So you can make the most of your stay in Basel, we’ve put together a list of top fairs, exhibitions, hotels, and restaurants that you won’t want to miss.
FAIRS
1. Art Basel
Founded upon the belief that galleries are essential to the development of contemporary visual arts, Art Basel in Basel has become a premier art show—and a foremost driver in the art market. Appropriately rooted in its Galleries sector, Art Basel in Basel 2019 also offers curated exhibitions and presentations in the Features sector; solo projects in Statements; and, in Unlimited, sculpture and paintings, video projections, large-scale installations, and live performances that move beyond the traditional art fair stand.
2. Design Miami/
Now in its 14th edition, Design Miami/ Basel 2019 will comprise 42 galleries and 13 Curios, structured around collectible design and the theme “Elements: Earth.” The newly appointed curatorial director, Aric Chen, selected the concept, citing the urgency of our environmental impact as a source of inspiration: “Design and designers also help to articulate the future, and this year we want to highlight what designers are seeing as human activity continues to alter the very nature of Earth.”
3. LISTE
LISTE – Art Fair Basel leads with new discoveries. Committed to the promotion of young artists and galleries, LISTE presents the people, aesthetics, values, and media that are setting the stage. With reinvigorated interest around the new director Joanna Kamm, the fair has been designed to showcase innovative work to
its utmost advantage. Of this year’s 77 presenting galleries, 21 are showing for the first time.
EXHIBITIONS
4. Unlimited at Art Basel
Unlimited at Art Basel is presented at Messe Basel June 13–16. The program, curated by the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden’s Gianni Jetzer, invites galleries to present large-scale installations, videos, sculptures, performances, and more. This year, the program is hosting 75 monumental projects by emerging and established artists alike, including Larry Bell, Huma Bhabha, Jonathas de Andrade, Alicia Framis, Kapwani Kiwanga, Daniel Knorr, and Zoe Leonard.
5. Rudolf Stingel at Fondation Beyeler
Since the 1980s, Rudolf Stingel’s approach to painting has been conceptual and introspective. Presenting historic and new, site-specific works using carpets and Celotex insulation boards, the exhibition at the Fondation Beyeler offers Stingel’s insights on the condition and promise of painting.
6. “Geumhyung Jeong: Homemade RC Toy” at Kunsthalle Basel
At once curious and unsettling, the films, sculptures, installations, and performances of Geumhyung Jeong (b. 1980) are studies in animism. For Homemade RC Toy, the South Korean artist and choreographer focuses her attention on the relationship between the human and the machine, creating an installation comprising homemade robotic sculptures and documentation of the process of their making.
7. “William Kentridge: A Poem That Is Not Our Own” at Kunstmuseum Basel
In a career spanning more than three decades, the South African artist William Kentridge has worked in film, drawing, printmaking, stage production, and sculpture. “A Poem That Is Not Our Own” comprises early graphic art and films from the 1980s and 1990s, as well as recent experimental films—traversing three gallery floors with politically and socially engaged commentaries on migration, flight, and apartheid.
HOTELS
8. Swissôtel Le Plaza Basel
Enjoy unparalleled Swiss hospitality with the Swissôtel Le Plaza Basel’s spacious 238-room hotel. Make use of complimentary amenities, such as a morning newspaper and a mobility ticket for the duration of your stay.
9. Hotel Der Teufelhof
At Hotel Der Teufelhof Basel, visitors are situated in one of two buildings: the historic Art Hotel, which hosts nine rooms that are conceptualized as a live-in exhibition; and the modern Gallery Hotel, with 24 rooms and temporary art exhibitions organized by theme.
RESTAURANTS & BARS
10. Bar Rouge
105 meters in the air, Bar Rouge offers breathtaking views of Basel and a
multifunctional space that includes a bar, a lounge, and a nightclub. Guests can enjoy a cocktail experience where art and culture meet, providing an unforgettable atmosphere.
11. Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl
Located in the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois, Cheval Blanc is known for Chef Peter Knogl’s artfully prepared dishes. Deserving of its 19 Gault Millau points and three Michelin stars, the restaurant offers French fare full of natural ingredients, and now ranks among the top 100 restaurants in the world. Each dish is enriched with Mediterranean and Asian influences.
12. Volkshaus
The Volkshaus Basel, located in the heart of Basel at Claraplatz, offers delightful details. Guests can enjoy the 94-year-old building’s recent renovation, the Herzog & de Meuron–designed bar and brasserie, three event halls, and a tree-covered courtyard.
