The 2024 edition of Art Basel, held from June 13th to June 16th in the vibrant city of Basel, Switzerland, attracted more than 91’000 international art collectors, galleries, artists, institutions, and enthusiasts. As one of the most prestigious events on the art market calendar, this year’s fair was curated with a fresh vision under the leadership of Maike Cruse. Hosting 285 top contemporary and modern art galleries and featuring an expanded city-wide program that included Parcours, the Merian, and the Messeplatz project, Art Basel 2024 was a blend of intimate gallery showcases, monumental installations, and pioneering digital art.
Editor’s Choice
Zepelín de Acero, Julio Le Parc, 2021. Galleria Continua © Photo by Stéphanie Courtines
- Contemporary Art: Landau Fine Art, Cardi, and Applicat-Prazan Gallery returned, presenting remarkable works by celebrated artists: Wassily Kandinsky’s Murnau mit Kirche II (1910), Pierre Soulages’ Peinture 162×181 cm, 15 février 2005 (2005), André Derain’s Londres: Le Quai Victoria (1906–07) and Jean Helion’s Abstraction (1935).
- Modern Art: David Zwirner, Thaddaeus Ropac, and Perrotin displayed diversity and beauty with Kerry James Marshall’s Untitled (Landscape) (2018), Tony Cragg’s Untitled (2023), and Jean-Michel Othoniel’s Passiflora (2023).
- Coup de Coeur: The New Yorker James Cohan presented visionary artists, such as Yinka Shonibare, Kelly Sinnapah Mary, and Josiah Mcelheny, while Kukje Gallery brought up the Korean art scene with Park Seo-Bo, Lee Ufan, and Ha Chong-Hyun.
Sector Highlights
Aspiring to Pumpkin’s Love, the Love in My Heart, Yayoi Kusama, 2023. David Zwirner © Photo by Stéphanie Courtines
- Messeplatz: With Honoring Wheatfield — A Confrontation (2024), Agnes Denes reimagined her iconic land art work originally grown in Battery Park in 1982. Her transformative installation will stay on view at Messeplatz until its summer harvest.
- Unlimited: Curated for the fourth time by Giovanni Carmine, this unique large-scale sector was filled with breathtaking and historical works, including Mario Ceroli’s Progetto per la Pace (1968) at Cardi, Julio Le Parc’s Zepelín de Acero (2021) at Galleria Continua and Chiharu Shiota’s The Extended Line (2023–2024) at Templon.
- Parcours: Stefanie Hessler, Director of the Swiss Institute (SI) New York, imagined 22 site-specific installations and performances throughout Basel, including Lap-See Lam’s combination of traditional Chinese shadow play and digital animation (Galerie Nordenhake).
Key Sales
- Top Sale: Joan Mitchell’s Sunflowers (1990–91) fetched a stunning $20 million at David Zwirner.
- Top Gallery: Hauser & Wirth, who have just opened their new gallery in Basel, reported four eight-figure sales during the fair, including Arshile Gorky’s Gray Drawing for Pastoral (1946–47) for $16 million and Georgia O’Keeffe’s Sky with Moon (1966) for $13.5 million.
- Emerging Trends: Works by Julie Mehretu and Yayoi Kusama continued to captivate collectors, with Untitled 2 (1999) sold for $6.75 million by White Cube and Aspiring to Pumpkin’s Love, the Love in My Heart sold for $5 million by David Zwirner.
Senior Director, Gagosian, Serena Cattaneo Adorno:
“This year’s Art Basel attracted exceptional worldwide collectors, and the fair’s careful curation of the Unlimited section echoed their interest in important historical artworks, which puts an accent on the health of the art market globally.”
Despite a complex market landscape, Art Basel 2024 again reaffirmed its status as Europe’s premier art fair. Strong sales, high attendance, and dynamic artistic expressions highlighted its importance. This year’s curation fostered a rich dialogue between galleries and visitors, showcased a high-quality and diverse Unlimited sector, offered an expanded city-wide program, and featured a rich mix of emerging and established artists. We did appreciate the focus on new media and digital art. As Art Basel 2024 concluded, it left a lasting impression, reinforcing its role as a barometer for current and future art market trends.
Up Next: Paris+ par Art Basel returns to the newly renovated Grand Palais from October 18–20, 2024.
