Kobel's Art Weekly

Kobel's Art Weekly 26 2025

Art Basel in Basel reported 88,000 visitors for this difficult year, 3,000 fewer than in 2024. It was not only Americans who skipped the most important event in the art fair calendar.

Almost everything was as usual at Art Basel, reports Ursula Scheer in the FAZ on 21 June: "Even though the world's leading company also has events in Hong Kong, Miami Beach, Paris and soon in Qatar, the fair on the Upper Rhine is still the flagship with the highest density of internationally renowned galleries and the best, most expensive works of art: a feast for art lovers and a must-attend event for museum directors, curators, art consultants and ambitious collectors, especially those travelling from Europe, America and Asia – including, this time, celebrities such as actor James Franco. […] Nevertheless, there is no sign of a generally subdued mood. One can get used to ongoing political and economic uncertainty; the show must go on, and there is still enough money around.

Scott Reyburn of the New York Times (subscription) did not come away with such a positive impression of the latest edition of the fair: ‘For some visitors, however, this year's edition was noticeably short on innovation, risk and shock value. ’As a collector looking for works that take me out of my comfort zone, Art Basel seemed too safe to me,‘ said Brussels-based collector Alain Servais. ’It also felt like the quietest opening day in terms of attendance for my 28th participation."[...] Having already bought the work they wanted online, was there any need to travel to Basel, with its overpriced accommodation and underwhelming shopping and food scene? ‘People come to Basel for the art, not for the hotels or the lifestyle,’ said London-based adviser Bona Montagu. ‘Collectors who enjoy the lifestyle and the museums are going to Paris.’

Zachary Small also looks at the circumstances surrounding Art Basel in the New York Times (subscription): “But the greatest effect on the ultrawealthy who come to one of the world’s most important fairs for contemporary and modern art is the uncertainty around the threat of tariffs and the weakening of the dollar, according to interviews with more than a dozen art specialists. There were few major American collectors seen at the art fair's previews on Tuesday, and several of Basel's luxury hotels had rare vacancies that suggested smaller audiences and a growing regionalism in the art market."

Jens Müller picked up mixed signals for the Tagesspiegel (paywall possible): ‘While Sprüth Magers is completely satisfied with its sales at the fair, Berlin gallery owner Mehdi Chouakri complains about the somewhat “restrained” demand and the overly “pleasing” (painting-dominated) displays at this year's Art Basel.’ Marcus Woeller refers to the cost-benefit ratio for exhibitors in the 22 June edition of WeLT: "Although employees of the Gagosian Gallery, one of the big four in the industry, were already spreading optimism before the official opening of the fair last Tuesday, whispering of transactions already concluded and the initiation of a sale in the eight-figure range (probably a painting by Cy Twombly from the period when the artist was just discovering his love for Rome), some gallery owners are likely to find it difficult this year to see view Basel as a great art extravaganza. Given the high costs, which amount to around 30,000 euros in rent even for a small 30-square-metre booth, and the increased costs for transport and accommodation, significant sales must be achieved in the few days of the fair. But if there is one thing that characterises the industry, it is its optimism and willingness to celebrate."

Christof Habres ends his report on the fair with a warning to Parnass readers: "Even if the opening days of Art Basel were marked by good sales, difficult times mean that pressing questions still need to be answered by Messe Schweiz, Art Basel's parent company. These questions concern not only the locations in Basel and Paris, but also, of course, the new edition of the art fair in Doha. Art Basel Qatar will take place for the first time in February 2026 and may well be a bellwether for the global art trade. As was evident in many conversations, it may well be that the centres of the art market are shifting noticeably away from Europe and the USA and that Seoul, Hong Kong or even Doha are moving into the spotlight. These are countries and cities where trade is still flourishing, as a Viennese gallery owner emphasised. This then makes the question of whether Basel or Paris will remain a secondary venue irrelevant. I attended the main fair on behalf of Handelsblatt and Artmagazine.

Christiane Meixner took a look at the new addition, Africa Basel, for the Tagesspiegel: "It is housed in the Ackermannshof and has Benjamin Füglister, an expert in contemporary African art, on board as co-founder. The curatorial advisory board also includes important representatives of the scene, including Azu Nwagbogu, who founded the African Artists' Foundation and curates the LagosPhoto Festival. The number of participants is limited to 20, but there is still a lot to see at the stands. [...] It is too early to say whether the premiere will be a financial success, but it is certainly enriching, even in art-saturated Basel." Armelle Malvoision visited the small design fair Maze in a church for the Quotidien de l'Art on 18 June: "With a vernissage on Sunday evening (the day before the VIP opening of Art Basel Unlimited) and a collectors' dinner on Monday evening, Maze has found its niche and kept the cost of a stand to less than half the cost in Miami/Basel, thanks mainly to sponsorship from Swiss watchmaker F.P. Journe. Even though everyone wants to be back next year, some think that in the long run, the location will have to change in order to grow. In the meantime, “we will extend the fair until Wednesday evening and add a few exhibitors, either on the mezzanine or in a tent on the church forecourt,” suggested Thomas Hug." I visited several satellite exhibitions for Artmagazine.

Farah Nayeri researched what Art Basel reveals about the development of the art market for the New York Times (subscription): "As the fairs get underway, art professionals are seeing shifts in collecting patterns. Frenzied speculation on hot young artists — which had bolstered the market just before the pandemic — is over, dealers say. And the next generation of high-end collectors is less keen on art than on experiences, watches, wines, vintage handbags and limited-edition sneakers, raising a question: Does art collecting have a future? What is beyond question is that it has changed significantly in recent decades."

And finally, a bit of chronicler's duty: ‘Preliminary insolvency proceedings have been initiated against the owner of the renowned Munich porcelain shop Röbbig,’ reports Sabine Spindler at WELTKUNST.