Art Basel has announced the appointment of Ruba Katrib as the new curator of Unlimited, the fair’s platform for large-scale projects. Katrib, Chief Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs at MoMA PS1 in New York City, will present her first edition in Basel in 2026.

What excites you most about stepping into this role at this moment?

I think it’s an excellent opportunity to present some major works. There really isn’t anything like the scale or scope of Unlimited. You leave the sector with a big-picture overview of what’s happening in art. I have such a strong memory of my first time seeing it – I was blown away. It’s an honor to be part of the organizing team. I’m also happy to be spending more time in Basel.

Your appointment reflects a commitment to fresh perspectives. What will that mean for artists and audiences?

For me, it’s about working with the network of artists and galleries I already know, while also making new connections and learning about works or practices that I might not encounter in my day-to-day. I think my being based in New York is important too – it’s a very international city with so many communities here and artists who come through town. That global exchange is important to me. Perhaps it’s also worth noting that until now, Unlimited has been curated by European men, which wouldn’t have been surprising when the sector emerged in 2000. The association of large-scale art with notions of masculinity has been upended in recent decades, and our understandings of monumentality will continue to morph. It’s exciting to support that evolution.

What do you bring from your museum background to this role?

My curatorial work in and outside of museums has often focused on sculpture and new production. I work with artists to realize new commissions, and I have a strong sense of how works will live in space, even before they’re built. That intuition is something I’ve developed over years, and that’s something I hope to bring to Unlimited.

Do you think about the works in Unlimited as being linked, or do they stand alone?

Unlimited is extremely spatial and works inevitably interact. The curator’s main challenge is laying out the floor plan so the flow is exciting, each artist feels supported, and the works amplify one another. It’s about how the space feels as much as how it looks. Even when works are unrelated, the experience still has to resonate on every level.

Gallery applications for Unlimited go live in the coming weeks. What will your selection process look like?

I’ll be casting a wide net and having conversations with artists and galleries about what’s possible and what they’re working on. There’s also a selection committee, so it’s a very collaborative process. Timing is a big part of it too – I’ll be thinking about what will feel meaningful in 2026.

Unlimited has always been one of the most anticipated sectors of the fair. What draws you to it personally?

There’s a spectacular element to Unlimited that feels so unabashedly about art. Because of its scale and format, the works are experienced in a less mediated way than in other settings. That’s what’s so thrilling: it’s direct. Unlimited feels like a grand gesture towards privileging art experiences at their most ambitious. I think that’s something to hold on to.