Art fireworks in Basel: Art Basel 2025 enchants with masterpieces!

Art fireworks in Basel: Art Basel 2025 enchants with masterpieces!

On June 22, 2025, Basel will once again be transformed into a land of milk and honey for art lovers Art Basel, one of the largest and most renowned art fairs in the world, opens its doors. Over 270 galleries from 33 countries show their masterpieces on this renowned platform. Since its founding in 1970, the fair has become the Olympics of the art world and continues to be seen as a catalyst for the art scene.

This year, the highlight of the event is the monumental work of art “Choir” by Katharina Grosse, which transforms the exhibition center into an oversized play of colors. In keeping with the tradition of ephemeral art, this walk-in color landscape will no longer be there after the fair. Art critic Elke Buhr also raves about Danh Vo's work, which depicts the American flag in firewood. The trade fair shows once again that it pushes creative boundaries and creates space for new ideas.

Artistic diversity and challenges

The “Unlimited” section of Art Basel is like a huge playground for oversized works of art that have difficulty finding space in the traditional trade fair landscape. However, amidst this diversity, the art market faces challenges. A recent market report by Clare McAndrew highlights that the art market collapsed by 12 percent in 2022. Sales above ten million dollars remain rare, particularly in the upper price segment, which reflects the uncertainty in the market.

In this tense situation, gallery owners like David Zwirner show that it is still possible to do big business by selling a work by Gerhard Richter for a seven-figure sum. Judy Lybke also sold a painting by Neo Rauch for 360,000 euros and also focuses on emerging artists. As Lybke himself emphasizes, a lot of it is about stories and the relationship with buyers, which are fundamental in times of economic uncertainty.

Course and the revival of Basel's art scene

But Art Basel doesn't just have commercial aspects - it also focuses on social cohesion in the art community. The free exhibition course, which stretches through the city, transforms empty shops and everyday spaces into spaces for contemporary art. Under the curatorial direction of Stefanie Hessler, director of the Swiss Institute in New York, the exhibition focuses on “Second Nature” and questions the boundaries between life and the living.

With 21 installed works of art that spill over Clarastrasse to Münsterplatz, she includes the city and its history in the exhibition. Selma Selman is showing an installation in the Clara Church, while Thomas Bayrle is presenting a functional shop in the Manor department store. These initiatives create an atmospheric arc that encourages audiences to think about the relationship between art and everyday life.

Art Basel 2025 promises to once again be a celebration of creativity and reflection. It remains not only a place for buying and selling, but also a platform for cultural exchange and addressing social issues.