The world of contemporary art would be incomplete without Art Basel. This fall, one of the most grandiose and influential art fairs in the world made a return to the industry after a long coronavirus pause. Art Basel 2021 joined together 272 galleries from 33 countries. A variety of contemporary masterpieces, large-scale installations, NFT art, and incredible art projects gathered around 60,000 visitors between September 21-26. At Fine Art Shippers, we were on cloud nine to be part of such a massive show.
Art Basel 2021: A Quick Overview of an International Art Fair
Art Basel is an international art fair traditionally taking place at the exhibition center Messe Basel in Basel, Switzerland. This year, the venue bristled with unique booths representing art galleries and museums from all around the world. As a matter of fact, Art Basel spent CHF 1.5 million solidarity fund to minimize the financial risks of participating institutions that took part in the fair.
Art Basel 2021 turned out to be a considerable success. A lot of hungry European and Asian art collectors gathered together in expectation of world-class fine art. People were so glad to see art in person again that the fair reported bustling sales in the end. Among the highlights were Robert Rauschenberg’s “Rollings (Salvage)” sold for $4.5 million, Keith Haring’s untitled painting estimated at $5 million–$5.5 million, and Philip Guston’s “The Poet” with the price at $6.5 million.
Unlimited, Art Basel’s one-of-a-kind platform for large-scale projects, deserves a special mention. The area feels like an exhibition hall for giant people since it features monumental art installations, large paintings, and vast photographic series. If you plan to visit Art Basel in the future, we highly recommend visiting this particular section.
Art Basel 2021 was a whole discovery for Fine Art Shippers. Despite the struggles of the time, the art fair managed to uphold its own traditions and take a step forward.