What does the word ‘Basel’ mean to you?

Art, truly. I once read that there are more world-class art collections and museums per square meter and per capita in Basel than any other place in Europe, if not worldwide. I don’t know if that is empirically true, but it sure feels like it.

Your first memory of Basel?

Staying in a youth hostel during an edition of Art Basel because it was the only lodging that I could afford in the city at the time – even though I was a fully-fledged professional by then.

Where do you feel most at home?

I directed the Kunsthalle Basel for nearly 10 years and took over Kunstmuseum Basel in 2024. The whole time, I’ve lived in the area known as Kleinbasel, which is also where the fair takes place, and it really feels like home.

What is the mark of a true Basler?

A cosmopolitan sophistication, but also an exceptional sense of discretion.

Which famous figure best embodies Basel?

The basilisk. This mythological creature can be found on several fountains throughout the city as well as on the bridgehead of the Wettsteinbrücke. Seeing it always reminds me that despite the calmness and levelheaded rationality of Basel, this Swiss city was also built on the foundations of the fantastical and magical.

Your favorite place for breakfast?

In Kleinbasel, Avant-Gouz. In the city center, Confiserie Bachmann, and Kunstmuseum Basel’s bistro, of course.

Where are the best boutiques?

In terms of clothing, Set & Sekt for the chic and new, and Frankie Frankie for the beautiful and preloved. For all sorts of other exquisite things, Grimsel and also Designbutik.

Guests at your dream dinner party in Basel?

I love what happens with eclectic mixes at dinner parties. So, if I could channel both the living and the dead, I’d say, Audre Lorde, David Bowie, Alexa Demie, Marcel Duchamp, Michael Armitage, and Cao Fei.

Where do you go out in Basel?

Renée for cocktails in a room lined with peacock wallpaper, Amber Bar for stiff drinks with a view, Kaserne Basel for concerts or performances, and – perhaps my favorite when the company is right – Don’t Worry Be Happy Bar for a total dive bar experience, karaoke included.

Which artwork best represents Basel?

I don’t know if ‘represents’ is the right word here, but the most iconic work associated with the city is certainly The Dead Christ in the Tomb by Hans Holbein the Younger from 1521-1522 at the Kunstmuseum Basel. Few images I know are as gripping or unflinchingly ruthless.

What is the craziest thing you have heard or seen on the streets of Basel?

There used to be – and maybe still is – an Uber driver wearing a top hat who has a vintage silver Rolls-Royce. I’ve never managed to book him, but I know people who have ordered an Uber and were shocked to have a Rolls show up as their ride.

Art Basel in Basel takes place from June 18 to 21, 2026. Get your tickets here.

Caption for top image: Photo by Noé Cotter for Art Basel.