By Giorgio Guglielmino
BASEL. There is no doubt that the Basel Fair, which this year was held from June 17-22, remains the most important event for contemporary art in the world, and for now does not fear the fierce competition of the Frieze Fairs system (London, New York, Seoul).
However, this year’s edition turned out to be slightly subdued compared to the past years. The galleries — perhaps with an eye on the international geopolitical situation that causes so much concern in Europe — presented booths that were generally more smooth, less glittering, with works that were more reassuring than provocative. There were obvious exceptions and one of the most interesting works in the entire fair was a large work by Barbara Kruger dedicated to war, sold by Spruth Magers on the first day for more than a million euros.
Masterpieces were not lacking in the booths of mega galleries, from Gagosian to Zwirner, to Hauser & Wirth, which in the nearby city of Zurich presented a real gem in parallel to the Fair: an exhibition that combined works by Mark Rothko and Robert Ryman. What a treat!
Even the part titled “Unlimited” dedicated to large installations could perhaps have been curated with more attention, even if a couple of installations stood out for their intensity over the others: a large igloo by Mario Merz and a spiral sculpture that descended from the ceiling by Australian artist Taloi Havini presented by the Silverlens Gallery of Manila. The gallery of Isa Lorenzo and Rachel Rillo also hosted works by Patricia Perez Eustaquio in its booth and was present in the exhibition scattered around the city called “Parcours” with a video work by Martha Atienza.
It is certainly worth noting the increased presence of Asian collectors, from China and Japan, but also from Thailand and with some important names even from the Philippines. But the Basel fair is not an event exclusively for collectors.
I would like to be able to convince enthusiasts and artists, both established and young at the beginning of their careers, to visit the Basel Art Fair, which with its 300 galleries represents a true museum of contemporary art, more significant and varied than many institutions with bombastic names. Of course, it is not easy or cheap to visit Switzerland, but if you are organizing a trip to Europe, it is certainly worth stopping by Basel during the days of the fair.
Those who have the opportunity should not miss a visit also to the Beyeler Foundation in the outskirts of the city, reachable in 20 minutes by tram from the Fair square. The former director of an Italian museum describes the Beyeler as a little piece of paradise and she is not wrong.
Surrounded by greenery, the Beyeler Foundation is an architectural jewel and presents works of extraordinary quality. This year there was a large room that hosted only paintings by Picasso. I did not count them but there must have been at least forty. To digest so much beauty, all that remains is to sit at an outdoor table in the delightful restaurant where this year, by pure chance, they made me share a table with the Filipino collector Marcel Crespo.
I am convinced that the 2026 edition will treasure the little things that could have been improved this year. I hope that the Asian presence continues to grow and, who knows, perhaps other Filipino galleries could try to appear in the competitive but irresistibly fascinating scenario of Basel.
