A city intoxicated by art. When Art Basel opens its doors, it also opens the hearts of its visitors.

Home to 40 museums, the city of culture for connoisseurs has the highest concentration of museums in the country. Basel also has a beautiful old town, modern architecture, and the Rhine – an inviting spot to rest a while.

Sophie Mercedes Lardon works as a designer and artist in Basel. After studying at Central Saint Martins in London, she opened Studio Mercedes, which specialises in object and interior design, kinetics and nature.

Following a dining-based happening, Sophie Lardon experimented with some of natural materials left over for the first time: She created the initial pieces of jewellery from dried artichoke leaves. She fabricates these pieces from a combination of resin and silver, relying closely on her knowledge of botany.

Design fairs and appearances, such as at ModeSwiss, soon followed and the “Leftovers” jewellery series became one of the studio’s signature collections. Sophie Lardon continues to build on the collection, creating objects for interiors and architecture as well as multi-space objects. Lardon is currently creating a collection of lamps made from lotus leaves and hand-blown glass.

In her work, Sophie Lardon not only strives to blur the boundaries between art and design, but also to explore the philosophical questions of life, such as the transience and delicacy of nature and mankind.

Art Basel was founded in the 1970s by the Basel gallery owners Ernst Beyeler, Trudl Bruckner and Balz Hilt and proved to be a success right from the start: More than 16,000 visitors attend the opening exhibition, where 90 galleries and 30 publishers from 10 countries are on display. Even today, Art Basel is considered the most famous of all international art fairs. The New York Times referred to it as the “Olympics of art”, the Parisian daily Le Monde said it is “The best in the world” and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung headlined it as “Art at its best”. Vogue called it “The most beautiful temporary museum in the world”.

Not only do nearly 300 galleries exhibit their works of art—curated by some 4,000 contemporary artists in the halls of the Basel Congress Center—but the ‘Unlimited’ exhibition platform, with its large-format sculptures and paintings, video projections, installations and live performances, also captivates visitors. The experience begins at the entrance to the exhibition centre, where a circular opening in the middle of the City Lounge provides a view of the sky. This building by architects Herzog & de Meuron, is one of Basel’s more recent landmarks. 

Unlimited has been taking place during Art Basel since 2000. Unlimited is an innovative platform for large-scale art projects and is curated by Giovanni Carmine. In 2023, it exhibited works by over 70 artists in a gigantic 17,000 m2 hall and caused a great stir, just as happens every year.

The Art Parcours opens at the same time as Art Basel and presents various installations, sculptures and performances in public spaces and at historical sites. These are designed by guest curators with the goal of fostering an interaction between art and the urban environment.

In addition to Art Basel, Basel is home to numerous other art events, such as Design Miami, the Liste Art Fair, Photo Basel, the Volta Art Fair, the June Art Fair and the Basel Social Club, which is held on the Thomi + Franck AG site in the Horburg neighbourhood. Free performances, readings, art exhibitions and concerts take place every day in the old factory buildings. 

Not far from the art scene, you can relax in one of the lovingly designed buvettes (cafes) and enjoy some fresh air by the Rhine. A selection of delicacies and drinks are sure to delight your senses and, of course, your palate. 

In Basel, you’ll literally encounter art at every turn, whether you’re strolling through the beautiful old town or visiting one of the nearly 40 museums. Many of these museums enjoy an international reputation, offering something for every taste, thanks to the diversity of their artistic themes. 

https://www.basel.com/en/art