In Basel this June, the art world will gather not just for the landmark fair that helped define it, but for a new moment of celebration: the first-ever public presentation of the Art Basel Awards.
The inaugural Art Basel Awards name 36 visionaries redefining the world of art and culture. Artist Lubaina Himid, fashion disruptor Grace Wales Bonner, and design provocateurs Formafantasma are among the Medalists recognized for their groundbreaking practices.
In the Cross Disciplinary Creator category, Grace Wales Bonner is honored for reimagining fashion through a cultural and historical lens, while Italian duo Formafantasma (Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin) are recognized for their critical investigations into the ecological and social dimensions of design. Also in this group is Saidiya Hartman, whose literary and academic work reshapes narratives of Black life and history.
The 36 Medalists will be celebrated at a reception at Kunstmuseum Basel on June 19, coinciding with Art Basel’s flagship fair. The following day, 21 Medalists and jurors will convene for the first Art Basel Awards Summit, a public conference exploring the future of art’s global ecosystem supported by the Canton of Basel-Stadt. Featured speakers include artists Cecilia Vicuña and Ibrahim Mahama, museum leaders Elena Filipovic (Kunstmuseum Basel), Suhanya Raffel (M+, Hong Kong), and Franklin Sirmans (Pérez Museum of Art Miami); the Milanese design duo Formafantasma; and leading philanthropist Joel Wachs (The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts); among many others.
