Art Basel at 50 – the 1990s
Discover the fair's history, decade by decade
2020 marks Art Basel's 50th anniversary. Discover the fair's early years through archive images, quotes from early participants, and key facts and figures.
The 1990s
'We first participated in Art Basel in 1997 with Jorge Pardo in Statements. Already back then, we faced the challenge of developing exhibitions for Art Basel with exactly the same approach and impact as those in our gallery space. Still today it is our absolute focus never to compromise on the presentation of the works by our artists and to keep questioning the conventions of our profession. After all: Without our artists, we would be nothing.'
'We first participated in Art Basel in 1997 with Jorge Pardo in Statements. Already back then, we faced the challenge of developing exhibitions for Art Basel with exactly the same approach and impact as those in our gallery space. Still today it is our absolute focus never to compromise on the presentation of the works by our artists and to keep questioning the conventions of our profession. After all: Without our artists, we would be nothing.'
'I first participated in Art Basel in 1991. I was the first Latin American gallery. In the first years, we didn’t sell and didn’t know many people. We had no contacts with clients, galleries, or museums. It was a different world for me. [...] Fellow gallerists and collectors looked at me, coming from São Paulo, as if I came from nowhere. And then we started to meet people, to share artists, and so on. But for a long time, it was more about making our artists known than about selling their works.'
'I first participated in Art Basel in 1991. I was the first Latin American gallery. In the first years, we didn’t sell and didn’t know many people. We had no contacts with clients, galleries, or museums. It was a different world for me. [...] Fellow gallerists and collectors looked at me, coming from São Paulo, as if I came from nowhere. And then we started to meet people, to share artists, and so on. But for a long time, it was more about making our artists known than about selling their works.'
'I first participated in the fair in 1995 three years after it created a new sector dedicated to young galleries. I couldn’t access my booth for the opening because I hadn’t paid for it. I tried to get in with my technical pass, but you know the ladies at the Messe – no way to get in … In the end everything went well, thanks to the Art Basel team.'
'I first participated in the fair in 1995 three years after it created a new sector dedicated to young galleries. I couldn’t access my booth for the opening because I hadn’t paid for it. I tried to get in with my technical pass, but you know the ladies at the Messe – no way to get in … In the end everything went well, thanks to the Art Basel team.'
'We first participated in Art Basel in 1997 with Jorge Pardo in Statements. Already back then, we faced the challenge of developing exhibitions for Art Basel with exactly the same approach and impact as those in our gallery space. Still today it is our absolute focus never to compromise on the presentation of the works by our artists and to keep questioning the conventions of our profession. After all: Without our artists, we would be nothing.'
'We first participated in Art Basel in 1997 with Jorge Pardo in Statements. Already back then, we faced the challenge of developing exhibitions for Art Basel with exactly the same approach and impact as those in our gallery space. Still today it is our absolute focus never to compromise on the presentation of the works by our artists and to keep questioning the conventions of our profession. After all: Without our artists, we would be nothing.'
'I first participated in Art Basel in 1991. I was the first Latin American gallery. In the first years, we didn’t sell and didn’t know many people. We had no contacts with clients, galleries, or museums. It was a different world for me. [...] Fellow gallerists and collectors looked at me, coming from São Paulo, as if I came from nowhere. And then we started to meet people, to share artists, and so on. But for a long time, it was more about making our artists known than about selling their works.'
'I first participated in Art Basel in 1991. I was the first Latin American gallery. In the first years, we didn’t sell and didn’t know many people. We had no contacts with clients, galleries, or museums. It was a different world for me. [...] Fellow gallerists and collectors looked at me, coming from São Paulo, as if I came from nowhere. And then we started to meet people, to share artists, and so on. But for a long time, it was more about making our artists known than about selling their works.'
'I first participated in the fair in 1995 three years after it created a new sector dedicated to young galleries. I couldn’t access my booth for the opening because I hadn’t paid for it. I tried to get in with my technical pass, but you know the ladies at the Messe – no way to get in … In the end everything went well, thanks to the Art Basel team.'
'I first participated in the fair in 1995 three years after it created a new sector dedicated to young galleries. I couldn’t access my booth for the opening because I hadn’t paid for it. I tried to get in with my technical pass, but you know the ladies at the Messe – no way to get in … In the end everything went well, thanks to the Art Basel team.'
'We first participated in Art Basel in 1997 with Jorge Pardo in Statements. Already back then, we faced the challenge of developing exhibitions for Art Basel with exactly the same approach and impact as those in our gallery space. Still today it is our absolute focus never to compromise on the presentation of the works by our artists and to keep questioning the conventions of our profession. After all: Without our artists, we would be nothing.'
'We first participated in Art Basel in 1997 with Jorge Pardo in Statements. Already back then, we faced the challenge of developing exhibitions for Art Basel with exactly the same approach and impact as those in our gallery space. Still today it is our absolute focus never to compromise on the presentation of the works by our artists and to keep questioning the conventions of our profession. After all: Without our artists, we would be nothing.'