by Carine Claude
It’s a reliable gauge for the art market, and this year, Art Basel turned out to be a fine vintage with plentiful sales and records galore. Above all, it confirmed the rosy health of the sector, which, at $65.1B was back to pre-Covid levels. Some 70,000 visitors flocked to see 289 exhibitors in the Messeplatz in Basel between June 14 and 19, as the event returned to cruising speed after severe disruptions since the start of the pandemic. At this reunion with collectors and institutions—300 museums turned up—the main international galleries had a ball. They set the trend from the very first hours of the event, sealing record sales, as usual, during the “VIP previews”. Hauser & Wirth, with sales of $75 M on the first day, set the bar high with a Spider by Louise Bourgeois selling for $40 M: a new record for the famous French-American sculptor. Click here to read more
