Since its inception in 1970, Art Basel has become one of the world's most prestigious art events. Held every June in Basel, Switzerland, the commercial fair hosts almost 300 galleries dealing in blue-chip Modern and postwar art as well as those with cutting-edge contemporary art.
The fair's inclusion of curated sections such as Art Statements, which provides young galleries the opportunity to present individual emerging artists, and Art Unlimited, featuring large-scale video, sculptural and installation projects, has blurred the lines between trade show and international art survey, creating a model that is now widely copied.
In December 2002, Art Basel added a sister fair, Art Basel Miami Beach (ABMB), which expanded its influence in the Americas. Marc Spiegler, codirector of Art Basel and Art Basel Miami Beach, was in Tokyo recently to give a presentation for the Mori Art Museum's MAM Art Course lecture series. The Japan Times caught up with Spiegler to discuss the current state of the contemporary art market.