Art Basel in Basel 2025 concludes successfully in its 55th edition

Marking 55 years of Art Basel, the fair concluded with strong sales across all segments, consolidating its position as the leading event in the global art market.

The highly anticipated 2025 edition of Art Basel featured 289 leading international galleries from 42 countries and territories, reaffirming its role as a platform for discovery and connection, and as a driving force in the world of contemporary art.

The fair attracted a total attendance of 88,000 visitors during its preview and public days.

Maike Cruse, Director of Art Basel in Basel, stated: “This year’s edition demonstrated the strength, resilience, and international reach of the global art market. We were pleased to welcome collectors, curators, and art lovers from around the world, and to witness strong presentations across all sectors of the fair. The energy in the halls and throughout the city was a powerful reminder of Basel’s role as a cultural meeting point and a catalyst for artistic exchange.”

Christl Novakovic, Head of UBS Global Wealth Management EMEA and Chair of the UBS Art Board, noted: “Art Basel in Basel ignites the global art world as a vital meeting point. UBS has been an enthusiastic partner of Art Basel for over 30 years. We can immerse ourselves in dynamic environments, fresh perspectives, and creative forces that shape our world. We need the dialogue, curiosity, and connection that Art Basel provides more than ever. This year, UBS once again created spaces where art engages and inspires, both...

Private collectors and patrons from over 96 countries and territories, including Switzerland, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Belgium, China, the Netherlands, and Spain attended the event. Additional visitors came from countries such as Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Chile, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.

More than 250 representatives from world-class museums and foundations visited the fair, including Centre Pompidou (France), MoMA and MoMA PS1 (USA), Museo Jumex (Mexico), MALBA (Argentina), M+ Museum (Hong Kong), Tate (UK), Tel Aviv Museum of Art (Israel), Zeitz MOCAA (South Africa), among others.

Exhibitors reported strong sales across all market segments, including works by David Hockney, Ruth Asawa, Gerhard Richter, Keith Haring, and Mark Bradford. Institutional acquisitions of works by artists such as Cecilia Vicuña, Loie Hollowell, and Alina Szapocznikow were also notable.

German artist Katharina Grosse transformed Messeplatz with her piece CHOIR (2025), her largest work to date in an urban environment, covering more than 5,000 sqm. Curated by Natalia Grabowska, the installation used magenta as the primary color due to its high visibility in outdoor settings.

Unlimited, Art Basel’s platform for large-scale installations and performances, returned with nearly 70 works selected by Giovanni Carmine. Highlights included works by Andrea Büttner, Atelier Van Lieshout, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Marinella Senatore, Thomas Schütte, and the Cairo-based collective nasa4nasa. Unlimited Night with extended hours took place on Thursday, June 19.

Parcours, the public sector curated by Stefanie Hessler, explored the theme Second Nature with site-specific works along Clarastrasse. Installations by Hylozoic/Desires, Selma Selman, Sturtevant, Shahryar Nashat, and others were featured.

The Art Basel Awards debuted, honoring 36 medalists during a ceremony at Rathaus Basel. The Koyo Kouoh Fellowship was presented in collaboration with RAW Material Company to support one African art professional each year for three years. On June 20, the first Art Basel Awards Summit took place, free and open to the public.

The 2025 Art Basel Shop offered exclusive limited editions and collaborations, including a capsule collection by Katharina Grosse, hand-painted footballs, works by Daniel Arsham and Amoako Boafo, and a collectible poster by Sasha Stiles.

Exhibitions in Basel’s institutions enriched the cultural program, with presentations at Fondation Beyeler, Kunstmuseum Basel, Kunsthalle Basel, Schaulager, among others. Liste Art Fair Basel celebrated its 30th anniversary, and Basel Social Club held its fourth edition.