The news has already been in the air for several weeks and, finally, it's official: the traditional edition of Art Basel in June, which is unanimously considered the most important contemporary art fair in the world, will take place in September, due to the unprecedented impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Art Basel will open on 17 September 2020, with a preview on 15 and 16 September. This edition is the last resort for the fair, considering that the Hong Kong edition has already been cancelled, while Art Basel Miami Beach will take place as scheduled, from 3 to 5 December 2020.
The decision to postpone the fair was made by the Art Basel board together with several gallery owners, collectors and partners, and also with the support of external consultants, «with the aim of protecting the health and safety of our community from the Covid-19 danger» press release. «We thank our galleries for their support and for understanding the reasons that led us to make the difficult decision to move the fair. We hope that this situation can improve rapidly and we will work closely with exhibitors to create a successful fair in September. At the same time, we are all concerned and will continue to monitor developments in the Covid-19 epidemic closely, adapting our plans to changing circumstances» said Marc Spiegler, Global Director of Art Basel.
In the meantime, Art Basel will continue to invest in improving the new digital platform, to support the work of the galleries also in the future.