Art Basel 2025
Courtesy of Sofia Hartmann
Courtesy of Historyhd
Courtesy of Mick De Paola
Courtesy of the artist (c) VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2025. Photography by Jens Ziehe.
Courtesy of Yasamine June
Courtesy of Rawisara Prachaksubhanit
Courtesy of Mariia Dred for Berlin Fashion Week
Courtesy of Michael Fousert
Courtesy of Raden Prasetya
Courtesy of Antonia Tewes
Courtesy of Antonia Tewes
Courtesy of Carlo Bazzo
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rt Basel, the world's leading fair for modern and contemporary art ran June 17–22, 2025 (including two preview days) at Messe Basel. The fair attracted about 88,000 visitors, slightly fewer than 2024’s 91,000. It featured 289 leading galleries from 42 countries, including 19 galleries exhibiting for the first time from Europe, Asia, and the Americas. UBS remained the Global Lead Partner of Art Basel.
New Sectors and Special Presentations
Art Basel 2025 introduced a new Premiere section for cutting‑edge work (made in the past five years). This sector featured 10 galleries, including two first-timers (London’s Edel Assanti and Tokyo’s Kosaku Kanechika). It aimed to highlight bold contemporary projects by up to three artists per gallery.
Curated by Stefanie Hessler (Director of Swiss Institute New York), Parcours presented 20+ site-specific works exploring blurred boundaries between nature and artifice. The exhibition stretched through downtown Basel (along Clarastrasse to the Rhine and the Merian gardens). Artists examined habits, rituals and technology in contemporary life under the theme “Second Nature”.
Curated by Giovanni Carmine (Director, Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen), the Unlimited sector again showcased large-scale installations and performances. It featured roughly 70 monumental works across all media, continuing Art Basel’s tradition of a dedicated space for oversized and ambitious projects.
The Kabinett sector (now in its 3rd edition) returned, allowing galleries to create specially curated installations within their booths.
A major installation by Katharina Grosse transformed the fair’s outdoor entrance. Using her signature spray-gun technique, Grosse covered the Messeplatz and surrounding façades with vibrant, chromatic paint. (This immersive work was curated by Natalia Grabowska from London’s Serpentine Gallery.)
Notable Sales and Artworks
Several high-profile sales were reported (participating galleries do not always disclose exact prices). Leading transactions included:
A David Hockney painting (Mid November Tunnel, 2006) sold by Annely Juda Fine Art for $13–17 million.
A Ruth Asawa sculpture sold by David Zwirner for $9.5 million, and a Gerhard Richter painting (undisclosed title) for $6.8 million, also via David Zwirner.
Hauser & Wirth reported selling two new Mark Bradford paintings (2025) for $3.5 million each.
Other seven-figure sales included works by George Condo (2025, $2.45M) and Agnes Martin’s 2002 Untitled #5 (over $4M, sold privately via Pace).
Organizers noted that while results were strong across segments, prices were more moderate than the market highs of 2022. (For example, a Louise Bourgeois sculpture fetched $40M at Art Basel 2022.) Noah Horowitz (Art Basel’s Managing Director) described the current market as “more moderate” yet still active in major deals.
The 26th Baloise Art Prize (CHF 30,000 each) was awarded to Joyce Joumaa and Rhea Dillons. The winners were selected by an international jury (chaired by Karola Kraus, Mumok Vienna) and exhibited in the Statements sector at Art Basel. As part of the prize, Baloise purchased works by both artists for donation to Europe’s MMK (Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt) and MUDAM (Luxembourg).
Art Basel Awards and Summit
Art Basel 2025 debuted the Art Basel Awards, a new global honors program co-presented by fashion brand HUGO BOSS. Thirty-six “Medalists” were announced, spanning categories such as Icon, Established, Emerging (artists), Patrons, Institutions, Curators, etc. Notable names included Lubaina Himid, Adrian Piper, Meriem Bennani, Grace Wales Bonner, and others. On June 20, these laureates headline the inaugural Art Basel Awards Summit, a new day-long conference at Messe Basel bringing together influential figures across art and creative industries.
Media Reception and Market Context
Coverage of Art Basel 2025 emphasized solid sales even as the fair opened with a more measured pace than past peak years. A Swiss news report noted that galleries “reported strong sales” across market segments, while organizers praised the fair’s continued international draw. At the same time, commentators observed that opening-day crowds were steadier and older than in past decades, reflecting generational shifts in collecting habits. Market experts characterized the current period as a “correction” after previous booms.
In summary, Art Basel 2025 as a well‑attended fair with usual top-tier galleries and brisk high-end sales, tempered by broader market caution.
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