BASEL.- Art 33 Basel, the International Art Show, closed its gates on Monday, June 17. Art 33 Basel made a strong impression, confirming its po-sition as the art show and annual meeting place of the art world. This is founded on the outstanding quality of the exhibited works of art, the influx of exponents of the international art scene and its inspiration to the art market. The exhibiting galleries, the world’s press and the international public unanimously delivered positive feedback on Art 33 Basel and spoke of a successful and exciting event. The 268 exhibitors from Europe, North and Latin America, Asia and Australia said goodbye to 50,000 visitors after seven days abundant in events, discoveries and sales.



The International Art Show, Art 33 Basel, closed with outstanding results. The participants rated the 33rd staging of the show as an excellent year that at the very least matched the standard set by last year’s record-breaking show. Samuel Keller, Director of Art Basel, had the following to say about the event: "Art 33 Basel was a true festival of art. The galleries and their artists presented outstanding works and were rewarded accordingly." Despite the beautiful and hot summer weather, 50,000 art collectors, museum representatives, artists and art aficionados from around the globe visited Art 33 Basel (55,000 in 2001). Among them, 1,500 representatives of the media from all the continents gathered information on everything presently available on the international art market. The media’s great interest in Art Basel also ensured the exhibiting galleries additional attention and response from the press. The elaborately designed catalogue, which provides an extensive overview of the current international art market, was sold out on the last day of the show.



"Art Unlimited", which was launched as an experiment by Art Basel in 2000, sparked more enthusiasm than ever from experts and art lovers alike. A total of 66 outsize projects (sculptures, installations, video, murals, digital art and performances) were shown on this unique platform that is unlike any other event at which art is shown and sold. Art Basel has repeatedly boosted its status as the most important annual meeting place of the art world, in part thanks to the exhibitions mounted in museums and the many events taking place in parallel to Art 33 Basel. Great interest was also accorded to the wide selection of services available to visitors at Art 33 Basel. They included the gourmet restaurant ’Stucki’ operated by Pierre Buess of the Restaurant Bruderholz and Evelyne and Werner Martin of the Restaurant Martin in Flüh, which was fully booked almost every day, as well as the avidly used new lounge in the "Art Unlimited" hall, featuring an art bookstore, a video library, the E-Lounge and the "Art Lobby" communication platform.



Visitors

Indeed, all participants rated Art 33 Basel as an excellent year and displayed great satisfaction with the results achieved. Interest from visitors was said to be exceptional. Never before have so many important art collectors from around the globe visited Art Basel. The EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse consequently also recorded more landings and take-offs by private jets during the art show. Most hotel rooms in and around Basel were taken and restaurants reported excellent business. In addition to private collectors from every continent, virtually all the world’s important museums sent delegations to Art 33 Basel. Larger groups of collectors at Art 33 Basel came primarily from the Benelux countries, Scandinavia, France, Italy, Spain and North and Latin America. An increasing proportion of the public consisted of experts, while there were slightly fewer visitors came from the region of Basel and Southern Germany. It was pleasing that visitors to Art 33 Basel also included a particularly large number of artists. Many of them had created works for this show in particular and installed them in person. More than ever before, Art Basel is the world’s ’most international’ art event.



Statistics

Despite the beautiful and hot summer weather, some 50,000 visitors flocked to Art 33 Basel over the space of seven days (55,000 in record-breaking 2001). And despite a restrictive invitation policy, Art 33 Basel received more than 10,000 important guests on the evening of the Vernissage. Art Basel once again attracted great attention from the international media. A total of 1,500 media representatives from every continent visited the art show to gather information on the exhibits and on current developments. The Show Management and the exhibiting galleries are delighted about the huge interest shown and the response from the media.



Sales

According to a survey by the Show Management, all the exhibiting galleries succeeded in finding potential buyers for their works of art. All the participants spoke of good to excellent sales. Long-standing exhibitors rated this year’s Art Basel as one of the best in the show’s history. Excellent sales were achieved in all price categories, from works of young artists priced under CHF 2,000 to rare, museum-quality masterpieces costing millions. The interest from exhibitors was dedicated both to the Classical Moderns and to contemporary art. The outsize projects at "Art Unlimited" also received great attention from collectors. It was also pleasing that works by young artists, some of whom are still unknown, sold very well. Fears that the international art market would suffer due to the tragic events of September 11 last year and the difficult economic climate were proven wrong at Art 33 Basel. The international art market is supported to a great degree by private collectors, while most public institutions continue to have limited funds. Based on statements by many gallery owners, there was fortunately no lack of up-and-coming collectors at Art 33 Basel. Social interest in contemporary art and its precursors has risen sharply in recent years.



Art

The attending cognoscenti agreed that the quality and variety of works exhibited at Art 33 Basel was unique on a worldwide scale. The exhibiting galleries had done their utmost to present the most interesting works of art and to display them in carefully conceived exhibitions. Various booths showed thematically grouped exhibitions and one-person shows. While Art Basel has been known since day one as the most important show for the classics of modern art, it has in recent years also established itself as the world’s most important platform for contemporary art, setting standards in this area, too. This year, Art Basel attracted not only all the significant dealers in modern art, but also the leading galleries for the younger generation of artists, all of them having their most important appearance anywhere in the world at Art Basel. No other art show features so many galleries for contemporary art (approx. 200). At Art 33 Basel, the long-standing promotion of young art was also evident in the fact that many booths showed newly created works of art. Various galleries presented video works and large installations. Painting and paper works experienced a new upswing, and photography was once again much in evidence.



Sectors

The outcome of "Art Unlimited" was also highly positive. This platform was mounted for the third time, featuring works that transcend the boundaries of exhibition booths at art shows, and frequently also those set by galleries, museums and other traditional venues at which art is presented. A total of 66 projects were exhibited: large installations, video projections, outsize paintings and sculptures, installations, performances and digital art. The participating galleries and artists were enthusiastic, and the specialists and the public emphasized the quality of the exhibited works of art and the effective exhibition architecture. "Art Unlimited" is generously supported by the UBS Financial Services Group, which has been the main sponsor of Art Basel since 1994. Making its debut, was the "Art Lobby" communication platform. This featured important personalities of the international art scene and provided the interested public with a chance three times a day to ask questions. The guests included Ernst Beyeler, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Patricia Sandretto, Francesco Bonomi, Pierre Huber, Jeop van Lieshout, Skip Arnold and various important collectors from all over the world. The highlight of "Art Lobby" was surely the appearance by the internationally renowned artist Jeff Koons, who visited Art 33 on Sunday and attended the play ’Jeff Koons’ in the evening at the Stadttheater Basel.



Another crowd-puller was "Art Statements", consisting of 17 one-person shows by young artists. The participants were highly pleased with visitors’ interest for this platform, which not only produced good sales, but also an opportunity to meet important players of the worldwide art scene and attracted great interest from the media. The prize donated by the Baloise group specifically for "Art Statements" went to the Glasgow-based artist Cathy Wilkes and the American John Pilson, who each received CHF 25,000. The "Art Edition" sector, where international publishing houses presented prints and multiples, also attracted great interest from visitors. The "Art Film" sector at the Stadtkino Basel of the Kunsthalle Basel has in the meantime grown dear to the hearts of visitors. Another much-regarded feature was the open-air cinema outside the Stadtkino Basel, which was staged for the first time and featured films by and about artists.



Around Art Basel

Never before have so many exhibitions and events taken place in parallel to Art Basel. Not only the museum exhibitions in Basel, but also the cultural program in the neighboring cities are an important supplement to the art show and contribute towards its appeal. The "ArtZappening" - Basel’s large art spectacle presented outside the city theater - took place for the fourth time and attracted flocks of visitors from near and far.



Art Basel Miami Beach

The sister event of Art Basel, Art Basel Miami Beach, which is eagerly awaited by the art world, takes place for the first time from December 5 to 8, 2002 in Miami Beach, Florida. Following the postponement of the inaugural event last year due to the tragic events of September 11, the participation at this year’s Art Basel Miami Beach is even more star-studded. With 160 leading galleries from all the art metropolises, almost every important dealer in contemporary art is represented at Art Basel Miami Beach, making this new event the most significant art show on the American continent right from the outset. Art Basel Miami Beach is set to establish itself as the leading art show on the American continent and the winter meeting place of the international art world.



Outcome

Art 33 Basel once again sparked great enthusiasm from the art world. It is the most popular international meeting place for gallery owners, collectors, artists, art intermediaries and aficionados. The excellent sales results provide positive stimuli for the art market. Art Basel has confirmed its undisputed position as the leading art show in an impressive manner and justified its reputation as an art event of international acclaim. The 34th staging of Art Basel takes place from June 18 to 23, 2003.