that is possible (at least under current conditions). For South America or Russia (currently) stronger restrictions apply.
It is an ambitious undertaking that Marc Spiegler, Global Director of Art Basel, is pursuing. Despite all the virtual options, Spiegler is well aware of the urgent need for personal contact between gallery owners and collectors, of the need for everyone to finally get a physical look at art again; not only, but also for economic reasons. One can only hope that this plan can work out in Basel in September.