2020 marks Art Basel's 50th anniversary. Conceived as a fair&nbsp;by gallerists for gallerists,&nbsp;it has brought together thousands of exhibitors, artists, and visitors since its inception. Through archive images, quotes from early participants, and key facts and figures, we&nbsp;invite you to discover Art Basel's founding years.

Discover the fair's history, decade by decade

Art Basel at 50 - the 1970s

Art Basel, founded by the Basel gallerists Ernst Beyeler, Trudl Bruckner, and Balz Hilt, launches with 90 galleries and 20 publishers from 10 countries.First edition:&nbsp;Facts and Figures<ul> <li>16,300 visitors</li><li>110 exhibitors</li><li>10 countries: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, USA</li><li>Day Ticket: CHF 5</li></ul>

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The Genesis: 1970

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During the eventful year of 1968, the Basel Gallery Association decided to stage an art fair at the Safran Zunft (guildhall) that November, featuring galleries exclusively from Basel. [...] Basel needed something original&mdash;an art fair with international participation. The idea was new. It had been possible to discover contemporary works in the salons and at large-scale museum exhibitions since the 19th century, but good artists had only been represented by galleries for a few decades. It was therefore decided that prominent galleries should contribute, thus guaranteeing a first-class selection of works.&nbsp;

The most vociferous advocates of this approach were Trudl Bruckner and Balz Hilt. Ernst Beyeler hesitated, objecting to the expense and uncertain outcome. The persuasive Trudl argued that she wanted to make Basel great. Ultimately, her argument was met with general approval. Basel’s trade fair Mustermesse, with its centrally-located halls and experience with specialist exhibitions, was to prove the ideal partner.

From the beginning, the parties involved agreed that the projected Basel art fair would not only be open to gallery owners who represented contemporary artists and sold their works directly, but also to art dealers offering works from the 20th century. The double structure of a primary and a secondary market was reflected in the organizing committee. Committee members Trudl Bruckner and Balz Hilt, who both had galleries in Basel, were driving forces behind the establishment of the fair. Another member of the committee was Ernst Beyeler, who maintained worldwide connections as a modern art dealer from his Basel gallery. The directors of the Kunsthalle and the Kunstmuseum in Basel were also on the committee, giving their institutional blessing to the art fair. On June 12, 1970, the first Art Basel opened.&nbsp;

In 1973 an important structural step created the basis for the future development of Art Basel. The local organizing committee turned into an international Exhibitors’ Advisory Board [from 1974]. Only art dealers were represented in this body, and the distribution by country reflected the rented exhibition area. The advisory board was consulted when new participants were selected, whereas an exhibitor who had been accepted once was practically guaranteed renewed admittance. For 20 years Director Emil Bammatter was responsible for the implementation of Art Basel [until 1991].

The fair launches the New Trends&nbsp;sector designed to promote&nbsp;young artists. 50 galleries take&nbsp;part, including Leo Castelli from&nbsp;New York, Ileana Sonnabend&nbsp;from Paris, Gian Enzo Sperone&nbsp;from Turin, and Annemarie Verna&nbsp;and Renée Ziegler from Zurich.

1974

Art Basel organizes British Art,&nbsp;the third special exhibition of a series&nbsp;started in 1973 dedicated to 'one-country' exhibitions. After initial&nbsp;surveys from the United States and&nbsp;Italy, exhibitions focusing on artists&nbsp;from Spain, Germany, France,&nbsp;Switzerland, Austria, Israel, Holland,&nbsp;and Belgium follow over the years.

1975

To celebrate the tenth edition of Art Basel, the fair launches a new sector called Perspective. It features 16 solo shows from, at the time, little-known artists, among them Francesco Clemente, Martin Disler, Helmut Federle, General Idea, Nicola De Maria, and Mimmo Paladino.

1979

Art Basel has published a catalog of each fair since the first edition. As put by&nbsp;Dr F. Walthard, President of Art 8’77 and&nbsp;General Director of the Swiss Industries Fair in his foreword of the 1977&nbsp;Art Basel catalogue, they 'testify to the diversity of exhibits. They&nbsp;serve the artists, art dealers, collectors, and museum staff, as well as the numerous interested art lovers, as general information about today’s art market scene not only during the six days of the fair but also long afterward.'

Since 1970

<ul>
	<li>88 exhibitors</li>
	<li>24 countries</li>
	<li>Day Ticket: CHF 7</li>
	<li>Special Exhibition: Schweizer Kunst nach Giacometti (Swiss Art after Giacometti)</li>
	<li>Sectors: New Trends, Perspective</li>
</ul>

1979: Facts and Figures

A Decade in the Making

Galerie Bargera, Cologne; Editions Lahumière, Paris; Galerie Beyeler, Basel; Galerie Carl Laszlo, Basel; Galerie d’Eendt, Amsterdam; Galerie und Verlag Orangerie, Cologne; Galerie Gmurzynska, Cologne;&nbsp;Galerie Regio, March-Hugstetten; Evelyn Hagenbeck, Hamburg; Galerie Riehentor, Basel; Galerie R. P. Hartmann, Munich; Galerie Edition Rottlof, Karlsruhe; Buchhandlung Jäggi, Basel; Galerie Schmücking, Braunschweig; Annely Juda Fine Art, London; Edition Vogelsperger, Birsfelden; Galerie Jan Krugier, Geneva; Kunstsalon Wolfsberg, Zurich

These exhibitors took part in Art Basel for all of the first decade:

Galleries

This timeline was first published in Art Basel |&nbsp;Year 50.&nbsp;Images, from top to bottom: 1.&nbsp;Entrance to the first edition of Art Basel, Basel, June 1970. (c)&nbsp;Staatsarchiv via JRP: Photo: Dierks Presse-Photo Basel, Source: Staatsarchiv Basel-Stadt, PA 1189b D 1 (1) 5. 2. Trudl Bruckner 3. Works, including a sculpture by Jean Dubuffet (right), exhibited in the Rundhof, Art Basel, Basel, 1974.&nbsp;Staatsarchiv via JRP: Bildnachweis Staatsarchiv Basel-Stadt, PA 1189b D 1 (1) 3 4.&nbsp;Ernst Beyeler, 1970.&nbsp;Photo: Kurt Wyss. 5.&nbsp;General impression of the fair, 1971. Photo: Kurt Wyss 6. General impression&nbsp;of the fair's 1971 edition. Photo:&nbsp;Photo: Foto Dierks Basel, Courtesy Art Basel 7. General impression of the 1972 edition of the fair. Photo: Kurt Wyss 8.&nbsp;Leo Castelli (center) and Claes Oldenburg (right), Art Basel, Basel, 1975. 9.&nbsp;Henry Moore attends the fair, Art Basel, Basel, 1970. 10. The&nbsp;Sidney Janis Gallery booth in 1978,&nbsp;dedicated to naïve American art.&nbsp;Staatsarchiv via JRP: Photo: Dierks Presse-Photo Basel, Source: Staatsarchiv Basel-Stadt, PA 1189b D 10 (1) 1 11.&nbsp;Catalogue 1973.&nbsp;&copy; Art Basel /MCH/JRP|Editions/ Photo: Julien Gremaud. 12. General impression of the 1971 fair. Photo: Kurt Wyss. 13.&nbsp;Friedensreich Hundertwasser, 1979. Photo: Kurt Wyss via JRP. 14.&nbsp;Booth of Galerie Liatowitsch. Photo:&nbsp;Kurt Wyss via JRP.&nbsp;

The Early Years