What not to miss at Art Basel 2015

When the number of private jets at Basel airport doubles, you know Art Basel is just around the corner. Here are the exhibitions and events you shouldn’t miss at the multibillion-dollar art extravaganza…

The galleries

Two hundred and twenty-three galleries from around the world have been announced for this year’s show, all hoping to make big deals when the doors open on Tuesday. With everything from sculpture, installations and prints, to drawings, videos and digital work, virtually every important contemporary artist will exhibit their work at Art Basel, with record prices achieved every year. We recommend downloading the UBS ‘Planet Art’ app, which will help you to keep track of the thousands of artists and hundreds of galleries.  

The sectors

While most of the art is traded in ‘established’ galleries, there are many surprises to be found at Art Basel. In the ‘Feature’ sector there will be carefully curated projects by 30 international galleries, while ‘Statements’ will give young artists a stage on which to be seen – two of them will also be awarded the Bâloise Prize. The ‘Edition’ sector will showcase leading publishers of limited works and prints, and the ever-popular ‘Unlimited’ sector will feature work that is beyond the scope of regular galleries owing to its size. ‘Parcours’ will transform the city of Basel into an open-air gallery, and the ‘Volta’ art fair will satisfy collectors with a smaller budget. 

Design Miami / Basel

For the tenth time, the collectable and furniture galleries from around the world will present their work at the Design Miami/ Basel fair, on the Rhine. For the anniversary of the American real-estate magnate and hotel king, André Balazs, ‘Design at Large’ has been curated, focusing on space-filling architecture. Among other things, there will also be a pre-fabricated fuel station by Jean Prouvé. Watch enthusiasts will want to visit the booth of Le Collection’Heure, while the vintage watch specialists will show retrospectives of the world of Gérald Genta, and the history of the Rolex Daytona, a watch famously worn by prominent figures such as Andy Warhol, David Brown and Jackie Stewart. 

The special events

Of course, Art Basel also includes countless other events, such as exclusive receptions, cocktail parties, and exhibitions scattered around the city. As one of main sponsors, BMW has also announced something special for Art Basel this year – together with Swiss designer Alfredo Häberli, it has created an installation, named ‘Perspectives in Precision and Poetry’, at the Basel restaurant, Noonh. It can be viewed by invitation only. 

The museums

Even away from the fair, the triangle at Basel is a true metropolitan region of art, as reflected in the nearby museums. At the Kunsthalle Basel, the work of American artist Vincent Fecteau will be viewable from 17 June, while the Museum Tinguely will show the work of Haroon Mirza. The Beyeler Foundation will show exhibitions about Marlene Dumas and Paul Gauguin, while the Vitra Design Museum opens with ‘Making Africa’, showcasing the design culture of the African continent. 

Photos: Classic Driver / Art Basel / Design Miami / Audemars Piguet / BMW Group / Fondation Beyeler / Vitra Design Museum / Schaulager

Art Basel takes place from 16-21 June 2015 in Basel. You can find more information at artbasel.com artbasel.com.