Photo Basel 2024, everything you need to know.

This year the 9th edition of Photo Basel announces the participation of 41 galleries coming from 15 different countries and a number of special programs along the fair

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Photo Basel is announcing its 9th edition, taking place next week from the 10th to the 16th of June. It is the only international art fair dedicated to photography taking place in Switzerland. Photo Basel brings together different galleries from around the world in an international and dynamic setting being an integrating and hybrid platform connecting all the actors of the art world. The fair takes place on-line as well, attracting a major public offline as well. The fair aims to contribute to the dialogue between actors and make the art of photography even more accessible. To achieve this, Photo Basel has organized a varied program alongside the fair, having this year 41 galleries participating. 

Since 2016 the fair has been located in Art Basel, near the compound of Volkshaus Basel, a building renovated by the Swiss architect Herzog & de Meuron.

Jorge Llacay, MI NORTE. Courtesy of Imaginario Art Gallery

This 9th edition sees 41 galleries participating coming from 15 different countries. On show there are 450 photographic art works by 150 different artists. This year Photo Basel is welcoming a number of new galleries, among them: Anita Beckers (Frankfurt am Main), Doyle Wham (London), In The Gallery (Copenhagen & Palma de Mallorca), inside-out gallery (Brussels), nüüd.gallery (Berlin), POLARWIND (Zürich), SmithDavidson Gallery(Amsterdam, Mexico City & Miami), N.Smith Gallery (Paddington/Australia) AN INC. (Seoul) as well as Window Fourteen (Geneva). The only Italian presence being Red Lab Gallery, based in Milan.

Michael Wolf, Corner House #20, Hong Kong. Courtesy of Buchkunst Berlin

Alongside the fair, Photo Basel is hosting a program that has the mission to amplify the appreciation and understanding of photography. Some of the special exhibitions are: Beyond Photography, Spotlight Africa, Novum and Zero Photography. 

Beyond Photography has been celebrated for the first time in 2023. This section is a curated section of photographic positions that go far beyond photography including various mixing techniques, special printing techniques or a shift from the two dimensional to the three dimensional sphere. Beyond Photography is dedicated to the numerous approaches that contribute to an expansion of the medium of photography. Spotlight Africa is dedicated to the African artist, as four galleries are exhibiting only artists coming from Africa. Therefore, the artists have been promoted with a special position in the form of their own sector. They promote an intercultural dialogue and their photographs function as an important instrument of self- expression. This section includes works from documentary photography to abstract one offering new perspectives and visions about the richness and diversity of the African continent.

Lee Ann, Olwage Rahab. Courtesy of The Bridge Gallery.

The Novum section is a new section created this year. This section shows works never shown before. They can be completely new works created for Photo Basel specifically or works that did not have the possibility to be shown until now. What these works have in common is that they will be shown to the public for the very first time during the fair, and can only be seen taking a walk around Photo Basel.