Art Basel Will Cluster ‘Premier Historical Material’ at This Year’s Fair

The grand Basel, Switzerland edition of the Art Basel fairs opens in just two weeks, and today its organizers announced that it has reconfigured its layout so that dozens of galleries showing work that dates from 1900 to 1970 will be grouped together on the lower floor of Hall 2 of the Herzog & de Meuron–designed convention center. Some 57 galleries in that area “have changed position,” according to a news release, “creating the biggest floorplan change in Basel since 2006.”

In a world filled to the brim with contemporary art fairs, Art Basel seems to be attempting to underscore the fact that it features more fine historical fare than many of its competitors. “At a time when material from the first half of the past century and after has become ever-rarer,” Basel said the release, “the exhibiting galleries will again bring material of high quality to present to Art Basel’s audience of connoisseur collectors from all over the world.”