Art Basel 2025
Art Basel 2025 opened with strong preview-day sales, surprising many galleries after a tough year in the art market. Dealers reported a 'buyer's market' with price reductions and flexibility, while high-priced works by Jeff Koons, Michael Armitage, Adrian Ghenie, and Frank Bowling sold. The fair introduced a new section called Premiere for works made in the past five years, aimed at easing participation for small to mid-sized galleries. Satellite fairs including Africa Basel, Liste, Volta, and Maze Design Basel also launched or celebrated anniversaries. Other highlights include the Baloise Art Prize awarded to Rhea Dillon and Joyce Joumaa, a Holbein drawings rehang at Kunstmuseum Basel, and a visa denial for artist Richard Mudariki. Qatar took center stage ahead of a new fair in 2026, and limited-edition Labubu figurines caused a frenzy at the Art Basel Shop.


