Art Basel
THE OLYMPICS OF THE ART WORLD
How many art-related activities could you squeeze in if given just one week? During the summer in the culturally rich city of Basel, Switzerland, you can find thousands of artists, curators, collectors, and lovers of modern and contemporary art jetting between the activities and exhibitions of the Art Basel, the four- to six-day premier world art fair since 1970.
Miami Art Basel takes over the city of Miami every year in December.
Founded by a group of Swiss gallerists, Art Basel has since grown to include exhibition spaces for 300 galleries from around the world. Works by emerging artists costing a few thousand dollars sit next to million-dollar museum quality pieces in adjoining display booths; the Art Basel art-fair market functions as the great leveler. Deemed the “Olympics of the Art World” because of its all-encompassing reputation, the art fair also includes performances, public art installations, book signings, and lectures by curators and participating artists scattered throughout the city’s concert halls, outdoor areas, museums, and theaters.
Art Basel Miami is the American counterpart to the Swiss fair, occurring every year in Florida. Similar to its European cousin, the exhibitions, installations, and art festivities of Art Basel Miami take over the city’s convention center, outdoor parks, hotels, and even the famed South Beach. The sheer spectacle of thousands of people converging on one site to see, think about, and buy art is truly a sight to behold! —SBR