Following the latest COVID-19 regulations in Switzerland, the fair sends letter to exhibitors acknowledging lack of clarity; promises update
Art Basel’s September 2020 fair has been thrown into further doubt, following the latest set of COVID-19-related regulations issued by the Swiss authorities. On Wednesday, Switzerland announced that it would lift some restrictions on public life and relax travel within the Schengen Area by 6 July, as well as allow larger gatherings of people (up to 30) from the end of May. But while further measures to reopen institutions such as theatres and cinemas were announced, the government has not yet detailed the future regulation of largescale events (up to 1,000 people) in the country. Any amendments to the current ban on such events will not be forthcoming until 24 June, Reuters reported.
This is unwelcome news for Art Basel’s organisers – the deadline for galleries to commit to participating in the fair was set for 1 June. The fair has now issued a letter to exhibitors, signed by Art Basel Global Director Marc Spiegler and Head of Business & Management Europe Andreas Bicker, stating that organisers had hoped to receive guidance from the Swiss Federal Council regarding largescale events. It acknowledges that it cannot wait until late next month to clarify its September edition, and promises to update gallerists on the situation by the end of next week.
‘We know that you were hoping for more clarity by now. So were we,’ the letter – seen by ArtReview – reads. ‘In our recent conversations with gallerists worldwide, many expressed their desire for the fair to go forward – particularly those living in countries whose societies have successfully begun re-opening after long lockdowns. That said, many gallerists have also shared their concerns, reluctance, or unwillingness about doing the Basel show.’
The organisers go on to say that they are ‘working hard in analysing what the rapidly evolving situation means for our ability to hold Art Basel in September, and what form it could take’. A spokesperson for Art Basel confirmed to ArtReview that the previous 1 June deadline for exhibitors now no longer applies, while organisers work on providing further clarification to gallerists.
On 26 March, Art Basel announced that it was postponing its 2020 fair – its 50th anniversary edition – originally slated to take place in June, until 17–20 September 2020 (with preview days held 15–16 September), as a consequence of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Spiegler said at the time: ‘We hope that the situation improves swiftly, and we will work closely with our exhibitors to deliver a successful fair in September […] The health and safety of our exhibitors, partners, guests, and teams remains our main priority, and we will adapt all our planning to the developing situation.’
On 27 April, the deadline for exhibitors to confirm participation was moved from 1 May to 1 June. In a letter to exhibitors, the fair’s directors Spiegler, Adeline Ooi and Noah Horowitz said that they hoped there would be ‘more clarity for all involved’ by 1 June. ‘At the moment, there are simply too many open questions. When, and under what regulatory conditions, will fairs such as ours be able to take place?’ The letter promised that if Art Basel was forced to cancel a fair in 2020 because of the pandemic, whether in Basel or in Miami Beach, it would fully refund fees paid by exhibiting galleries. And the 25 percent of retained booth fees from its cancelled Hong Kong edition in March would roll over into stand fees for 2021.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the cancellation of largescale events worldwide – and in the artworld, the calendar of lucrative fairs and major biennials: alongside Art Basel in Hong Kong, Frieze New York (scheduled for May) and Masterpiece London (scheduled for June) are other recent high-profile casualties. Faced with disruption, many fairs have opted to launch virtual ‘viewing rooms’ (you can read J.J. Charlesworth writing in ArtReview on the problems with reinventing exclusivity online). Art Basel’s own online viewing rooms – a digital platform for its gallerists and collectors initially launched in place of its cancelled Hong Kong fair – will have a second edition on 19–26 June (with a private view from 17 June).
