Before the art world takes a collective vacation later this summer, there’s one last adventure: a week filled with art fairs taking place in the idyllic city of Basel, Switzerland. From top-notch galleries to veterans to newbies, an international cohort of exhibitors ensures there’s something for art lovers of all kinds. Here is the practical information to get through the last stage of the fair season.
Art Basel
June 14-18, 2023
Visitors in the Galleries section of Art Basel, 2022. Courtesy of Art Basel.
When: VIP day: Tuesday, June 13: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (by invitation only, schedule depending on the wearer’s status) | Opening (by invitation only): Wednesday, June 14: 5-8 p.m. | Public Hours: Thursday, June 15 – Sunday, June 18: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Or: Messeplatz 10, 4058 Basel
What there is to know: The week’s flagship event returns to Messeplatz, where an outdoor installation by Moroccan artist Latifa Echakhch will welcome visitors, and inside, some 285 international galleries, including 21 newcomers, will be on hand. This year, the Kabinett sector, dedicated to thematic presentations within gallery stands, makes its debut at the Basel edition with 13 projects. Outside of the fair, the Parcours section will showcase its largest array of public projects to date, with 25 scattered around the city centre.
Design Miami/Basel
June 13 to 18, 2023
Design Miami Basel 2022. Photo: James Harris.
When: VIP opening: Monday June 12, 6-8 p.m. Public hours: Tuesday June 13 and Wednesday June 14, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; from Thursday June 15 to Saturday June 17, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday June 18, 11am-6pm
Or: Hall 1 South, Messe Basel
What there is to know: The 17th edition of the fair brings together 26 galleries presenting collection creations in an intimate setting that provides much-needed breathing space to the vast main exhibition. Don’t miss Galerie Patrick Seguin’s presentation of design icon Jean Prouvé’s works at one end of the spectrum, and Friedman Benda’s exploration of 80 years of contemporary design through the lens of ten visionary designers, titled “Iconoclasts and Icons,” on the other.
List
June 12 to 18, 2023
List in Basel. Photo: Daniel Spehr. Courtesy list – Art Fair Basel.
When: VIP preview: Monday June 12, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Public hours: Monday June 12, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.; From Tuesday June 13 to Saturday June 17, from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday June 18; 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Or: Messe Basel, Hall 1.1 Maulbeerstrasse / corner Riehenring 113, 4058 Basel
What there is to know: THE beloved upstart satellite lounge returns this year with 88 galleries, including 20 newcomers, from 35 countries. Special mentions include Jakarta’s ROH and Bangkok’s Nova projects, which are returning after pandemic-related delays; and The Naked Room and Voloshyn from kyiv, as well as the Ukrainian collective Understructures, which exhibited last year as part of a solidarity program. After years of artists who “seemed to have taken on inward gazes,” fair director Joanna Kamm said, “we are seeing a reversal in outward gazes.” She noted that “immersive installations, time-based media, AI, and computer-generated imagery” will all be on display, along with “strong positions in painting and photography.”
June Art Fair
June 12 to 18, 2023
Nathaniel Mellors and Erkka-Nissinen presented at June in Basel by Ellen de Bruijne Projects and Stigter van Doesburg.
When: VIP preview: Monday, June 12, 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Public hours: Tuesday, June 13 to Saturday, June 17, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday June 18, 11am-5pm
Or: Riehenstrasse 90B, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
What there is to know: This free art fair (!) was conceived as a gallery-led enterprise that offers an “alternative, cross-generational and fair experience” to the biggest events on Messeplatz. Taking place in a former concrete bunker revamped by the architects Herzog & de Meuron, the fair without stand give every presentation ample room to breathe without worrying about cramped partitions or being relegated to a dead end by the bathroom.
Volta
June 12 to 18, 2023
Visitors at Volta in Basel. Courtesy of Volta.
When: VIP preview: Monday June 12, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Public hours: Monday June 12, 2 p.m.-8 p.m.; From Tuesday June 13 to Saturday June 17, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday June 18, 11am-5pm
Or: 610 Klybeck, Gärtnerstrasse 2, Basel 4057
What there is to know: This year’s Volta opens a new venue, an “architectural gem” designed by architects Suter + Suter in the heart of the Klybeck district, just a five-minute shuttle ride (provided to visitors every 30 minutes) or a 20-minute walk from the Messeplatz. The collaborative enterprise offers a curated selection of 30 galleries from around the world. The fair’s name comes from the Italian word for “turn,” according to the website, which also notes that “in a sonnet, a volta is a rhetorical shift or dramatic turn of thought, argument, or emotion”. Perhaps this year’s edition will spark some exciting pivots.
Pictures Basel
June 13 to 18, 2023
Visitors at Photo Basel in 2022. Courtesy of Photo Basel.
When: From Tuesday June 13 to Saturday June 17, from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, June 18, 12 p.m.-6 p.m.
Or: Volkshaus Basel, Rebgasse 12-14
What there is to know: The small fair, the only one dedicated to photography on the program, returns this year to Switzerland for a new edition. A self-proclaimed ‘family organization’, the event prides itself on bringing a wide range of photographic works to visitors. Special exhibitions include a presentation of the work of the late Swiss photographer Alex Kayser, curated by Galerie Esther Woerdehoff in collaboration with the Alex Kayser Foundation, and “Pure Photography: 20th-Century Floral Masterworks”, presented by the WBB Gallery and featuring works of American photographers spanning 100 years.
Follow Artnet News on Facebook:
Want to stay one step ahead of the art world? Subscribe to our newsletter to receive breaking news, revealing interviews and incisive reviews that move the conversation forward.
