1. A city fully immersed in the fair: posters, satellite exhibitions, and site-specific works complemented Art Basel itself. For example, opening the palace once inhabited by Karl Lagerfeld to the public with an outstanding decorative exhibition was one of the week's highlights.
Aerial view of the Grand Palais
2. Once again demonstrating the grandeur of the Grand Palais in all its splendor.
3. The numerous galleries, from the well-known to the lesser-known, that filled the entire surface of the Grand Palais.
4. The large crowds the fair attracted to the French capital confirmed that, even in the most adverse global economic climate, the art market never collapses.
5. The selection of artworks was outstanding, as were the prices. For example, Louise Bourgeois's spider sculpture at Hauser and Wirth sold for €38.2 million on the second day, and an oil painting by Joan Mitchell (Bergerie) fetched $16.5 million at the Pace Gallery (apparently, the buyers didn't haggle).
6. Most gallery owners addressed interested parties in English, and prices were almost always quoted in dollars.
7. Dozens of cafes and food stalls were set up on the entire upper floor of the palace, which overlooked the fair.
8. According to Art Basel records, women bought more than men.
9. Painting and photography remain the preferred choices for collectors and buyers. Sculpture and other forms of artistic expression, however, were not as popular, judging by what was on display in the galleries. Tapestry prevailed over indigenous art (as in all areas: there are fashions).
Le croupier, by George Condo (2006)
Technique: oil on canvas / Measures: 151 x 132.5 cm
Lover Comrade, by CHEN Fei (2023)
Technique: acrylic on canvas / Measures: 290 x 220 cm
Tryptic, color print on paper / Measures: 120 x 242 x 15 cm
Tapestry / Measures: 247 x 205 cm
10. A wide selection of works by established 20th-century artists, such as Egon Schiele (1890-1918) and Juan Gris (1887-1927)
Portrait of Carl Reinnighaus, by Egon Schiele (1910)
Technique: watercolor and black crayon on paper
Still Life, by Juan Gris (circa 1915)
Technique: gouache, watercolor and pencil on paper
11. Tomás Sarraceno, the Argentinian artist who was present with his work, and Lucio Fontana, who, although he spent his entire career in Italy, is another regular at international art fairs.
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